Another Last Day
When Robert Pritchard of
Today's Railways UK magazine
was kind enough to ask us to read over the article about The North
Wales Coast line that is the cover story of the their August 2006
issue, we did question whether the Arriva Trains
Wales loco-hauled diagram, which is heavily featured in the present
tense, would still be running when the magazine appeared. Fortunately
it did stay with us for a couple of weeks, and just survived into the
'cover month' of the magazine, but as things turned out the workings on
Tuesday 1 August were the final ones of this particular phase of
history, thanks to return of
175 103 from its very long period
under repair.
Of course, word spread quickly among our contributors, and here we go
with the saga of the day in pictures.
Let's record the diagram and train numbers here for posterity:
Monday - Saturday = Class 57 and six coaches (in Virgin livery):
1H82 06:00 Holyhead - Manchester
1D64 10:03 Manchester - Holyhead
1H90 13:20 Holyhead - Manchester
1D81 17:41 Manchester - Holyhead
1H82, the first run of the day, pauses at Colwyn Bay ... (
John
Myers)
... and passes Shotton (Tim J. Rogers)
The 10:03 Manchester - Holyhead, 1D81, at Shotton (
Tim Rogers)
Llandudno Junction (
Dave Bramley)
1H90 13:20 Holyhead - Manchester pulls away from Chester... and
heads off towards Manchester for the last time. (
Dave Bramley)
Arrival at Manchester Oxford Road (
Charlie Hulme)
Back at Chester with 1D81, 17:41 Manchester - Holyhead (
Dave Bramley)
John Myers writes: 'When news reached me that tonight's 1H82
would be the last as a loco-hauled service, I decided to watch it
passing the foot crossing west of Prestatyn....
'Fortunately, the sun was kind on what was a more changeable day than
many we experienced last month.'
Our man
Corrie was on hand in the evening for the last rites at
Holyhead.
47 853 Rail Express arrived from Crewe minus
the rake of
coaches which usually forms the 'stock swap.'
47 853 waits for the last 17:41 from Manchester to arrive.
The early evening 221 was shuttling about from the servicing area and
to and from the wash. Here it was setting back into the carriage
sidings as
57 315 The Mole arrived with the train from
Manchester.
47 853 moves on to the stock in Platform 3.
57 315 is detached.
The scene from another familiar angle.
Portrait of 47 853.
The empty stock departs for the last (?) time.
Clagging under the road bridge.
57 315 waits for its next assignment.
And finally, a big hand for the Riviera Trains coaches in use on the
last day. Above, Brake Standard 9527.
Open Standard 6027.
Open Standard 6056
Open Standard 6141.
Open Standard 6163.
And, last but not least, Brake Open Standard 9507.
The following day - 175 102 on the same turn. (
Corrie)
