NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY :NOTICE BOARD
Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd
02 April 2025
Forthcoming events
See our Calendar Page for operator details.
April 2025
Thursday 3 April Clwyd Railway Circle 'Landscapes of Steam, Chester and the Welsh Borders' David Jones present archive film by Michael Worrad
Saturday 5 April Saphos Lakelander from Llandudno Junction to Carlisle. Diesel to Lancaster and return, steam from Lancaster, return via Cumbrian Coast line.
Saturday 5 April UK Railtours - 'The Snowdonian' from London to Llandudno Junction, Bangor and Holyhead. The company website says: "Coaches take passengers either from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog, or indeed from Bangor to Caernarfon, where our narrow gauge train of corridor stock complete with toilets and a buffet car will be waiting for our scenic marathon. Those who began their journey at Blaenau Ffestiniog will end up at Caernarfon and vice versa, meaning that everyone will travel the full length of both railways with a leg stretching break at Porthmadog before being whisked in comfort back to our charter train for the journey home".
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.
Saturday 12 April Midland Pullman Torbay Riviera Pullman from Chester, Wrexham General and Ruabon to Paignton.
Saturday 19 April Northern Belle - Settle and Carlisle Steam Special. Wrexham General and Chester to Carlisle via the S&C. Diesel to/from Carnforth, steam for remainder.
May 2025
Thursday 1 May Northern Belle "Conwy Castle & Bodnant Gardens" charter from Coventry It includes other off-train options.
Saturday 3 May Vintage Trains The North Wales Coast Express. Birmingham New Street to Llandudno for the Victorian Extravaganza. Diesel and steam top and tail (steam likely to be 5043 or 7209).
Sunday 4 May Inter-City Yr Wyl Fictoriadd (The Victorian Festival) Bermingham Internation - Llandudno. Traction: two Class 20s
Saturday 10 May UK Railtours Llandudno and Chester. London Euston to Llandudno Junction and Penmaenmawr freight yards. The tour is now called the "The Deva Victrix" and no longer visits Penmaenmawr yard, just the slate yard in Llandudno Junction. It includes traction by a GBRf class 57 and 60.
Saturday 16 May Pathfinder Tours 'Cambrian Coast' Express from Bristol Temple Meads to Pwllheli
Saturday 24 May UK Railtours 'The Soul Exchanger' from London Euston to Aberystwyth. Various off-train options including the Vale of Rheidol Railway.
Saturday 31 May Northern Belle Conwy Castle & Bodnant Gardens from Cardiff
June 2025
Friday 20 June Northern Belle Spirit of Travel Lunch. Circular tour picking up at Chester and Wrexham General. Diesel hauled.
Friday 20 June Northern Belle Champagne Afternoon Tea. Circular tour picking up at Chester and Wrexham General. Diesel hauled.
Saturday 21 June North West Rail and Transport Collectors Fair Crewe Alexandra Football Club 10:00 - 16:00
Thursday 26 June The Railway Industry's "Three Peaks by Rail" will be down the Coast on the evening of 26 June and heading onwards in the early hours of 27 June.
July 2025
Saturday 5 July Railway Touring Company "North Wales Coast Express" from London Euston to Llandudno. Electric to Crewe, with steam along the Coast.
Saturday 5 July Pathfinder Tours 'The Ffestiniog Slater' from Swindon to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Various off-train options including the Ffestiniog Railway.
Sunday 13 July Railway Touring Company charter from Liverpool to Holyhead on with steam throughout.
Tuesday 15 July Midland Pullman Yorkshire Coast Pullman from Ruabon, Wrexham General and Chester.
Saturday 21 July Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales
August 2025
4 August Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales
11 August Belmond Britannic Explorer Six day tour of Lake District & Wales
25 August Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales
22 August Belmond Britannic Six day tour of Cornwall & Wales,
September 2025
Thursday 4 September Clwyd Railway Circle 'The Steelworks Railways at Home and Abroad' Adrian Bodlander
Saturday 5 September Pathfinder Tours 'Cambrian Coast Express' from Cardiff Central to Pwllheli
11 September Belmond Britannic Explorer Six day tour of Lake District & Wales
Saturday 12 September Pathfinder Tours '.Cambrian Coast Express' from Bristol Temple Meads to Pwllheli
15 September Belmond Britannic Explorer Britannic Explorer Six day tour of Cornwall & Wales,
26 September Belmond Britannic Explorer Six day tour of Lake District & Wales
29 September Belmond Britannic Explorer Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales
Wednesday 17 September Midland Pullman Settle and Carlisle Pullman. From Ruabon, Wrexham General and Chester.
Saturday 20 September Northern Belle Settle and Carlisle Steam Special. Wrexham General and Chester to Carlisle via the S&C. Diesel to/from Carnforth, steam for remainder.
