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01 June 2015
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A mixed formation of 66 302 and 57 306 passes Bangor with the flask train for Crewe, 29 May. Picture by Rowan Crawshaw. Technical hitchOur email software suffered a 'crash' on 30 May, and when restored from a backup was missing the some recent incoming messages. If you sent a contribution recently that has failed to appear - I recall in particular a report on the Fairbourne Railway and have not hear from me personally - please send it again if you can locate it in your 'sent items' folder. Apologies for the disruption. - Charlie Britannia at Crewe - by Ian Bowland70000 Britannia leaving Crewe with the Bristol - Appleby 'Cumbrian Fells Express' on 30 May. While there I noticed that the old concrete footbridge, seen above with its access from the platform closed off, is destined for demolition and will not be replaced. I assume that this bridge replaced the metal one that used to lead down to Crewe North shed and much frequented by train spotters in the days of steam. Charging down the slope into the shed was commonplace as was being thrown out again - happy days! Freight views60 087 and 66 849 cross onto the up fast line at Balshaw Lane with 6J37 Carlisle – Chirk logs on Thursday 28 May. 60 087 was detached at Warrington, 66 849 working on to Chirk. This was the first time a 60 had powered the logs south of Hellifield. Picture by Ian Pilkington. Colas 60 076 stables in the Kronospan sidings, Chirk on 30 May, having worked in with 6M51 from Exeter Riverside, arriving at 01:35 (John Mathers). 66 185 has just passed through Penyffordd with empty MEA coal wagons from Penyffordd cement works, heading towards Wrexham, having tripped to Dee Marsh sidings to run round. Taken at Penyffordd foot crossing on 27 May. Picture by John Mathers. Assorted freight newsReports on Internet forums suggest that Manisty Wharf coal terminal at Ellesmere Port is to close on 30 June 2015. Can anyone confirm? Presently two trains a day operate to Fiddlers Ferry power station carrying coal unloaded from ships. On the other hand, soon after our item about Eccles in the last issue, we saw a report of a ship destined to head along the Ship Canal to the cement terminal at Weaste. Whether this means that rail traffic from the Hope cement works will resume remains to be seen; the path remains in the timetable but the train has not run for several years. The proposal to carry away spoil from Bersham Colliery site - mentioned in the last issue - prompted an article in the Wrexham Leader, which gave the name of the applicant as Bersham Glenside Ltd. The plan is to remove six million tonnes of burnt shale from the spoil heap; Welsh Heritage body Cadw, and local residents, are said to prefer that the landmark tip should remain. The article mentions highway permissions, but there is nothing about the supposed rail connection. It would not be the first time that a rail connection has been included in a planning application as a sop to environmental concerns, and then either never built or rarely used. Another 'ghost' freight in the timetable is the service between Llandudno Junction and the Shotton Paper Company siding, which we believe is intended for the transport of domestic refuse to the planned 'energy recovery facility' (or incinerator) to be built on Deeside. This facility has faced a planning battle, and in April 2015 permission to build it was refused by Flintshire Council. If it finally does get we won't be confident that any rail traffic will appear. Coast curiosities - pictured by Roly HighWith Network Rail's continual push towards automated signalling, Star Wars character c-3po has now been recruited. Here he keeps a watchful eye on Virgin Super Voyager 221 109 Marco Polo on the 10:55 Holyhead to London Euston on 31 May. He is pictured looking out of the ruins of the winding engine house at the old Bettisfield Colliery in Bagillt. The colliery here opened in 1872, and closed in 1933 with the loss of 415 jobs; this building survived in other uses, and is Grade II listed as a historic building, but is in poor condition. Notwithstanding 3,824 signatures on a petition and support for opening it as a tourist attraction from Antoinette Sandbach AM, The Duke of Lancaster, claimed to be the last surviving steam turbine driven passenger ship, still slumbers in its concrete bed at Llanerch-y-Mor. Above right: A 4-car 158 unit in front of the ship with the 10:20 ex Holyhead to Cardiff Central. Network Rail are doing a fine job of re-building the sea (river?) wall at Mostyn wall collapsed onto the track during those severe storms in December 2013 (see our 9 December 2013 issue) ,which forced the line to be closed for a while. Charity Football newsOn 24 May at Rhyl football ground, a team of North Wales-based Arriva Trains Wales staff played (and beat) a team of Chester-based staff, to raise funds for Cancer Research UK. £472 has been raised so far: the JustGiving page for online donations is still available. Why not chip in? Llangollen 150 - report by Glyn JonesThe Bank holiday weekend saw the Llangollen Railway celebrate the 150th anniversary of the original opening of the station. Guest engine Beyer Peacock '1827', seen with autocoach, was visiting from the Foxfield Railway. The builder's plate of 1827. In its first life was the Beyer Peacock works shunter. Not much room for the footplate crew ... ...even less room for the coal. Coal supplies at the ready! 'Large Prairie' 5199 awaits departure with the 10.40 for Corwen. Recently outshopped 6430, minus a emblem on its tank sides, takes on water. Llangollen members enter into the spirit of the occasion and pose for the camera in period costume. Castle extraSome more views of 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe on its run on the Llandudno-Nuneaton 'Seaside Flyer' on Saturday 23 May. Above, fine steam effects as the train passes Deganwy's distant signal. Picture by Ian Pilkington. Passing the housing development at Deganwy known to some as 'Legoland' (Gary Thomas). 47 773, which hauled the train westbound from Chester, on the rear at Deganwy (Gary Thomas). 84 minutes later the train passes Hargrave, east of Chester (Ian Pilkington). North Wales Coast home page | Archive | Previous Notice Board |