29 April 2016
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May 2016
Tuesday 3 May North Wales
Railway
Circle AGM and Photographic Competition.
Thursday 12 May Llandudno
and Conwy
Valley Railway Society Ray Bailey: Steam into
Holywell
June 2016
Sunday 5 June Steam Dreams THE
CAMBRIAN COAST EXPRESS (Day 1 of 4) London Paddington - Pwllheli
(WCRC) Steam loco 60103 Flying Scotsman: Paddington -
Leamington - Shrewsbury
Monday 6 June Steam Dreams THE
CAMBRIAN COAST EXPRESS (Day 2 of 4)
Tuesday 7 June Steam Dreams THE
CAMBRIAN COAST EXPRESS (Day 3 of 4)
Wednesday 8 June Steam Dreams THE
CAMBRIAN COAST EXPRESS (Day 4 of 4) Bangor - Paddington. Steam loco
60103 Flying Scotsman: Chester - Wrexham -
Hereford - Bristol Parkway - Paddington
Wednesday 15 June Steam Dreams
THE EMERALD ISLE EXPLORER (Day 1 of 9) London Euston-Holyhead
Steam loco 60103 Flying Scotsman: Euston-Holyhead.
Thursday 23 June Steam Dreams THE
EMERALD ISLE EXPLORER (Day 9 of 9) London Euston-Holyhead Steam
loco 60103 Flying Scotsman: Holyhead - Euston
July 2016
Sunday 24 July Railway Touring Company THE
NORTH WALES COAST EXPRESS Liverpool-Holyhead (WCRC) Steam loco
45690 or 46100: Liverpool - Chester - Holyhead and return
Tuesday 26 July Railway Touring Company
THE WELSH MOUNTAINEER Preston - Blaenau Ffestiniog . Steam loco 45305
or 48151: Preston - Chester - Blaenau Ffestiniog and return
August 2016
Sunday 21 August Railway Touring
Company
THE NORTH WALES COAST EXPRESS Crewe - Manchester - Holyhead
(WCRC)
Steam loco 45690 or 46115: Manchester - Chester - Holyhead and return
September 2016
Sunday 4 September Railway
Touring Company
THE NORTH WALES COAST EXPRESS Crewe - Manchester - Holyhead
(WCRC)
Steam loco 45690 or 46115: Manchester - Chester - Holyhead and return
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37 604 and 57 312 Solway Princess on 6K41 Valley -
Crewe flasks, through Bangor at 14:40, passing 158 826 on 1D13
11:43 Wolverhampton - Holyhead (cancelled between Birmingham
International and Wolverhampton because of a signal failure). Picture
by Jim Johnson, 29 April.
This is an extra
page to catch up with a backlog of contributions. Next issue as usual
by Tuesday 3 May. - Charlie
Fearless on the flasks
An interesting event on 27 April was the appearance of a new Class 68
locomotive, 68 016 Fearless, on the Crewe - Valley flask
train. Nick Gurney photographed it in the Valley sidings, along
with 37 610 Ted Cassady which was in the driving position to
and from Crewe. Perhaps the run was to prove that a 68 and a 50+
year-old 37 could work in multiple without problems.
Larry Davies photographed the train passing Llandudno
Junction. Larry writes: '37 610 leads 68 016 storming through
Llandudno Junction, and passing Network Rail's 'nature reserve' that
was once 'new yard'! It is good to see a new loco on the
coast. The previous night had seen class 70 No 70 003 run to
Bangor under cover of darkness to rescue a failed tamper.'
Rhyl (Roly High). It's been pointed out to us that these trains
are not involved (as we claimed in the last update) in the
'de-commissioning' process, which does not begin until after the
'de-fuelling' process, which is taking place at Wylfa at present.
Beeches Farm (Bob Greenhalgh). An interesting piece of news is
that Today's Railways reports an order from CAF of a fleet of
15 5-car rakes of loco-hauled coaches for TransPennine Express, to be
hauled by Class 68s provided by DRS. Apparently, however, the
contract has not yet been signed.
Looking back: Llandderfel, 1962 - with
Trefor Thompson
The recent special feature on the Llangollen Railway sent me looking
for these two photos taken by my late father at Llandderfel whilst we
were on holiday in June 1962. 9752 (above) is heading what I
recall was the evening Chester to Bala service which was always
pannier-tank hauled.
Llandderfel station was on the Ruabon - Barmouth line, on the
un-restored section between the Llangollen Railway at Corwen and the
Bala Lake Railway at Bala. 2-6-0 5399 is running light
eastwards towards Ruabon. Any information on these workings from other
readers would be very welcome.
West Wales Wanderings - with Steve Morris
Readers of Modern Railways magazine might have come across the
work of Ian Walmsley who has a regular feature in it. For my sins I am
a member of his "Superannuated Anoraks" group, neither of which I
happen to be of course! We travel around the network with him gathering
column inches for his articles. The most recent of these took place
over two days 12-13 April and involved a trip to West Wales and will
turn up in a future edition of MR sometime. Anyway, I thought Charlie's
regulars might like a summary of events.
I took the 08.32 Holmes Chapel (323 226, above) to the newly-named
'Crewe Cheshire Campus' to meet up with the other four in the party who
had travelled over from Derby to meet me on the 09.14 for Swansea,
which we would take to Llanelli. By the way, 'Crewe Cheshire Campus'? -
I will let you make your own mind up about that one but I would have
thought 'Crewe Railway Town would have been more appropriate if Network
Rail were so hard up that they needed the money to sponsor the station
signs.
