NORTH WALES COAST
RAILWAY :NOTICE BOARD
Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd
Uploaded:
26 October 2026
Next upload
9 November 2026
Link to the previous issue
Link to this issue
RSS Feed
Archive
Coming Events
For details visit our Calendar page
November 2026
Thursday 5 November Clwyd Railway Circle "40 years of Railway in the Chester area" - Geoff Morris
11 November Welsh Highland Railway North Wales Group. Dave Waldren – ‘My View of Reconstructing the WHR.’
Friday 13 November Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Tom Ingall "The Reunification of the Great Central Railway". The talk describes the plan to reunify the Great Central Railway (North) and the Great Central Railway preserved lines by building a new link in the centre of Loughborough. Tom is a BBC presenter who has been a volunteer at the Great Central Railway since the age of 14.
December 2027
Thursday 3 December Clwyd Railway Circle Ian Mainprize 'German Railway Development'
9 December Welsh Highland Railway North Wales Group – Mike Blackburn – The Chester & Holyhead Railway.
Wednesday 23 December Saphos
Trains "The Pennine Peaks Christmas Explorer"
Bangor to Hellifield circular tour. 2 LSL 47s
to/from Crewe, A4 60007 "Sir Nigel Gresley"
onwards.
January 2027
Friday 8 January Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Jeremy Nicholls "100 Years of Trains to Audlem" and "Nantwich and the Railway". Contact Andrew Macfarlane, (0161) 928 9394)
February 2027
Friday 12 February Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Chris Davies "The AERPS and the Last Years of the 1500 volts dc Altrincham Electrics". Chris is a Vice-President of the Society and he has been involved since the early days in the early 1970s. Contact Andrew Macfarlane, (0161) 928 9394
March 2027
Friday 12 March Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Paul Shackcloth "People and Places 9". More images of the pre-1968 steam railway with at least one person visible. Contact Andrew Macfarlane, (0161) 928 9394 for confirmation)
For up-to-date North Wales information
join the North Wales Trains News group
North Wales Coast Railway website created and compiled by Charlie Hulme
[The other items usually in this column are temporally out of service for re-construction]
6M51 (11:57 Doncaster to Tuebrook) with 60 056 piloting 66 769 on biomasss empties at Ashley on 11 October 2026. A number of GBRf 60s have been reinstated during the leaf fall season. (Dave Jepson).
News Pictures
Autumnal scene: 37 512 Thornaby Demon hauling 231 001 Sultan to Holyhead for wheel attention through Colwyn Bay on Saturday 17 October (Gary Thomas)
18 October at Broadbottom on the East Lancashire Railway, on gala day with SECR O1 No. 65 from the Bluebell Railway venturing further North than it has ever done before (Greg Mape).
More Southern, seen at Rawtenstall by Dave Sallery.
Gary Thomas writes ' I got advance warning of the Royal Train running from Wolverton to Llandudno and back on what must be a test or training run, given that King Charles is in Cardiff. I was able to see the inbound train at Deganwy in quite heavy rain! ' Loco 67 005 King's Messenger leading.
Dave Jepson writes: What I believe was the first proper run of this seasons North Wales RHTT on 3 October 2026. A test run took place earlier that week. The locos are 56 090 / 56 113 passing the marina at Newton nr Tattenhall.
The 'Britannic Explorer' at Llandudno Junction at 21 October ...
... and tucked away in the sidings. Later it proceded to Oxford (Greg Mape)
70 015 ready to reverse out of Llandudno Junction yard with the 6M33 stone to Longport on 9 October (Garry Stroud)
153 383 Video Inspection Unit No4 travelling on the up/down main in Chester station having started this morning (19 October) from Holyhead Car MD enroute to Derby RTC (Network Rail). The 153 class were Super Sprinters, the bodies were built with Leyland Bus parts and bogies. Picture by Philip Macey.
A tramcar interval - by Ken Robinson
The Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway' was, as you know, a tramway, despite its title, and recently I was fortunate to receive a set of colour slides of the tramway from a railway enthusiast friend.
The first photo, from around 1955, features tram No.6,
which was an open-top double decker, near the West End of
Colwyn Bay. This was built in 1914 for the Bournemouth
Corporation Tramways, but was acquired second hand by the
Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway in 1936. It
survived there until the end of services in March 1956.
