29 June 2015
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Forthcoming events
This list may be out of date if you
are reading an archived page. For
the current list visit our Calendar.
July 2015
Friday 3 July Excursion West
Coast
Railways The Conway Valley Explorer
Via the Scenic Conway line (with Ffestiniog Railway option). From
Grantham, Peterborough, Stamford, Oakham, Melton Mowbray, Leicester,
South Wigston, Hinckley, Nuneaton, Tamworth, Lichfield TV, Rugeley TV
& Stafford to Betws-y-Coed & Blaenau Ffestiniog.
Saturday 4 July Excursion West
Coast Railways The Conway Valley Explorer From Lincoln,
Newark NG, Grantham, Bottesford, Bingham, Radcliffe, Netherfield,
Nottingham, Tutbury & Hatton, Uttoxeter, Blythe Bridge & Stoke
to Betws-y-Coed & Blaenau Ffestiniog. (with Ffestiniog Railway
option).
Sunday 19 July Steam on the Coast. Railway
Touring
Company North Wales Coast Express. Liverpool - Holyhead and
return
Tuesday 21 July Steam on the Coast. Railway
Touring
Company. Welsh Mountaineer. Preston - Blaenau Ffestiniog.
August 2015
Sunday 2 August Steam on the Coast. Railway
Touring
Company North Wales Coast Express. Liverpool - Holyhead and
return
Tuesday 4 August Steam on the Coast. Railway
Touring
Company. Welsh Mountaineer. Preston - Blaenau Ffestiniog.
Sunday 16 August Stockport Railshow, Stockport station.
Sunday 16 August Excursion West
Coast Railways Holyhead,
Llanfairpwll, Bangor, Llandudno Junction, Colwyn Bay, Rhyl, Flint,
Chester, Frodsham, Warrington, Preston, Lancaster & Oxenholme to
Edinburgh.
Tuesday 25 August Steam on the Coast. Railway
Touring
Company. Welsh Mountaineer. Preston - Blaenau Ffestiniog.
28-30 August. Bala Lake Railway: 'Winifred'
gala.
September 2015
Wednesday 9 September Excursion West
Coast
Railways The Conway Valley Explorer
Via the Scenic Conway line (with Ffestiniog Railway option) Sheffield
to Betws-Y-Coed and Blaenau Ffestiniog. From Sheffield, Rotherham
Central, Swinton, Moorthorpe, Normanton, Shipley, Keighley, Skipton,
Hellifield, Carnforth & Lancaster.
12 September Excursion West
Coast
Railways The Conway Valley Explorer Via the Scenic
Conway line (with Ffestiniog Railway option) Scarborough to
Betws-Y-Coed & Blaenau Ffestiniog. From Scarborough, Seamer,
Malton, York, Wakefield, Brighouse, Sowerby
Bridge, Hebden Bridge, Todmorden & Rochdale.
Monday 21 September RCTS:
Railway
Correspondence and Travel Society, Merseyside, Chester and North
Wales Branch. LNER an appreciation by John Feild. Local member and keen
follower of anything LNER John takes a look back at locomotives of that
company and of its predecessors including some of them at Chester
Northgate station
Friday 25 September. Great Western
Society NW
Branch. P. Spilsbury. Steam
Miscellaneous.
October 2015
Saturday 10 October Excursion West
Coast Railways The
Conway Valley Explorer
Via the Scenic Conway line (with Ffestiniog Railway option) Hereford to
Betws-Y-Coed
Departs – From Hereford, Ledbury, Gt Malvern, Worcester FS, Droitwich,
Barnt Green, Walsall & Wolverhampton.
Monday 19 October RCTS:
Railway
Correspondence
and
Travel
Society,
Merseyside, Chester and North Wales Branch. Aspects of the
Chester & Birkenhead Line by John Ryan
To mark the 175th Anniversary of Railways across Cheshire former BR
Civil Engineer and local rail historian John looks at the more recent
rail aspects of this line
Friday 30 October. Great Western
Society NW Branch. Mike
Kenwright. Cutting of the Manchester Ship
Canal.
November 2015
Monday 16 November RCTS:
Railway
Correspondence
and
Travel
Society, Merseyside, Chester and
North Wales Branch. LNER, an appreciation by John Feild. Northern
Delights by Steve Batty
Steve our RO Branch News Editor and railway author from Selby reviews
modern traction in Northern England 2002 2009.
Friday 27
November. Great Western Society NW
Branch. John Hobbs. A Black & White presentation, North Wales
Circular 1963 - 66 (Steam)
December 2015
Monday 21 December RCTS:
Railway
Correspondence
and
Travel
Society,
Merseyside, Chester and North Wales Branch. Arriva Trains
Wales. Last 10 years going forward with
Ben
Davies. This is an opportunity to hear about more about one of our
local Train Operating Companies from one of its locally based officers.