153 320, seen above awaiting departure in Platform
7, took us to Llanelli. A nice journey, the 153 was clean and not
too noisy although the lack of passengers did mean that we could spread
out over two tables for the duration. Ian and I reminisced about the
time we were involved with the 155s at Canton and the problems we had
with the fleet during that time, ultimately leading to the withdrawal
of the fleet from service. Ian was behind the plan to chop them in two
(I would have chopped them into more pieces than that!) and designed
the new cab, something that caused problems itself in the early days
due to its size - and we all reminded him of that! By the way, if you
want to travel the Central Wales line, do it before soon because by May
you will not see a lot due to the heavily laden trees.
A leg stretch at Llandrindod Wells whilst we wait for 153 323
to cross.
On time from Crewe, a few minutes late into Llanelli and we dropped
onto a very smart 150 242 to head for Pembroke Dock, another
one under our responsibility almost 30 years ago. Not long off C6
overhaul it was in good nick all round and delivered us to our
destination nine minutes early at 16.10. The number of request stops on
this line makes early arrival a possibility, although the average speed
between Llanelli and The Dock was just over 37 mph.
Above: Pembroke Dock, with 150 242 waiting to head back east. We would
leave it here and head across the bridge to Milford Haven by taxi.
Last time I was here was back in 1982, just before the Class 33s took
over the diagrams, and nothing much seems to have changed since then. Colin
Webb photographed a youthful Steve Morris with 37 265
waiting to depart Pembroke Dock for Swansea on 12 May 1982, my one and
only previous visit to the town.
I have a feeling this might be part of the network under real pressure
in the future, but having said that we have the Welsh Assembly to fall
back on, of course.
There then followed a quick taxi ride across to Milford Haven (above)
courtesy of the locally-named 'Jock's Taxi' before heading to
Carmarthen on the 17.08 departure with 175 001.
Bang on time both ends we reached Carmarthen at 18.02 and headed for
The Boars Head on the main street, our bed for the night. Some of
the Superannuated Anoraks grabbed a photo of 175 001 leaving Carmarthen
as it continues its journey to Cardiff Central and the end of its
diagram for the day. Average speed for this section was 10mph
faster than Pembroke Dock at 47 mph, several of the group had a
nosebleed!
The next day, 13 April , and 150 267 enters Carmarthen to form
the 08.43 for Pembroke Dock. We would take this as far as Whitland
arriving on time at 08.59.
We had a connection at Whitland (above) for the 09.10 for
Fishguard Harbour (avoids Carmarthen on the way out) with old favourite
150 242 again and a two-minute early arrival.
150242 ready to depart Fishguard Harbour at 09:54. No ship in at this
time so the place was deserted Quick turnaround here (need to wait half
a day for the next eastbound service!) before heading back to
Carmarthen with 242 again and another two-minute early arrival.
Back in Carmarthen and we change over to 175 106 on the 11.03
Carmarthen to Manchester Piccadilly to start the journey home. This
would take me to Crewe although a few of the others stayed on to
Manchester Piccadilly.
A few minutes in Swansea: 175 106 posing alongside a Paddington bound
HST. Lots of change since last time I was there. New Hitachi
maintenance facilities ready for the arrival of IEP, complete with OHL
masts but no wires. Lets hope the electrification makes that far west
in the end!
I bailed off at Crewe Cheshire Campus' before heading home with 323
238 after a quick dash over the footbridge at Crewe, some of the
gang doing the whole hog to Piccadilly before heading back to Derby via
Sheffield. Back home (above): 323 238 drops me off at Holmes Chapel.
The biggest delay of the day: 7 minutes due to being put 'inside' at
Sandbach and held to let a late running Pendolino pass.
So, as far as my bit goes the statistics are, 545 miles at an overall
average speed of 39.06 mph - Thanks to SAA David Rayner for the info.
All trains just about on time or early. Clean and tidy stock but low
patronage in West Wales. Oh, and by the way, my ticket cost 15.41p/mile
travelled - if you are interested.
Pictures by Steve Morris except where indicated.
Mixed Train on the Rheidol - by Denis Bates
I was interested to see mention in Robert Darlaston's article (19 April issue) on
Mixed
Trains on the Vale of Rheidol line, as in 1986 I was able to travel on
one such, from Devil's Bridge (above) ...
... to a work site with a load of ballast. The entire train was
unbraked, apart from the 4-wheel brake van, as the passenger coach was
at the rear.
The train was, I think, propelled back to Devil's Bridge.
Peter Basterfield's view
The Britannia Bridge on approach on Monday 12 April. Train 1A48, 13:58
Holyhead- Euston Double Voyager vs. the dreaded pallisade fence!
Following behind, the flask train returns to Crewe behind 37 610
trailing 37 069 and 2 flasks, (including one of the new build).
The previous Saturday 37 069 had led 37 610 down from Sellafield to
Crewe with the 6K73.
The 1A48, 13:58 from Holyhead passes Gaerwen on 15 April. Gaerwen
signal box is the only one on the network with a built in, and active
post box.
The flask train passes the rather rusty home signal. The Amlwch branch
went off just to the right of the locos.
North
Wales Coast
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