"STEAM SPECIAL SPECIAL"
Saturday 26 April was a bumper day for steam train watchers: there was
LMS 4-6-2
6233 Duchess of Sutherland going to
Holyhead, GWR 4-6-0
5029 Nunney Castle to Chester, and for
those at Crewe, LMS 4-6-0
45407
and much-travelled BR standard 2-6-0
76079
on their way from Newport to Manchester.
We'll follow there progress through our reporters' cameras. First up
was PMR Tours' "The Welsh Dragon", Lincoln - Holyhead, with steam
haulage from Crewe-Holyhead by 6233. Above, the train arrives in Crewe
with West Coast Railway Co
47 760
leading and
57 601 at the
rear. (
Mark Riley)
47 760 separates from the train
and runs round to stable at Crewe until the tour returns later. (
Mark Riley)
6233 with support coach 99041 reverses onto the stock. (
Mark Riley)
6233, with that same 'Welsh Dragon' headboard as used last year, making
a suitably atmospheric departure from Crewe.
(
Tim Fenton)
57 601 at the rear for train
heat and insurance (
Mark Riley)
Immediately after 6233 departed, it was a brisk walk south along
Platform 6 and then over the south footbridge to Platform 12, as 5029
arrived from Tyseley. Here is the loco, which had only just made a
successful loaded test run, after arrival.
(
Tim Fenton)
5029 receives plenty of attention as it takes on water. (
Mark Riley) [How many of these
people too the time to inform the station manager of their presence on
the station as required by the
official
guidelines, we wonder?]
5029 just after departing Crewe, taken from the temporary pedestrian
bridge which is in place while the "proper" bridge carrying Wistaston
Road over the railway is replaced by something stronger. (
Tim Fenton)
Arrival at Chester on a cloudy Saturday morning. (
Mark Riley)
5029 after arrival from Chester, shot from a gap in the panelling on
the south footbridge. Just eight coaches and no loco on the back.
(
Tim Fenton)
John Myers writes: 'With the
'Castle' travelling to and turning Chester having left Tyseley shortly
before 8am, it seemed worthwhile to concentrate east of the city in the
morning and so overbridges at Hargrave and Waverton were chosen as
suitable locations. Hargrave was a popular choice and I'm sure all who
gathered there weren't disappointed with what could be seen there.
Here's 6233 at Hargrave (
John Myers.)
[Perhaps that family own the field? -
C.H.]
57 601 on the rear of the train at Hargrave (
John Myers).
Mostyn (
Dave Skipsey)
A peek inside the cab of
Duchess of
Sutherland (
Pete Lloyd)
Approaching Bangor on the return. (
Alan
Crawshaw)
Bangor (
Geraint Jones)
Holywell Junction (
Dave Skipsey)
Holywell Junction (
John Myers)
John Myers writes: 'In spite of
its having closed in 1959, the surviving buildings at Waverton station
remain a joy to behold. This link to the
Disused
Stations Record website might be of interest to others especially
as there are onward links form it to the other intermediate stations
between Chester and Crewe. Subjects along the North Wales coast seem to
be in preparation.'
5029 back at Crewe, almost ready for the off. (
Tim Fenton)
5029 setting off for Tyseley.
Tim
Fenton writes: 'Plenty of competition for position on the
platform; there was someone to my left and someone else kneeling and
videoing at the lower right, and several more behind.'
After 19:00, and getting gloomy, with the loco headlight and signal
looking very bright. 45407 and 76079 arrive off the Shrewsbury line.
Tim Fenton writes: 'As the
Black Five and Standard 4 arrived in Platform 12, 6233 was arriving in
11 from Holyhead. The signaller took a very long time to release the
loco, so it was even more murky by the time I took this, taking care
not to crowd out the bloke standing just to my left.'
45407 being prepared for the last leg back to Manchester. For this, a
Wrexham & Shropshire-liveried 67 was added at the back, but for
some reason was not needed beforehand.
Tim
Fenton writes: 'Auto thingy on the digicam said 1/40th and after
this I didn't try any more. The tour was almost 20 late restarting,
despite the locos being ready and there being much blowing off (76079
was under the Nantwich Road bridge, which must have made it a bit smoky
on the platform).'
A week earlier ...
Finally for now, here is a selection of pictures of the charter with
6201 Princess Elizabeth on 19 April
which arrived after we had to leave the computer to go on holiday. Poor
weather prevailed on that Saturday morning so
Geoff Morris just walked down to
Chester Racecourse for a shot of the outward leg.
Passing Abergele (
Stephen Harper)
Though it appears that the locomotive is bursting out of the tunnel in
Peter Brindley's Bangor picture
above, it was actually travelling very slowly as the train arrived at
12.35, just five minutes late.
At Valley, the train passed the loaded train from Anglesey Aluminium,
hauled by 67 012, which was held at the Valley home signal.
The 47 on the rear contrasts with the stark lines of the 67.
67 012 gets under way over Valley crossing.
47 843 Vulcan of Riviera Trains was 'Tail
End Charlie' on this day: here it is in Holyhead carriage sidings. (
Corrie)
Ready for departure at Holyhead (
Corrie)
The return through Valley: problems with the level crossing here led to
it having to be attended by maintenance staff. (
Corrie)
Lots of smoke and steam on the 40-minute late arrival back from
Holyhead, to pick up some very cold passengers (
Peter Brindley)
As always, this page is dedicated to the crews and operators of all the
trains featured.