January 2016
Monday 18 January RCTS:
Railway
Correspondence
and
Travel
Society,
Merseyside, Chester and North Wales Branch. BRANCH
A.G.M followed by Back to The 60s with
Geoff
Coward. Geoff highlights photographs in various locations of the last
few years of steam (1964-1968), including early diesels, mostly in the
North West of England.
February
2016
Monday 15 February RCTS: Railway Correspondence
and Travel Society,
Merseyside, Chester and North Wales Branch. "American Wanderings
- Heading East" by Gordon Davies.
Gordonm our RCTS National Chairman gives a digital presentation showing
the American railroad scene in the eastern states depicting diesel
locomotives working passenger and freight trains as well as electric
locomotives, light rail and preserved steam in operation on
preservation lines.
March 2016
Monday 21 March RCTS:
Railway
Correspondence
and
Travel
Society,
Merseyside, Chester and North Wales Branch. "20 Years Of The
Privatised Railway - What Does The Future
Hold?" by Bob Casselden. Bob, a retired former B.R. manager looks at
the changes to Britain's privatised railway over the last twenty years
and reflects on what the future might bring.
April 2016
Monday 18 April RCTS:
Railway Correspondence and Travel Society,
Merseyside, Chester and North Wales Branch. One Mans Rubbish is
Anothers Treasure by Russell Hatt.
Russell presents a selection of historic railway photographs that
whilst too poor for publication are of interest to the railway
historian.
May 2016
June 2016
|
Study in front ends: 37 688 and 158 827 at Llandudno
Junction, 23 June. Picture by Jim Johnson.
Catching up ...
don't miss our 25 June extra issue.-
Charlie
Route learning loco causes problems
A series of driver router-learning runs have been operating from
Network Rail's Coleham depot at Shrewsbury to Holyhead using Class 37
locos: 37 601 Class 37 - Fifty was photographed heading
west through Llandudno Junction on 26 June by Peter Lloyd.
Sadly, and most unusually for DRS traction, 37 601 became a
failure near Shotton at about 12:20 while running earlier than
scheduled, causing a lunchtime build-up of trains at Llandudno Junction
(Peter Lloyd). The 12:32 Holyhead - Maesteg, seen in
Platform 3, left Lnandudno Junction 54 minutes late and was later
terminated at Chester.
The problems followed on from earlier troubles with the loco-hauled
train on the Manchester diagram; the train has been held at Chester in
the morning due to a fault with its TPWS safety system, and replaced
for the rest of the day by a Class 150, seen above on the 13:01
Holyhead - Manchester waiting behind Virgin's London train at Llandudno
Junction.
This problem turned out to be a 'blessing' of sorts, as the loco and
coaches, being coupling-compatible with the failed 37, was s ent from
Chester to rescue it.
A few days earlier on 22 June, 37 688 Kingmoor TMD
was on the route-learning duty, photographed by Matthew Travis
near Bagillt ...
... and by Jim Johnson approaching Llandudno Junction.
Gallery
More old style signage from Birmingham Moor Street, with 68 010
on the 15:55 to London Marylebone on 29 June. Alas, Platform 5 on the
right is not connected to the network (Chris Morrison).
158 826 has just come off the new Bont Briwet with 2J02
the 06:43 Machynlleth - Pwllheli on 26 June.On the left, last minute
work is being carried out in connection with the imminent opening of
the road bridge on 13 July. Picture by Ken Robinson.
Barmouth bridge from the Mawddach trail, 22 June (Ian Wright).
The curious sight of 60009 Union of South Africa parked
in om front of the former Dallam loco shed at Warrington Bank Quay on
14
June, as seen from the adjacent road by Frank Nicholas.
Apparently it had failed with a hot axlebox the week before, and was
waiting for road transport.
60 087 Clic Sargent brings the 6J37 Carlisle to
Chirk(Kronospan) logs through Chester on 23 June. Surprisingly, as this
train was running earlier than normal it was sent through on the single
line ahead of the 18:28 Chester to Cardiff Central passenger service,
which consequently was delayed at Wrexham while waiting for the 60 to
set back into the sidings at Chirk. The usual practice is for the logs
to follow the 18:28 (Martin Evans).
Loco and station are looking good as 45690 Leander
takes over a Settle-Carlisle line excursion at Hellifield on 23 June (Greg
Mape).
