NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY :NOTICE BOARD

Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd

16 February 2026

Next Update:
23 February

Forthcoming events

See our Calendar Page for operator details.

March 2026

Thursday 5 March Clwyd Railway Circle Peter Hanahoe 'North Wales Railways in the 1980s'

April 2026

Thursday 2 April Clwyd Railway Circle David Parry 'Swiss Rack Railways'

Thursday 9 April Statesman Rail "Royal Windsor Statesman", Chester, Wrexham General, Ruabon, Chirk to Windsor & Eton Riverside. LSL 47 or 57s.

Friday 17 April Vintage Trains "The Cambrian Coast Express", Widney Manor to Pwllheli. Diesel hauled by 37240 to/from Shrewsbury, then double headed with a Network Rail 97/3 to Pwllheli.

May 2026

Saturday 2 May 125 Group London Euston to Llandudno, with mini tour around North Wales TBC. 125 Group TBC.

Saturday 2 May Vintage Trains "The North Wales Coast Express", Birmingham New Street to Llandudno. Diesel hauled Chester to Llandudno, steam back from Llandudno to Nuneaton. Vintage Trains pool.

June 2026

Saturday 6 June
Railway Touring Company London Euston to Aberystwyth. WCRC 47/57 to Shrewsbury, two * Network Rail 97s or one 97 and one * WCRC 37 to Aberystwyth.

Saturday 13 June North West Rail and Transport Collectors Fair

July 2026

Saltburn Railtours
3-6 July tour Saltburn to Llandudno, Three days' hotel accommodation with breakfast.

August 2026

Saturday 15 August
Railway Touring Company Oxford to Blaenau Ffestiniog, WCRC diesels TBC

Wednesday 19 August Midland Pullman "Torbay Riviera Pullman", Chester, Wrexham General, Ruabon, Chirk to Torquay and Paignton. LSL Midland Pullman HST.

29-31 August 2026 Bala Lake Railway Steam Gala

September 2026

19-20 September Bala Model Railway Show

Thursday 3 September Clwyd Railway Circle To be announced

Saturday 19 September Northern Belle "Settle & Carlisle Steam Special", Wrexham General and Chester to Carlisle. WCRC steam locomotive over the Settle & Carlisle line. Diesel hauled otherwise.

October 2026

Thursday 1 October Clwyd Railway Circle To be announced

November 2026

Thursday 5 November Clwyd Railway Circle To be announced

December 2026

Thursday 3 December Clwyd Railway Circle Ian Mainprize 'German Railway Development'

Belmond have advertised their 2026 three-day Britannic Explorer trips to the sidings in Barmouth, start dates are: 30 March, 13 April, 4/11/25 May, 1/8/15/22/29 June, 6/20/27 July, 3/17/21/24 August, 14/28 September, 19 October and finally 9 November.

Other useful sites:

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

60532 Blue Peter at Bay Horse, north of Preston, with the Crewe-Carlisle “Cumbrian Mountaineer” on Thursday 12 February. Picture by Ian Pilkington.

Traffic news

153 311, now operated by Network Rail as a Video Inspection Unit (VIU1) visited the North Wales Coast on 5 February. It is seen above during its recess in Rhyl Engineers' Sidings on 5 February Its was itinerary was: Working 2Q54 06:08 Lichfield Trent Valley C E sidings to Chester via a recess in Rhyl C E Sidings then later working 2Q55 16:35 Chester to Chester Middle Yard via Llandudno

Unusally, on 6 Febraury it made a visit to the Quarry Sidings at Penmaenmawr (Gary Thomas).

Seen by Bob Greenhalgh passing Morrisons, Saltney on its first return run. Network Rail has four of these units at present: 153 311, 153 376, 153 379, 153 385. Their job of the 'video inspection unit' is to monitor the condition of the track, especially in regard to points and crossings. There's a large number of 153s now stored out of service, but - so far - few heritage railways have seen to be interested.

Almost 20 years previous the 153 in Regional Railways livery is seen coupled to a Class 158 heading west through Prestatyn on 29th July 2006 (Ivor Bufton).

A new flow of Granite from Penmaenmawr began on Monday 9 February, it is reported as ‘a substantial volume of granite’ is to be moved from Penmaenmawr to Quainton Railhead. The diagram is over two days and in this first week ran three times. The diagram so far has been as follows

4P46 06:58 Small Heath Caledonia Yard to Penmaenmawr Quarry

6P49 16:53 Penmaenmawr Quarry Gbrf to Wembley Receptions 1-7

6A67 08:32 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Quainton Railhead

4P45 15:09 Quainton Railhead to Small Heath Caledonia Yard

66 308 Signalman Willie Taylor leads 4P46 06:58 Small Heath Caledonia Yard to Penmaenmawr Quarry through Rhyl on a damp and dismal 11 February with 66 720 Wascosa on the rear.

Garry Stroud captured the train heading for Penmaenmawr passing Llandudno Junction with 66 720 leading ...

