NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY :NOTICE BOARD
Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd
09 September 2024
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Forthcoming events
September 2024
Thursday 12 September Pathfinder Cambrian Coast Express Swindon - Pwllheli
14-15 September Welsh Highland Railway Super Power Weekend celebrating the successful restoration of the NG15 locomotive.
Sunday 15 September Steam Dreams 'Welsh Dragon' steam-hauled London Paddington - Shrewsbury, then diesel through to Pwllheli. For more on this and this and the next two entries see the Steam Dreams website.
Wednesday 18 September Steam Dreams 'Welsh Dragon' steam hauled Bangor - Crewe, then diesel to Cardiff via the Heart of Wales line
Wednesday 18 September 2024: Private LSL charter, Holyhead to Cardiff Central via Heart of Wales. This looks like it is steam hauled from Holyhead to Crewe as the movements include a visit to Valley triangle
Thursday 19 September - Steam Dreams 'Welsh Dragon' steam hauled Cardiff to London Paddington via Gloucester and the Golden Valley line
Saturday 21 September - Northern Belle Telford - Carlisle pickups Shrewsbury, Wrexham General, Chester.
21-22 September Bala Model Railway Show Ysgol Godre’r Berwyn Secondary School, Ffrydan Road, Bala, Gwynedd LL23 7RU. 10:00 - 16:00 (Bus link to Bala Lake Railway station) Opening times: 10.00-16.00 on both Saturday and Sunday.10.00-16.00 on both Saturday and Sunday. Please note that dogs, other than registered assistance dogs, are not allowed at the School.
Saturday 28 September 2024 (re-dated from 25 May: Railway Touring Company, Manchester Piccadilly to Holyhead and return. Hauled by Bahamas, being run in memory of Steve Peach with funds going to the Maggies Charity.)
October 2024
Friday 4 October Clwyd Railway Circle Wrexham’s Second Railway Mania - David Parry
4-6 October Ffestiniog Railway Bygones weekend
5-6 October Llangollen Railway Heritage Railcar Weekend
Friday 11 October. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "In Search of Steam in Japan. Six different steam locomotives in steam on different days on the LCGB tour of Japan in August 2023" by John Owen.
November 2024
Friday 1 November Clwyd Railway Circle Chinese Steam in 2001 and 2003 - Phil Thomas
Friday 8 November. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Then and Now" by Bob Barnard.
30 November 2024: Pathfinder. 40 145 from Dorridge to Chester via Wrexham General
December 2024
Tuesday 10 December Midland Pullman from Holyhead to Edinburgh Waverley - Edinburgh Christmas Pullman
14-15 December Manchester Model Railway Society - The Christmas Model Railway Show. The Sugden Centre, Sidney Street, Manchester
January 2025
Friday 10 January. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Engine Sheds" by Noel Coates of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society.
February 2025
Friday 14 February. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "Macclesfield Area Railways in the 1950s and 60s" by Martin Welch.
March 2025
Friday 14 March. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "Navigation Road and All That" by Ted Buckley. Local rail scenes, mainly of steam, from the 1960s in the Altrincham and Dunham Massey areas and elsewhere taken by Ted's father Bill Buckley.
April 2025
Friday 11 April. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "Steam, Diesel and Electric in the Northern Fells" by Ian Pilkington. A joint meeting with the Irish Railway Record Society Manchester Branch.
North Wales Coast Railway website created and compiled by Charlie Hulme
The 'Statesman' at North Llanrwst, 4 September. Picture by Greg Mape.
Cambrian Corner
It's been quiet of late, then we have two interesting workings in two days! First up was Pathfinder's Cambrian Coast Express to Pwllheli from Bristol on 5 September, which had 97 302 and 97 304 up front from Shrewsbury.
Morfa Mawddach (Kate Jones)
Crossing Barmouth Bridge as seen from the Fairbourne railway (Greg Mape).
Morfa Mawddach (Kate Jones)
Train waiting for permission to move forward. Incidently all three in the cab got out to take pictures of the front of the train while waiting. (Kate Jones).
On the bridge (Kate Jones).
Barmouth Harbour (Greg Mape)
Approaching Porthmadog, crossing the Welsh Highland line (Ken Robinson).
Nearing Criccieth (Gary Thomas)
Running round the train at Pwllheli (Ken Robinson).
A second move, on 6 September, was more unexpected, especially as it was running nearly 4 hours early: 97 304 at Penrhyndeudraeth, taking a tamping machine to Porthmadog from Coleham, Shrewsbury. The loco would return light engine later that day. Pathfinder have another excursion to Pwllheli this coming Thursday, 12 September. (Ken Robinson).
