NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY:NOTICE BOARD
Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd
07 November 2022
Contributions to the Notice Board are welcome, although they may not always be used, due to time constraints, especially if they don't follow the file name convention given on the Contributions Page.
Forthcoming events
Charter trains, and meetings, may be subject to cancellation or postponement. See our Calendar Page for Club and Society details.
November 2022
Friday 4 November Clwyd Railway Circle: A trip by Norwegian Railways to Hell (and back). Geoff Morris
Saturday 5 November Llangollen Railway Ride the Rocket Firework Train
December 2022
Friday 2 December Clwyd Railway Circle: Members Selections & Christmas Celebrations Members are invited to give a 15-minute presentation of their choice (Any format). Contact David Jones 01244 537440 to book a slot.
(see our Calendar page for meeting venues)
North Wales Coast Railway website created and compiled by Charlie Hulme
60 026 Helvellyn passes sunny Rhyl with stone from Pemnaenmawr, 26 October. Picture by Dave Sallery.
Shrewsbury is in the news at present, it seems - we will feature it in an extra issue, available by Saturday evening 12 November. - Charlie
News pictures
66 760 David Gordon Harris passes Slack Lane bridge between Hawarden and Buckley with 6V75 Dee Marsh to Margam steel, 31 October (Stephen Dennett).
Llandudno Junction on 1 November with 60 026 Helvellyn on 6F22 Penmaenmawr Quarry to Tuebrook Sidings loaded stone. Picture by John Young.
60 026 passes the lineside foot crossing west of Flint station (Stephen Dennett).
Bagillt (Tim Rogers).
67 013 with set HD01 on 1V96 Holyhead to Cardiff Central loco-hauled service passes the foot crossing west of Flint station, 1 November (Stephen Dennett).
Train 1W93, 11:22 Cardiff to Holyhead service crossing Cefn viaduct with 67 013 leading on 4 November. The picture was taken from the Pontcysyllte aqueduct by Martin Evans.
56 105 on 3S71 at Old Colwyn, taken from Penmaenhead on 17 October. 56 049 on the rear. (John Young).
Allocated a few days earlier, buy already filthy, 56 094 leads the RHTT on the Coleham circuit past the lineside crossing west of Flint station on 1 November.
56 049 and 56 094, Chester, 2 November (Tim Rogers).
4 November, Conwy station. 97 303 Dave Berry ...
... and 97 304 John Tiley.
150 264 passes the foot crossing west of Flint station with 1W92, the 09:22 Cardiff Central to Holyhead service.
Bagillt (Tim Rogers). The 150 - less than attractive for a long journey - worked this train all the way to Cardiff; later in the week 158s or 175s appeared. On 7 November a pair of 153s made the journey as far as Chester where a 175 took over. (This not a locomotive diagram.)
Peter Basterfield's view
20 October: My trademark cup returns at Glan-y-Mor Elias crossing, Llanfairfechan with 56 049, ...
... and 66 725 trying to hide behind the wall at Penmaenmawr !
A view from high up, with 97 304 and 97 303 (which would normally work the Cambrian line part of the circuit) replacing the Class 56s for some reason. This gives a view of the original loco shed having undergone demolition and now site clearance.
A view from May 2015 showing a similar overall view with the 6D41 flask train passing behind 37 606 and 37 610. The tree clearance at the time made for a wider view.
Three images from a recent trip to South Wales to record what were believed to be the last workings into Cwm Bargoed washery where coal is processed for Port Talbot steelworks , and Hope cement works in the Peak District. As it happened there was an announcement ,while we were there, that a nine-month extension had been granted! In the early morning (above) is the early morning arrival of train 4C93 empties from Margam with 66 065 on 28 October.
The loading facility, which uses Caterpillar front-loaders. [It is the coal from the Ffos-y-Fran opencast site and processed here that has supplied Britain's heritage railways; its threatened closure is causing great consternation in that community, whilst the people who live near the site can't wait until it closes.]
The other shot is the 4V01 empties from Hope cement works, at Bedlinog Bridge. My Flickr stream is Peterdouglas1 where there are plenty of my other shots from down the years.
Locos at Craven Arms, 4 November - report by Richard Putley
Having a day off work I decided to make the most of the good weather and pop over to Craven Arms to take some photos. I got there in time to see 66
760 head south with Steel Empties from Dee Marsh to Margam at about 11:20.
Then about 12:45 67 025 + 82227 came south on a Crewe - Hereford staff
training run with an ex Grand Central Mk4 set. As it approached I noticed that a new footbridge appears to be under construction.