Its original number was 85, but was re-numbered '6' on the
Llandudno system. As far as I know, No.6 is the only
survivor, and can be found in excellent condition (but not
in working order) at The National Tramway Museum at Crich,
Derbyshire.
The second photo shows it in the Great Exhibition Hall at
Crich. This museum is well worth a visit, by the
way.
Cambrian New Era - by Eryl Crump
The final Class 158 service operated by Transport for Wales (TfW) left Pwllheli on time at 17:36 on Sunday, October 18, 2026. Noted on the departure screen as operating to Birmingham International 158 822 ran as far as Machynlleth.
About 50 minutes later the 158 met the new units as 197 035 and 197 037 ran Empty from the depot at Machynlleth ready to operate the early morning services from Pwllheli.Initially the 197s will only operate the Cambrian Coast services with the 158 continuing to Shrewsbury, Birmingham and Aberystwyth.
TfW says because the 197 units cannot attach and detach with the 158s "we’re introducing them gradually and customers will continue to see a mix of new trains and old trains on the Cambrian line. This is likely to continue until "late 2026".
The introduction of the 197s on the Cambrian lines had initially been planned for early 2025 due to the need to install and test the European Train Control System (ETCS) in use on the network. The equipment has been fitted to 21 two-car units denoting them as 'Class 197e'. According to an article in Modern Railways the 197e units are fitted a more recent of the system than the version used by the Class 158s. Training of staff on the new trains has been carried out in recent months and staff said they are looking forward to working the new units and see the reaction of passengers.
The Class 158 has operated on the Cambrian lines in several guises from the original Regional Railways livery to Central Trains green and blue to Arriva Trains turquoise and latterly TfW red and white. Since 2011 the class has been the only regular passenger traction used on the Cambrian line due to the signalling system in use. The end of the Class 158 on the Cambrian Coast was a low key affair with no official TfW commemoration. There were a number of enthusiasts on the final northbound service and at Pwllheli a group of youngsters produced a printed card to which said "farewell Class 158, you've done us proud!"
I spent Sunday on the Cambrian Coast . On a sunny, crisp autumn day I could think of nowhere better and I was not alone. The trains were well loaded throughout the day and I wonder how the 197s will cope bearing in mind they have around 20 fewer seats and one fewer toilet. Time will tell!
I joined about a dozen other people at Pwllheli for the 09.34 to Machynlleth. Weather was sunny and clear and many of the passengers were determined to enjoy the fine weather with some clearly planning walks. At Criccieth a coach load of people joined the train travelling to Barmouth for the day.
The service waited at Barmouth (above) for the first northbound service operated by 158 830. Along the line I noticed signs indicating stopping points for the Class 197s were much in evidence. Surely those indicating stopping points for the 158s will shortly be removed.
I left the train at Dyfi Junction and witnessed the 'Dyfi Shuttle' where the Pwllheli train stopped at platform one with the train from Aberystwyth running onto Platform 2A. The Aberystwyth bound train, which had been held off the platform then ran forward sliding onto platform 2B. For passengers joining from the coast its a walk of about 150 yards. Fine in sunshine but maybe not so nice in the wind, rain and darkness of winter!
After a break in Aberystwyth I headed to Machynlleth where there were three Class 197s on the depot and just one Class 158 in sight after the train from Aberystwyth had joined with the Pwllheli train and formed a four-car unit for the 14:07 service to Birmingham International. And that wasn't meant to be there. 158 831 had been due to due to operate the 13.49 Machynlleth. to Aberystwyth and 14.27 return but this was cancelled and the unit simple shunted off Platform 2 onto Platform 1.
The return journey to Pwllheli was on the 14.53 from Machynlleth. This arrived from Birmingham International and divided with 158 929 continuing to Aberystwyth and 158 822 running to Pwllheli. With the sun setting over the station buildings 158 822 arrived six minutes late.
A grand day out!
Notes on recent David Pool items
From Kevin Driscoll:
David Pool's look back to 1972 ticks all the boxes for me. I was initially surprised to see the loco which was to become 47 201 featured in two vastly different settings. This is because 1541 at Morpeth was to become 47 429, an easy slip to make when compiling a collection of images.