The Ffestiniog Railway's new observation car, no.150 is currently on
show at London Paddington, along with the sail car (Richard Putley).
What we did on our holidays: diesel-hydraulics 218 313 and 218
314 await departure with a southbound InterCity train at Niebüll,
north Germany, on 23 June (Charlie Hulme).
Miscellaneous items
While updating our 'calendar' section we notice that there is a
reduction in the number of steam trains on the North Wales line
this summer compared to previous years. The Railway Touring company are
offering just two Liverpool - Holyhead trains, and no services from
Manchester, which is bad news for the organisers of the Stockport
Station Railshow on 16 August which in the past has been planned to
coincide with a call by the steam special. Three 'Welsh Mountaineer'
services are planned, but it's tedious to discover this from the Railway Touring Company website
which no longer features a simple list of the trains on offer, or a
scroll-bar at the side of the screen. 'Mobile-friendly' perhaps?
The Hunslet narrow-gauge loco Irish Mail, normally based
at the West Lancashire Light Railway, has been overhauled and will be
in action in Leeds on track laid at the site of the Jack Lane works as
part of the 'Hunslet 150' celebrations organised by the Middleton
Railway on 18-19 July. More
details.
We understand that the re-signalling scheme for the North Wales
main line, which would have seen signalboxes closed and signals
controlled from Cardiff, has been further delayed due to financial
over-runs on implementations in South Wales, and may not now occur this
decade. Under the original plans, it would already be complete as far
as Llandudno Junction.
The re-opening of the Gaerwen - Amlwch branch
for normal passenger service as far as Llangefni seems to still be a
live project supported by the Welsh Government, although details are
vague; meanwhile the volunteers hoping to make a heritage railway have
launched a new website www.leinamlwch.co.uk
chronicling their activities.
Steam in the Dee Valley
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the opening of Llangollen
Railway, our contributor Peter Dickinson has published a new book
entitled 'Steam in the Dee Valley'. The book covers the history of the
Ruabon to Corwen section of the line from the 1850s to the 1960s.
It is an A5 sized
paperback, with 76 colour pages and has chapters covering 1) the
promotion and construction of the two railways (the Vale of Llangollen
Railway and the Llangollen & Corwen Railway), (2) the history and
operation of the line, (3) a detailed route guide, (4) accidents and
incidents on the line, (5) an overview of the civil engineering and (6)
the full manuscript of Vale of Llangollen Railway Act from
1859. The majority of the photographs used are previously
unseen and sourced from a number of private collections.
Well-written, with much useful information in a concise form at a very
reasonable price.
The picture we reproduce above was taken on 20 April 1963 at Ruabon,
showing 4472 Flying Scotsman arriving with the London
Paddington to Ruabon leg of a Festiniog Railway Special.
If you are interested in Steam in the Dee Valley it can be
purchased from Llangollen or Berwyn Station for just £10. Or you can
call Llangollen Railway office on 01978 860979 (open Monday to Friday -
9am to 5pm, closed 1pm to 1.30pm for lunch) Please note there will be a
P&P fee of £2.50 for any telephone bookings.
Cambrian Adopters Confer - report by Gareth Marston
The Cambrian lines Station Adopters were invited to the annual
conference by Arriva Trains Wales held at Portmeirion for the second
year running on Wednesday 23 June. The adopters got a free return
ticket from their home station to Minffordd. I took the 08:04 from
Newtown (the 06:25 Birmingham New St to Aberystwyth) and the 08:52
Machynlleth to Pwllheli. The first two pictures are at Dyfi Junction,
with Machynlleth station now very much a building site for the 'Access
for All' lift, passengers on trains not carrying through portions
onto/off the coast line are being advised to change at Dovey
Junction.
The double length of the Aberystwyth-side platform can be seen
with the 06:24 from Birmingham New Street behind the camera and
the 08:30 Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury at the opposite end having arrived
first. The 08:52 from Machynlleth to Pwllheli had followed behind us
pretty smartly and was pulling in to the coast platform before we could
all walk down to it!
ATW laid on a coach to take around 20 station adopters to Portmeirion:
it is seen on the A487 road above the 08:52 from Machynlleth. We also
carried five normal punters heading for Portering, a good gesture
from
ATW Schools Officer Phil Cornwall who met us at Minffordd. Incidentally
the coach was driven by a son of long-serving but not retired Gwynedd
County Council Public Transport Officer Malcom Cowtan.
The 15:45 Ffestiniog service from Porthmadog to Blaenau grabs the
attention of the adopters on their way home.
The 15:37 from Pwllheli emerges through the vegetation at the top of
its 1 in 50 climb from Porthmadog. Despite the indicator it was
only going to Machynlleth.