Just as the staff training run arrived at the station where they stopped, a Network Rail HST with Power Car 43 299 leading and the one and only EMR Purple one, 43 274 headed North. I managed to photograph the two passing.
Later on I saw 67 013 on the 11:22 Cardiff - Holyhead ...
... and 67 017 + 82215 on the 11:33 Holyhead - Cardiff.
Cambrian closure - by Ken Robinson
158 835 at Porthmadog with the 08:53 Machynlleth - Pwllheli on 4 November 2022 during half-term week (in Gwynedd at least).
The Cambrian Coast line is due to close soon for another period of work on Barmouth Bridge, as well as other projects, for example in the Tywyn area. As a reminder, the line was closed from 11 September, and re-opened temporarily on 15 October for half term holidays etc. The line will close again from 8pm on Sunday 13 November 2022 and reopen in time for the Christmas period on Saturday 10 December 2022, (according to Network Rail. Oddly, however, Real Time Trains shows a bus replacement service running all day on 12 and 13 November. The final phase of the work will be carried out in Autumn 2023.
Seen at New Brighton - with Ian Henderson
A ride on Merseyrail unusually found three different trains at New Brighton - 777 018, an Rail Head Treatment unit and 508 122.
A closer look at the 777: these will soon take over the work of the 507 and 508 sets, which are some of the oldest trains on the National network.
The head-on view shows the offset emergency access door for use in the in the event of an evacuation in the single bore tunnels, and the elaborate head and tail light arrangement.
From Dave Sallery's archive
Traction line up at Crewe, 27 March 1991
Test train returning to Crewe with 47 760 and 47 528, 28 November 1994.
Swindon built class 120 DMU at Crewe, 4 April 1987. It is in use as a parcels carrier which accounts for the two brake vehicles.
Scotrail 47 642 is backed up by 47 445 while on a test run from Crewe passing Prestatyn in February 1986 .
Looking Back - Steam and Diesels 2009 part 3 - by David Pool
On 25 May 2009 Compass Tours ran “The Pennine Fellsman” 1Z40 07:36 Holyhead to Durham. At Frodsham the train was headed by 40 145, with 47 815 on the rear.
The Welsh Highland Railway services had not yet reached Porthmadog in 2009, but on 2 June Garratt 143 was working through the Aberglaslyn Pass to Hafod y Llyn with a train from Caernarfon. The first open wagon was presumably for cycles or bulky items.
The weather was grim on 6 June 2009 when a steam hauled excursion ran as 1Z50 Tyseley to Llandudno Junction. A “Castle” looks good in any weather, and 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe did not disappoint at Pensarn.
It was brighter at Pensarn on 2 August 2009, when Compass Tours ran “The North Wales Fellsman”, 1Z30 Holyhead to Carlisle 37 670 had just received its DB livery, while 37 401 was still in EWS maroon and gold.
I had previously seen 37 670 when it was being used on the Cornish China Clay workings in the late 80s. In the morning of 14 June 1989 it was passing Treviscoe with some HEA hoppers on the freight line between Parkandillack and St.Austell.
By early afternoon 37 670 had swapped the HEAs for CDA China Clay hoppers, and was on the branch from Lostwithiel heading for Carne Point (Fowey). An hour later it was returning through Golant with empties.
37 401 needs no introduction to those familiar with North Wales Coast locomotives, but it spent many years in Scotland, and by 1996 it was working the prestige “Royal Scotsman” charter trains. On 14 September 1996 it was passing Inverkeithing and about to pass over the Forth Bridge. In 2001 it was repainted in maroon livery to match the “Royal Scotsman” coaching stock.
Later that day I visited the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway, where J36 65243 was waiting to leave for Birkhill. I had first seen this locomotive at Rainhill in 1980, where it appeared as 673 Maude after travelling from Scotland under its own steam. This heroic little locomotive became one of my favourites, and I have since had the pleasure of photographing it on the Forth Bridge, on the main line in Fife and of course on its home railway at Bo’ness.
Llangollen farewell ... for a while - by Martin Evans
On 5th November I went to Llangollen for the last weekend's working before the Santa Special in December and attach a few pictures of the J94 68067 in traffic. Above: Preparing to leave Carrog with the 11:50 service to Llangollen
Preparing to run round at Llangollen before departing at 1pm to Carrog.
A well-kept station
175 107 arrives at Llandudno on 29 October at 11:40. It will return the as 11:44 to Mcr Airport.
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