He queries the paper headcode on the dmu, and I can confirm that 1J was correct for the Cambrian lines. If the train had been a special, I would have expected 1T or 1X. I also think that this type of display was not unusual on dmus without headcode boxes, especially for journeys outside their local area.
From Charlie: The 'B2' has no longer officially used since 1961. The four-letter code was required to give more information.
From Dave Sallery:
A class 9 is an unfitted train, as the Summers hoppers were, after 1968. F refers to the Liverpool division which covered Shotton works.
6770 at Hexham looks more like a ballast than a coal train. Class 7 is an express freight, partially fitted with max speed of 45 mph, which fits. T would be a local trip working.
From Dave Sallery's archive
37 421 + 37 407, Penmaenmawr, 14 July 1994. 37026 has just passed on the up line with a ballast.
37 408, Prestatyn, 12 08 1985. On test after rebuild to a 37/4 and returning to Crewe Works. 37 408 was cut up at EMR Kingsbury in January 2008.
37 669 on test and returning to Crewe, 19 08 1987. 37 669 is currently with West Coast Railways.
37 796, Prestatyn, 31 10 1986. Loco on test from Crewe. 37 796 was cut up at CF Booth Rotherham in February 2009.
47 413 heads a line of withdrawn locos at Scunthorpe Anchor works, September 1993.
47 473, in large logo blue, on a short ballast from Penmaenmawr, 22 June 1989.
Looking Back: 1972 Part 7 - David Pool
I visited the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway on 23 July 1972. At that time the Railway had not reopened to Welshpool, the terminus being at Sylfaen, where a Hunslet diesel 2251 (1940) was working. This came from an Admiralty Depot in Wiltshire in 1971, later becoming W&L No.11 Ferret.
699.01 had been built in 1944 in France as a tender locomotive for the German Military Railways. It then ran in Austria, and in 1957 was rebuilt as a tank engine for the Styrian Government Railways. It was acquired by the W&L in 1969, and named Sir Drefaldwyn, which is County of Montgomery in Welsh. It was photographed at Llanfair Caereinion on 23 Jul 1972.
The other locomotive out that day was No.1 Earl, on a passenger working. I don’t remember what the problem had been, but No.1 ran back to Llanfair light engine, much to the surprise of the cow!
At the Weston Point sidings in Runcorn on 28 July 1972 Yorkshire Engine 2714 (1958) Danbydale had recently arrived from ICI’s Agricultural Division at Billingham, and had not yet been rebranded as one of the ICI Mond Division’s fleet.
Buxton station was unmistakeable on 5 August 1972, with the distinctive gable end window and the Class 104 units with white roof ends. The leading cars were M50486 and M50436.
I then headed across to the Hope Valley. A 3-car Birmingham Class 110 was heading for Sheffield with the 11:45 from Manchester, and passing through Hope station.
Bamford station was rather deserted, but the train photographed there was particularly interesting. One of the famous trains on the Great Central Railway and later on the LNER was the North Country Continental. This conveyed through coaches to and from many cities in the North of England, connecting at Harwich (Parkeston Quay) with the overnight ferry to and from the Hook of Holland.
The route from Liverpool Central would have been to Manchester Central, then the Woodhead line to Sheffield. In BR days the service was cut back and rerouted, so in 1972 the Westbound train ran on the Hope Valley line to terminate at Manchester. The 07:33 from Parkeston Quay to Manchester was headed by 6712 (later 37 012) which was later named Loch Rannoch. I did not record details of the coaching stock, which would have included a Restaurant car.
A week later on 12 August 1972 I was at Marple, where a Gloucester Class 100 M50358/M56113 was working the 13:33 Marple to Manchester Piccadilly. Most of these units had been based in Scotland, but some were in the Manchester district.
Nearby at Rose Hill (Marple) the line to Macclesfield had closed in 1970, the track beyond the station becoming a reversing siding. Two Birmingham Class 104 units, M50534 leading, formed the 14:02 to Manchester Piccadilly.
On the way home I photographed a train of empty ICI hopper wagons returning to Tunstead behind 7570 (later 25 220). My notes indicated it was near Altrincham, but the background in the image was not familiar to me. Eventually I decided it must have been on the Skelton loop line, heading up to Skelton Junction, but no doubt someone will correct me if I am mistaken!
Home page | Archive | Previous Notice Board