The classic view across the Dyfi estuary.
All change at Dovey Junction again, as the 17:30 from Aberystwyth to
Birmingham International arrives. Dovey Junction is now seeing more
usage than at any time since the 1980s. Both trains on the coast had
people standing at some point, not bad for dull overcast non school
holiday day.
Tim Rogers visits Anglesey
On 22 June, 67 022 crosses Malltraeth arches with 1D34 09:50
Manchester Piccadilly to Holyhead.
24 June at Ty Croes: 67 002 propels 1W96 17:16 Cardiff Central
to Holyhead, with Driving Van Trailer 82307 on the front end.
Viewed from Bodorgan station platform, 67 022 approaches with
1D34 09:50 Manchester Piccadilly to Holyhead on 25 June.
25 June at Llanfair-yn-Neubwll (RAF Valley) - 222 105 William
Baffin is Virgin train 1A43, 12:43 Holyhead to London Euston....
... and soon afterwards, 82308 leads 67 022 as 1H89 13:01 Holyhead to
Manchester Piccadilly.
67 022 on the rear as the 1H89 heads east past the airfield buildings.
The Cathedrals Express (or Explorer)
The 'Cathedrals Express' operated by West Coast Railways on behalf of
the Steam Dreams company on 25 June was a rather odd affair, as it
started at Crewe (after running empty-stock from Carnforth) and ran to
Holyhead, then returned via Crewe to London Euston. The idea was, one
imagines, to make extra revenue from what the last leg of the 9-day
'Emerald Isle Explorer' rail tour of Ireland, given that some of the
participants on that even would have travelled home from Ireland by
Air. There had been suggestions on the Steam Dreams that it might be
steam-hauled part of the way, but this did not happen and West Coast
provided 47 245 and 47 746 Chris Fudge
29.7.70-22.6.10 in top-and-tail mode. Roly High
photographed the westbound train at Rhyl with 47 746 leading (above).
47245 is on the rear passing Valley airfield (Tim Rogers)
Platform 1 at Holyhead, with 47 245 ready for the return journey (Tim
Rogers).
47 746 is on the rear as the train snakes its way out of Holyhead as
the 14:15 Holyhead to Euston. Unlike most memorial loco names, such as
those found on DRS locos, Chris Fudge, who sadly died aged only 39, was
not a member of West Coast Railways staff, although he was a
railwayman, latterly working for Arriva. He was an rail enthusiast: a
supporter of
the Brush Type 4 fund, which owned this locomotive for a period from
2007 after it was withdrawn from normal traffic; they sold it to West
Coast in 2011 and it re-entered service in 2013.
An interesting fact recorded
on the Brush Type 4 Fund website is that it last revenue-earning
duty for a mainstream train company before being stored at Crewe depot
was on 15 December 2003 when it hauled 1H44, 06:38 Bangor - Manchester
Piccadilly, in the period when First North Western still had a new
loco-hauled North Wales trains. Then in Rail Express Parcels livery and
named The Bobby, it featured many times on our site at the time.
Bangor (Rowan Crawshaw). The headboard, which was not carried on
the outbound run, reads 'The Cathedrals Explorer'.
47 746 on the rear leaving Bangor (Rowan Crawshaw). Alan
Crawshaw made a video of the departure which is available on YouTube.
Passing Rhyl (Roly High).
Some coaches had 'Cathedral Express' roof boards (Roly High).
Unfortunately, especially given the uneasy truce existing at present
between West Coast Railways and the Rail authorities, 47 245 gave up
the ghost at Norton Bridge, and the train stood there for 45 minutes
from 17:09 to 17:54. 47 746 was started up on the rear and propelled
the train at low speed to Stafford station, taking over an hour for the
five miles. There, 47 746 was run round to the front in a
long-drawn-out process which took an hour, all recorded by an cameraman
from the Hope Trains
YouTube channel.
The train arrived at Milton Keynes at 22:17, 170 minutes late, and was
terminated there,any passengers for London who hadn't already left at
Stafford making their way home by service train.
Llangollen Railcar Gala scenes
Visiting 'bubble car' 55006 at Llangollen on Sunday morning 21
June (John Young).
Class 104 unit at Berwyn, seen from the Chain Bridge Hotel - happy
memories of the Buxton line (John Young).
Perhaps one day a more suitable typeface could be found for the
headcode? (Dave Sallery)
Waiting to depart for Carrog on the 4.30pm service on 21 June, the
hybrid 108/127 set, car numbers M56223 / M51618 (Martin Evans).
The rare Wickham-built twin-unit (Dave Sallery).
North
Wales Coast
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