NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY:NOTICE BOARD

Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd

06 February 2012

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A Penmaenmawr - Guide Bridge stone train ran with 66 557 and 22 wagons crawling down to the next signal at Llandudno Junction at 13:55 on 30 January (Peter Lloyd)




Forthcoming events

February 2012

Thursday 9 February  Llandudno and Conwy Valley Railway Society Ron Watson Jones "Irish Mail Crash Penmaenmawr - Aug 50"/"A Ron Miscellany"   

Friday 10 February  Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "Great Western Railway Lines in South and Mid-Wales" by Tony Icke

Monday 13 February. Wrexham Railway Society Sixties Steam on Steam - Barry Shore will give a digital presentation based on his b&w negatives from the 60s with shed visits around the UK and the final days of steam at Lostock Hall.

Tuesday 14 February 8E Railway Association  Colin White from B&R Video presents Archive Cine Film from 50's & 60's

Saturday 18 February    Stephenson Locomotive Society   Bob Barnard  The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway – Then & Now. From 1898 this well-equipped 2 foot gauge line climbed into the foothills of Exmoor, initially independent but later under the Southern Railway, until its sudden closure in 1935.  Since 2004, trains have run on a section again.  Bob Barnard, a local L&B enthusiast and North West group organiser, will tell the line's story in pictures old and new.
                                                    
Monday 20  February RCTS Chester  Stephen Gay: Walking the line, discovering lost railways. Stephen travels from Sheffield with a slide 
show on walking old railways with his faithful  German Shepherd dog Wrawby. The show includes the S&D, Scarborough to Whitby, rambling in Scotland to glorious Devon plus a very varied local selection

Thursday 23 February   Merseyside Railway History Group     Graham Briggs:   Steaming Through Britain

Wednesday 29 February Ffestiniog Railway Society Dee & Mersey Group. Operating a 40 mile railway. Phil Brown.

March 2012

Friday 2 March  Clwyd Railway Circle  AGM followed by Photo Competition and Members Night. Members are invited to give a 15 minute presentation of their choice, any format welcomed. Please book your slot no later than 17th February by contacting David Jones.

Thursday 8 March Llandudno and Conwy Valley Railway Society Geoff Morris "30 years west of Swansea" 

Friday 9 March  Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "The Railways of the Peak District" by Dr Les Nixon

Monday 12 March. Wrexham Railway Society Vintage Steam Film Show - Colin White presents a selection of 8mm cine films with his unique commentary about the abilities of the loco crews in the 1860s. 

Tuesday 13 March 8E Railway Association  Geoff Coward presents Back To The 60's

Saturday 17 March Stephenson Locomotive Society   Ken Grainger      Rhapsody in Blue – The Great Northern Railway of Ireland. A whistle-stop tour, in colour, of the Great Northern network, mainly by steam but also including not unattractive diesel railcars and delightful half-cab railbuses, as well as the Hill of Howth open-top electric trams and not forgetting the immortal horse-drawn Fintona tram.                              
 
Monday 19  March RCTS Chester    Gordon Davies: American Wanderings in 2010/11/ A digital presentation of Gordon’s two visits    to the USA. Featuring commuter trains, extremely long freight and coal trains, preserved steam, a monorail, trams plus his visit to the dentist!

Thursday 29 March   Merseyside Railway History Group   AGM     Members Slides.





















Wild Boar Fell overlooks 66 849 on train 6J37 Carlisle - Chirk logs approaching Ais Gill Summit, 1 February. Picture by Ian Pilkington.


Technical troubles

Unfortunately we are unable to bring you a full Notice Board update at present due to the incompetence of a VirginMedia employee who put our Internet connection out of action in an attempt to upgrade it.- Charlie


Dee Viaduct repairs

Network Rail have written to local residents in Chester warning them that they will be carrying works out to the Railway Bridge over the River Dee off Curzon Park North, from February to August 2012. The work involves 'significant structural steelwork strengthening' along with grit-blasting and painting of the structure.

The site compound will be on the Railway Viaduct adjacent to the Chester Racecourse Stables to minimise disturbance to local residents. The footbridge attached to the viaduct will be closed from 5th February 2012 for a period of 6 months for what NR calls 'safety purposes.'

Nighttime works will be each Sunday 00:40 to 07:50 from February to August. Midweek nights throughout February will be from 00:01 to 05:00 each night; however this work involves drilling and is not expected to create a disturbance.


Four for the price of one



Four DRS Class 37 locos, 37 612, 601, 602 and 218, seen at Acton Cliff on a move from Carlisle to Derby, 28 January (Stavros Lainas).


Book Review by Dave Sallery

Tales of tea trolleys and trains in the final years of steam

This 41-page A4-size  booklet has been written by 'Trolleyman' and recounts his days of pushing tea trolleys up and down trains in North Wales and the Borders between July 1962 and August 1965. 'Trolleyman' realised that as a penniless student, the only way he could afford to travel long distances behind steam was to get paid for it. Having secured summer employment as a trolley man he engaged in some amazing exploits. 

'Trolleyman' provided probably the only ever refreshment services between Wrexham Exchange and Shotton (because it was hauled by pannier 4683). He also managed to provide a service from Gaerwen to Amlwch (hauled by 41226).  He also became very proficient at bribing footplate crews with free tea to get on the footplate.  For example from Garneddwen to Dolgellau on 7821 Ditcheat Manor  The whole book is full of those little details so beloved by enthusiasts.  A glance at one page for example sees the following locos mentioned: 7802, 5081, 4998, 6934, 42282, 42487, 70018, 46125, 46251 and 45529. I would recommend this book as a delightful read for all those who wish to be reminded of a bygone but golden age.  Copies are available for £5.00 including postage from 'Trolleyman', 35 Dunval Road, Bridgnorth, WV16 4NA.


In the Tamper Siding



SB Rail track machine 73904 Thomas Telford stabled in the 'Tamper siding', alongside 175 004 on a passenger service in Platform 1, at Llandudno Junction, 4 February (Darren Durrant)


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