Statesman to Blaenau
On September the Conwy Valley line was treated to Statesman excursion from High Wycombe to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Locos on duty were 47 593 and 47 810. Above, arrival at Llandudno Junction (Garry Stroud).
Approaching Blaenau Ffestiniog (Gary Thomas).
Shunting (Gary Thomas).
On the return (Gary Thomas).
Roman Bridge (Greg Mape).
Dolgarrog (Gary Thomas).
Shrewsbury, Black Hole - report by Chris Scott
I caught the 15:22 Holyhead service from Birmingham New Street on Wednesday 4 September. A four-car 158 full to capacity. Approaching Telford the guard appears and tells every one that we will have to change at Shrewsbury. When asked why he did not know the reason. I questioned him as whether this meant we would all have to leave the station in order to reach platform three, which is the usual procedure at Shrewsbury. He went off to find out, returning to say that we would be entering platfom 5 and our train consisting of four coaches would be waiting at platform 4.
We pulled in detrained and went to platform 4 only to discover no train. Parked in the middle road were two two-car 197s.
I then asked a very pleasant passenger assistant as to where our train was and she replied that it would be arriving shortly, from Chester. I then asked her the reason why the change over and she told me that the train coming from Chester which was going onward to Birmingham was one of the new type and had not been passed for the route on to Birmingham. I assume she was talking about a 197, but then I thought that the London Midland 196s use the same route, incident free.
I did not pursue the matter and awaited the arrival of the expected 197 from which the passengers would also have to detrain and make their way to the train we had vacated in platform 5. In came the train, Lo and behold a four car 158!
So all in all two sets of passengers from two seperate trains had to detrain for no obvious reason. Obviously the fault must lie with control who once again show that they do not have a clue as to the route availability of their stock.
Shrewsbury scenes - by Graham Breakwell
A few images from a busy and interesting half hour at Sutton Bridge Junction on 4 July.
67 025 leads 1V46, the 14:30 from Manchester Piccadilly to Cardiff Central.
197 033 and 197 031 coming off the Cambrian and re-entering semaphore territory with Sutton Bridge Junction lower quadrant in the background with 3Q54, the 14:17 Dovey Junction Down Loop to Shrewsbury ETCS test run.
61036 Mayflower, what the crowd on Sutton Bridge and other bridges down the line were waiting for - The Welsh Marshes Express from Bournemouth to Shrewsbury and back courtesy of Saphos Trains.
Looking back: Ireland 1997 part 1 - by David Pool
The Notice Boards dated 31 August 2020 and 23 November 2020 referred to CDRJC locomotive No.5 Drumboe being moved to the Railway Museum in Donegal Town. At the time of my visit to Donegal on 6 May 1997 the Donegal Railway Heritage Centre was newly opened, and No.5 had not yet arrived. Since then, the Centre has obtained more exhibits, and the enthusiastic volunteers are using social media effectively to attract visitors. There is much interesting written material and railway items on display, together with a model railway, an audio visual presentation and a shop, but all the rolling stock is plinthed or static.
The line between Limerick Junction and Waterford had remained open, but two trains in each direction daily were of relatively little use for local residents, and the station at Tipperary was one of the least used in the Irish Rail system. On 7 May 1997 the 1555 Limerick to Rosslare, as usual comprising two coaches plus a van, had arrived behind 141 Class No.144. After the token exchange, it was waiting for the level crossing gates to be closed to road traffic.
While I was in the Limerick district, I took the opportunity to visit Foynes, which was at the end of a 26 mile branch line from Limerick, closed to passengers in 1963. It retained freight traffic until 2000, but on 8 May 1997 there was no sign of any movement of the oil tanks in the siding. The signal cabin, platform and canopy were still there, but the platform track had been lifted. Irish Rail have recently been involved in a project to reopen the mothballed line. The total cost of its renewal is likely to be a little over 100 million Euros, since the track and signalling must now meet modern standards. The primary purpose is to develop Foynes as a port for international freight.
Aviation enthusiasts may know the history of Foynes, but it may be worth explaining why I wished to see what remained there. In the late 1930s Transatlantic air travel was increasing with the use of Flying Boats, which did not require the provision of land based airport runways. Foynes was ideally located for this traffic, and provided connecting flights to places such as Poole Harbour on the UK mainland. The advent of war gave Foynes an additional benefit, in that it was in a neutral country and not a target for bombing by the Luftwaffe. By 1945 the era of the Flying Boats was coming to an end, and a new airport had been constructed on the other side of the River Shannon – with a two mile long runway! The title “Shannon Airport” was then transferred from Foynes to the airport we know today.