October 2005
Thursday 2 October Clwyd Railway Circle 'Memories of railway operations at Llangollen from my childhood days growing up in the town during the BR era of the 1950’s and mid 60s.' Gareth Jones
20 October, Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales
17 October Belmond Britannic Explorer Six day tour of Cornwall & Wales,
10 November; Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales
November 2005
Thursday 4 November Clwyd Railway Circle Jeff Nicholls “A Baptism of Fire and Water-My First Wolsztyn Experience” Part Two
Saturday 8 November Northern Belle Settle and Carlisle Steam Special. Wrexham General and Chester to Carlisle via the S&C. Diesel to/from Carnforth, steam for remainder.
December 2005
Thursday 4 December Clwyd Railway Circle 'Railways & Tramways of the Isle of Man' Geoff Morris.
North Wales Coast Railway website created and compiled by Charlie Hulme
On 28 March 67 010 calls at Colwyn Bay with the 'Gerald' from Cardiff to Holyhead (Logan Humphreys).
A quiet week - more text items in the next issue.- Charlie
Picture selection
On 14 March 61306 Mayflower at Crewe heading for Bury for the East Lancashire Gala Weekend. 57 003 is on the rear ...
... and Stanier Black 5 45212 at Chester on 25 March with Railway Touring Company's Cheshireman from London Euston. Pictures by Richard Snook.
30 March. 57 601 Windsor Castle and 57 313 Scarborough Castle with 1Z62 10:58 Liverpool Lime Street to Llandudno Junction 'Northern Belle', Sunday 30 March. seen at Old Colwyn (Logan Humphreys)
57 601 enters Llandudno Junction (Garry Stroud).
Flashback to Swindon on 28 March 2002, 57 601 in the purple of the Porterbrook leasing company. It was the first of the passenger version of class 57 conversions from Class 47s Picture by Garry Stroud.
Returning with 57 313 leading (Ivor Bufton).
30 March - 56 103 Route Learning at Llandudno Junction with 0Z56 from Chaddesden sidings [Derby] ...
... and at Dwygyfylchgi (Logan Humphreys). The loco is from the DC Rail fleet, part of the Cappagh Group.
From Dave Sallery's Archive
37 402 Oor Wullie passes Towyn on a Down service, 14 February 1996. This loco had recently returned to the main line. working for Colas, on hire with its owners, Sheaf Engineering (or possibly Andania Engineering).
37 429 Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, at Middle Gates, west of Abergele, on an evening Bangor service in May 1997. This favourtie of many, having been scrapped in 2008.
40 060 on a Llandudno - Birmingham return excursion. 17 July 1984.
47 837 Resurgent heads a Chester to Blaenau Ffestiniog Northern Belle excursion near Roman Bridge, 8 October 2002.
Looking back: South West Railways 1964 - by David Pool
The Bristol Pullman in 1964 ran between Paddington and Bristol, but the afternoon arrival in Bristol appears to have been extended to reach Weston super Mare. On 8 September 1964 I had been photographing at Yatton around 2pm, and must have learned that the Pullman was due shortly. The position of the sun meant that an end of platform shot was the best option, although it would be a head-on view. Unfortunately this meant that I was unable to get the set numbers, but I suspect that there will be few other colour shots of the Pullman on this line.
I had plenty of time to get to Highbridge, where I intended to photograph the Somerset and Dorset branch. The shot from the Main line station gives a pleasing view of the S & D station and yards. The locomotive on the 16:00 to Evercreech Junction was 3200, and comprised a single composite coach plus a van. I don’t know why there should be platforms on each side of the single line which terminated in a buffer stop.
The view from the S&D platform shows the steps up to the main line platform. I think the signal visible on the right is on the S&D line which passed under the main line and extended to Burnham on Sea. Regular passenger services had ended in 1951, but the extension remained open for freight until 1963.
Barnstaple had three stations, Town and Junction on the Southern Region lines from Bideford and Ilfracombe, and Victoria Road on the Western Region line from Taunton, which was the first to close in 1960. Barnstaple Town remained open until 1970, when the Ilfracombe branch closed, leaving Barnstaple Junction as the terminus from Exeter. A Birmingham Class 118 unit W51321 was heading the 1150 from Ilfracombe to Exmouth on 10 September 1964, and crossing the River Taw towards the Junction station.
The Southern Railway’s ”Withered Arm” lines were still steam operated in 1964, but the smaller ex SR locomotives had been replaced by BR Standard tanks. Class 4MT 80041 had left Bude with the 09:40 to Halwill Junction on 12 September 1964, and was calling at Dunsland Cross.
Steam had long gone from the ex GWR Cornish branches, and on 15 September 1964 the typical branch train at St Ives was Derby Class 116 unit W51132. The run round facility was clearly not being used, and with little prospect of seeing any locomotive hauled passenger stock it would soon be lifted.
Later that day I was in Redruth, so it was worth waiting for the Southbound “Cornishman”, which I think came from Bradford at that time. Warship D810 Cockade duly arrived with only four coaches, which I did not identify.
On 16 September 1964 I was visiting Truro, and a Western diesel had been provided for the prestigious “Royal Duchy” from Paddington. D1027 Western Lancer was in BR maroon livery to match the coaching stock.
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