THE NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY NOTICE
BOARD
Rheilffordd Arfordir Gogledd Cymru Bwrdd
hysbyseb
The new look at Llandudno station, 4 August (Larry Goddard)
This site is dedicated to all our regular contributors and
supporters, and especially the rail staff of North Wales.
Last update 2 August 2005
Viva Arriva - 4 August Miscellany by Larry Goddard
Viva Arriva's refurbishment of Llandudno Station, gateway to the North
Wales Coast's premier resort! The LMS-built concourse and railings have
been painted turquoise and white, while the area around the concourse
is tastefully decorated with flags and hanging flower baskets. These
pictures are from 4 August 2005.
Central Trains at the Chef. The 11.44 Holyhead-Crewe passes the
well-known feeding place at Penmaenmawr on 4th August 2005.
57 312 Scott Tracy glides down the coast with the 09.00
Euston-Holyhead
People take a breather beside their cars and lorries during the
three-hour closure of the westbound carriageway of the Abergele Bypass
following an accident near Llandulas which sadly took a life. The
traffic lights were switched off in Abergele while the old road through
the town took the strain. Meanwhile the 11:16 Manchester-Llandudno
passes on the nearby railway. - 4 August
Bryn names train
The National
Eisteddfod 2005 is taking place at the Faenol estate, near Bangor
between July 30 and August 6, and to celebrate this, 175 003
was named Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru on 2 August in a
ceremony at Bangor station featuring Opera star Bryn Terfel.
Arriva is offering an all-inclusive ticket covering rail travel, return
bus link to the Maes, plus entry to the event. Arriva is providing the
twice-hourly shuttle service, but there's always someone to find fault:
Plaid Cymru transport Spokesman Janet Davies told the Daily Post
that the 12:26 train arrival from Crewe on the naming day was three
minutes late arriving at Bangor. "The 12.30pm bus didn't wait and about
15-20 people missed it." she said. ATW spokesman Gerald Jones said, "It
has been running successfully without complaint for 5 days."
A 'demonstration' on the Eisteddfod site caused Rhodri Morgan, WAG
First Minister to be late departing the festival site for the station'
he just about made the ceremony.
It's good to see a more traditional nameplate style being used instead
of the FirstGroup style stickers previously used on these trains. Many
readers will be thinking of 37 429 Eisteddfod Genedlaethol,
originally named in 1987 when the Eisteddfod took place in Porthmadog.
Perhaps another unit could be named Robert F. Fairlie to revive
another favourite name in the year of the Ffestiniog Railway's 50th
anniversary of re-opening? And why not use the gap in the side
stripes? Thanks to Eryl Crump for these Bangor pictures.
The 175 was working the 12:36 Holyhead - Crewe, seen here in Larry
Goddard's picture passing Llysfaen. Larry writes: 'What a shame
these namings only produce one nameplate. Nameplates on both sides
might help to create more interest in trains, in fact, why not give all
the class 175s names, on vinyl, in the vacant space below the middle
windows. May I suggest towns within the Arriva Wales operating area : -
Llandudno, Betws-Y-coed, Porthmadog, Colwyn Bay, Abergele, Rhyl,
Wrexham, Wellington, Llandovery, Milford Haven, Swansea, Newport,
Aberdare, Abergavenny, Weston Super Mare, Taunton, Newton Abbot, Truro
etc. ' - 4 August
<>Last train from Eastleigh
George Jones writes: 'On Friday 29 July the 5X47 worked
north from Eastleigh to Birkenhead via Chester. 67 017 Arrow
ran round at Wrexham General at 19:20 and took 507 033 forward
to Birkenhead North. This is believed to be the final delivery of the
refurbished units. 033 is thought to have been dealt with in something
like 4 weeks to complete the contract. So ends an interesting interlude
in the Cheshire railway scene.'
Here's a picture by Jim Scott of Friday 67 017 waiting with its
barrier vans at Chester for the road back to Warrington after the final
run of the electric unit train. It was 22:40 and the signaller
decided the train should wait for the 23:00 to Manchester to leave
before sending him on his way, much to the annoyance of the driver, who
felt he would have been in Warrington by 23:00 if allowed to go. -
4 August
Weekend events
The weekend of 30/31 July saw Mk3 coaches in service to Holyhead again,
but Class 57s ruled the roost this time. The afternoon Virgin
Holyhead - Euston service on Saturday 30 July makes an un
scheduled stop at Valley while the signaller provides instructions to
the driver.
The same train pulls away from Valley station. Locomotive is 57 302
The Hood. Both pictures by Corrie.
Here's a consolation prize for the 47 fans: West Coast Railway Company 47
854 at Crewe on Saturday 30 July with 1Z65 07.00 'China Bear
Special' to Carlisle (via Settle). Picture by Laurence Wheeler.
The Sunday lineup at Holyhead; 57 312 (left) and 57 302 Virgil
Tracy (right) sandwich a rake of 158s - due to work the Cardiff
service no doubt - and a 175.
The platform-watchers angle on the same scene, summing up the liveries
of the two operators which serve Holyhead. (Corrie.) - 4
August
FR 50 - words and pictures by Eryl Crump
The Ffestiniog
Railway celebrated the 50th anniversary of restarting
services on 23 July with a special re-enactment train.
Mary Ann,
the 1917-built petrol-driven Simplex which had been brought to the line
in the mid-1920s as a shunter, was used to pull two carriages (no 10
and 17) the mile or so across the Cob from Porthmadog to Boston Lodge.
The driver was Eric Cooper, then a marine engineer living in Derby.
Eric, now 77 and living in retirement in Inverness, accompanied driver
Dave High on the re-enactment train. The event was not without
its difficulties. The original engine has been re-fitted to the Simplex
and there was bit of mis-firing. There was also some fun and games
during the shunting but the three return trips were completed without
fuss.
This picture is courtesy of the FR and shows how the Simplex and
the carriages looked way back in 1955 (10 weeks before I made an
appearance at Blaenau!)
The
other three engines in steam: Blanche (12.00
ex-Porthmadog);
Earl of
Merioneth/Iarll Meirionnydd (11.55 ex-Blaenau);
And Merddin Emrys
(12.50 ex-Blaenau). It was also good to see FR general manager Paul
Lewin back on the
platform after his illness. - 4 August
Stones ancient and modern
6K22, 10:32 Penmaenmawr - Crewe ballast train, passing Conwy
castle on 21 July, with 66 604 in charge. (Tim J. Rogers)
Shipping news
Paul Japheth writes: 'Since I pass Caernarfon Pier (Pier
Landerneau, named after Caernarfon’s French twin town) on my way to
work in Bangor, I get the chance to photograph anything that calls to
the port. Above, a reminder of the visit Balmoral
paid earlier this year on the Menai and Anglesey day tours.
'This is the Hebridean Princess – a Scottish Cruise ship with
38 crew and 42 guests. She visited for the day and the passengers
disembarked for Portmeirion and later Caernarfon town for sightseeing.
The ship then carried on to the East coast of Ireland mid-week.' A
versatile ship, the Hebridean Princess: she sailed up the Manchester
Ship Canal to Salford Quays in June 2005, the first cruise ship to do
this.
Paul has just started his
own website, to record events in the Pwllheli area; visitors are
welcome. - 4 August