THE NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY NOTICE BOARD

Rheilffordd Arfordir Gogledd Cymru Bwrdd hysbyseb



What's this doing outside Llandudno Junction Tesco? See below... and watch this space.  Picture by Merfyn Jones
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This site is dedicated to all our regular contributors and supporters, and especially the rail staff of North Wales.

Last update 26 June 2005

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A very strange turn ... followed by a deluge
1D00 05:02 Birmingham to Holyhead on 25 June left Crewe hauled by a Class 57 with a Class 90 still attached to the train for some reason. Someone appears to have realised that Class 90s have never been checked for structure gauge on the North Wales Coast,  so the 90 was detached at Llandudno Junction and left in the sidings. The 57 and the gold-buffered Driving Van Trailer  returned with train 1A24 towards London.  Later, 47 830 appeared to pick up the errant electric locomotive. Meanwhile, 47 854 ran well with the railtour to Llandudno and  the Conwy Valley.

As a result of all this, and the constantly increasing interest in our site by photographers (thanks all!)  we can safely say that never before have so many pictures been received at this website of a single weekend's events! It's going take a day or two to get them all sorted and edited, espcially since the weather has been so conducive to outdoor activities. Please bear with us. In the meantime we endeavouring to get some comment from Virgin Trains as to why the absurd event occurred.

It's been pointed out that we got the wrong end of the stick regarding the Three Peaks train, whose passengers were ealkin the three peaks to raise money for the 'Railway Children' charity. By way of penance, the article has been corrected and a donation sent.  - 26 June



153 311 works on its suntan as it ambles out of Llandudno Junction towards Blaenau on the lovely afternoon of 21 June (Gwyn Williams)
Three Peaks
The Barmouth to Fort William Three Peaks Yacht Race combines yachting and mountain running (and a little bit of cycling) into one of the greatest adventure challenges in British sport., with teams running up the highest peaks in Wales, England and Scotland, travelling by racing sailing boat between the three venues.



A  'three peaks walk' for the Railway Children charity has also become a tradition about the same time of year as this event, with walkers travelling by train between the stations nearest to nowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis , and again this year EWS have been able to provide a train for participants, on the following three-day itinerary:


Our contributor 'Corrie' was up and away early to get our two pictures on 24 June. In the first view, 67 030 and stock wait in the sidings prior to the departure of the VT Euston service with 57 314. The train followed the Euston service, departing for its passengers at Bangor at 05:45. Its slow approach to Valley is seen in the second shot awaiting clearance to proceed onward to Bangor. - 24 June




37 610 and 37 259 power the flask train through Bangor, 21 June (Alan Crawshaw)


Conwy Valley locos, 25 June

Lancashire Railtours (using West Coast Railway Company locomotives) are running a charter train from Carnforth to Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog on 25 June.  Here are some confirmed times for this train, which will probably feature top-n-tailed 47s, possibly the BR Green  and Intercity versions; hopes that 57 601 might make the first appearance by a 57 at Blaenau have faded as it is said to be under repair.

1Z80: Carnforth  06:50,  Preston arr 07:25 dep 07:27, Chester arr 08:33 dep 08:43, Llandudno arr 09:50, dep 11:35, North Llanrwst (cross service train) arr 12:15 dep 12:21, Betws-y-Coed arr 12:32 dep 12:35, Blaenau Ffestiniog  arr 13:01

1Z81: Blaenau Ffestiniog dep 16:05, Betws-y-Coed arr 16:31 dep 16:37,  North Llanwst  (cross service train) arr 16:42 dep 16:46,  Llandudno  arr 17:18 dep 16:32,  Chester  arr 18:34 dep 18:37,  Preston arr 19:48 dep 19:56  Carnforth arr 20:27.

An interesting and excellent  innovation on this train is the carriage of some bicycles which can be hired by passengers for use at the destination; Lancashire Railtours being part of an organisation which hires bikes to passengers at Lancaster station.  -  23 June

With the last Virgin 87



Contributor and well-known rail journalist Tony Miles was a guest aboard the 09:38 London - Manchester via Northampton service on 10 June, the official last run of a Virgin Trains Class 87 on this line. Here's a view from the cab as the train approaches Piccadilly buffers.



The train, seen here standing at Piccadilly, was hauled by 87 010 Driver Tommy Farr  with 87 002 The AC Locomotive Group 'dead in train' most of the way.



The set entering Longsight depot. These locos entered service in the early 1970s as extra traction was required for the newly-electrified line from Weaver Junction to Glasgow. A development of the Class 86, their continuous power rating is 5000 Horsepower.



The Driving Van Trailer, 82101, looking very smart: it  was repainted partly as it is on one of the two 'standby' sets which remain available to Virgin West Coast. - 23 June
Cambrian railtour farce



The railtour from Sheffield on 18 June, advertised to run to Pwllheli behind a Class 37, entered the annals of infamy when it was diverted during the journey to run to Blackpool North instead. Bad news for Alan Crawshaw who had travelled to Criccieth with his camera for the occasion and has to be content with a 'cornish pastie' and a swim in the sea. (above).  37 406 The Saltire Society was allocated to the train, having been out of service for some months. and as the journey progressed it was found to be low on cooling water. Various stops were made to try to rectify the situation, but  to no avail, and it was decided  it was too much of a risk to run the train down the Cambrian, and after some debate about a possible North Wales run it eventually arrived at Blackpool at around 16:00 after some further delay because it would have to back out of Blackpool station to run round which now requires a brake coach at each end of the train.



Mark Barber managed to get himself into position to obtain this picture of the errant train returning south through Winwick Junction at about 20:00.  Let's hope this fiasco does not affect the operation of future Cambrian tours. - 23 June

Weekly train survives



Although at one time intended for withdrawal, 2F80 08:25 Chester to Runcorn (summer Saturdays only, and the only service train over its route) has been reprieved and runs again in the new timetable. Mark Barber photographed 150 269 between Frodsham Junction and Halton Junction on 18 June. The Northern Rail 150 is one of the ones recently transferred from Neville Hill depot in Leeds to Newton Heath in Manchester, where all Northern 150s are to be concentrated, whilst 158s will go the other way. It's nice to see more Regional Railways livery about, but the internal condition of these vehicles leaves much to be desired. - 23 June


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