I then headed for Killarney and Kenmare, intending to explore the more remote parts of County Kerry and County Cork. The Beara Peninsular in West Cork may not have any railways, but the cliff scenery is superb and there is one particular transport attraction not to be missed. Dursey Island is at the end of the Peninsular, separated from the mainland by a narrow channel with a treacherous tidal race.
Once having a very small settlement, there are now only a few residents, and no facilities for any visiting tourists, who come to enjoy the walks available. In 1969 a Cable Car system was built – the only one in Ireland and the only one in Europe which crosses open seawater. The ten minute journey conveys six passengers, and runs daily throughout the year, although after refurbishment in 2022 it suffered some reliability problems in 2023. I was not tempted to leave the mainland, and settled for a photograph instead.
The Railtour I had come to see in 1997 was the “Slieve Mish”, organised by the RPSI with Tralee as the destination, the newly opened short line based on the Tralee and Dingle Railway being the attraction. Having been to Tralee in 1995 I was more interested in photographing the Railtour on the line from Mallow to Killarney. The steam locomotives in 1997 were DSER 461 and the GNR(I) 171 Slieve Gullion – ones I had previously photographed, but the choice of steam in Ireland is limited! The Railtour haulage was to be 171 between Dublin and Mallow, and 461 between Mallow and Tralee, with appropriate light engine movements as needed.
On 10 May 1997 I decided to catch up with the Railtour at Banteer, between Mallow and Killarney. 141 Class No.164 was in a siding with a Departmental train, and the sun was out. By the time 461 arrived with the Railtour, the weather had changed, but the spectators no doubt enjoyed the sound and smoke effects.
I had found a good photographic location on a rising gradient a few miles from Killarney, and the sun was out when 201 Class No.215 appeared with the 1515 Cork to Tralee. My shot of 461 with the Railtour which followed is in the NWCR News dated 17 May 2021.
I didn’t chase the Railtour to Tralee, and on the next day I went to Rathmore, between Killarney and Mallow, where the Railtour was held – possibly for a water stop. 461 was restarting after having set back.
The weather had brightened again by the time Slieve Gullion had taken over at Mallow, but of course the sun was now behind the train, making the shot difficult. I had made a note of the location as Newtown, but looking at Google Maps I have identified exactly where the shot was taken. This was about ten miles North of Mallow, near where the N20 main road crosses the line. and possibly in the parish of Imphrick. The vegetation covered telegraph pole no longer exists, but the colour light signal is still there!
From Dave Sallery's archive
175 009 at Chester, 28 December 2000.
37 429 Eisteddfod Genedlaethol at Porthmadog station.on an Up service at Connahs Quay, 28 August 1993. The building on the right was formerly C C Crump's wagon works.
47 356 on ballast empties passes Rhyl, 19 July 1991.
47 515 is in test from Crewe Works after overhaul, with 47 535 as assisting loco. Leaving Prestatyn on a Holyhead service, 5 March 1986.
A Day Ranger trip - by Paul Hajdasz
I took advantage of using my Senior railcard to purchase a Cheshire Day Ranger on Wednesday 4 September, which cost £19:65.
The first leg of my trip was to catch the 1W13 TFW Swansea to Manchester Piccadilly service at Whitchurch which arrived on time at 09:06 with 3-car 197 117 (above).
Whilst waiting for my next train at Piccadilly station I saw Freightliner 90 003 and 90 014 on 4L67 Trafford Park to Felixstowe passing through.
My next train was the EMR 1R60 Norwich to Liverpool Lime Street service, which appeared 10 minutes down with only a 2-car unit 158 865 instead of the usual 4-car consist. According to Real Time Trains it actually started at Nottingham instead of Norwich 'due to a planning error!' By the time we reached Lime Street it hadn’t made up any time.
I then took the 1P25 TPE service going to Newcastle from platform 3 with 802 216. After a trip around the Ordsall Curve I alighted at Manchester Victoria, where I then caught the corresponding TPE service 9M30 back from Newcastle to Liverpool with 802 217 (above).
From Liverpool I had 185 109 on another TPE service to Manchester Piccadilly.
The 15:25 Cross Country service to Bournemouth was waiting at platform 4 ...
... which I took to Stockport (above) with 221 127.
I then had another Cross Country train on 1M45 back to Manchester Piccadilly with 220 012. The penultimate leg of my day trip was the 16:30 loco-hauled TfW Swansea service with DVT 82229 and 67 020.
I got off at Crewe (above) to take the local TFW service back to Whitchurch with 153 325 and 153 926.
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