... and 66 308 on the rear. GBRf ran three trips from Small Heath Caledonia Yard to Penmaenmawr Quarry on Monday 9 February, Wednesday 11 February and Friday 13 February. Unusually this train was top-and-tailed by 66's, though this did make the loading process quicker at Penmaenmawr. I attach photos of the first two trains, on Monday with 667 20 leading to Penmaenmawr and 66 308 returning the train to Wembley Yard. The wagons looked brand new. 66 720 and 66 308 ran the two following trains (Garry Stroud).

Cadnant Park, 9 February (Gary Thomas).

Note about the name of 66 308: Forty years ago, at 05:30 on Tuesday 1 May 1984, Bill (Willie) Taylor, a signaller at Carlisle Power Signal Box realised that 4S55, a Liverpool (Garston) to Glasgow (Gushetfaulds), a freightliner train had become divided south of Carlisle and both portions of the train were rolling downhill towards Carlisle Citadel station. It was carrying dangerous, Using all his knowledge and experience, Bill calmly switched the uncoupled wagons onto the empty Carlisle Goods Avoiding Line, avoiding disaster. There is an interesting article about the incident in Railstaff magazine.

70 817 (Colas) ran from Bradwell Sidings near Longport to Penmaenmawr and return on Friday 6 February. DC Rail's ran 60 055 from Wembley to Penmaenmawr on Saturday 7 February then back loaded to Wembley on Sunday 8 February.

DCRail's 60 028 ran another weekend trip to Penmaenmawr and back to Wembley on 14/15 February but left with only just over 5 wagons full due to issues with the loading equipment. This has happened quite frequently recently.

The flows from Llandudno Junction to Earles sidings, and traffic from the loading point at Llandudno Junction seem to have gone to sleep at present.

Dyserth stone: a question - by Peter Mouncey

I lived in Prestatyn in the 1960s and used to regularly watch the daily train leave or arrive back from Dyserth, in those days usually hauled by Rhyl 4F 44367; 43981 or 3F 43618. After shunting the train of limestone it then left Prestatyn in the Chester direction. As I understand it, the limestone was taken to the big steel works at Shotton (and previously to Mostyn Iron Works until that closed).

My question is one I should have asked at the time:

How did the limestone get to Shotton steel works as there is no direct connection between the N W Coast main line and the line from Wrexham to Bidston/Chester Northgate? I can only assume it either went via Mold Junction to the connection at Hope on the line to Mold, with reversals, or through Chester to Mickle Trafford, and back on the CLC line to Hawarden Bridge/Shotton steelworks sidings. Both of these routes entail huge detours!

Does any reader have the solution?

Another Look at the Inspiration Train - by Richard Snook

At Crewe, no platforms were available to berth the train for a few days, the long-disused horse landing platform was commandeered removing (After moving LSL's scrap coaching stock) the rear coach of the on the Inspiration train was what once the main platform one with access from 12 for school children parties. Access to the main train was through staff gate on the horse landing off the main road.

[Ingenuity for Inspiration! What's that coach at he far end of the scrap line?]

Welsh 37/4s in action - by Graham Breakwell

I recently came across some photos of 37 428 prior to being named, and then at work following the unveiling of its nameplate, David Lloyd George. Here are a few mobile phone photos of my printed photos!

In the sidings at Shrewsbury station on 7 June 1986 37 428 sandwiched between 37 426 (newly named Y Lein Fach – Vale of Rheidol) and 20 135. 37 430 Cwmbran is in the background ready to take over 1J18, the 07:25 from Birmingham New Street to Aberystwyth, which I boarded, departing at 08:44 for what turned into quite an eventful day. I returned from Aberystwyth on the 1J06, the 11:10 to Euston, changing at Machynlleth in time to see “The Welsh Thunderer” running from Bolton to Pwllheli pull in hauled by 40 122 / D200 double headed with 25 288 . Shortly afterwards I took 1J20, the 07:30 from Euston to Pwllheli, with 37426 and 37428 plus 11 Mark 1s, intending to return to Shrewsbury on the 15:30 from Pwllheli.

However, 37 428 was declared a failure and 25 288 and 40 122 took over. The 40 was showing signs of trouble, pulling up at Abererch and Penychain before continuing with a driver in each loco – the climb up Talerddig was quite spectacular -a good value for money Cambrian Day Ranger for just £4.00!

37 428 passing through Baschurch, between Gobowen and Shrewsbury with an engineers train in June 1986.

37 428 paused at Baschurch in spotless livery as an unidentified 37 passes by on a freight service on 15 May 1987.

37 428 in all it’s glory departing from Baschurch, nameplate under cover, heading to Pwllheli.

The following day I took another Cambrian Day Ranger setting off from Shrewsbury on 2D50, the 07:40 to Aberystwyth behind 37 426, cutting the journey short at Machynlleth after being delayed by the late running of the up Cambrian Coast Express with 37 430. Shortly after, 37 428, now displaying its David Lloyd George nameplate, rolled in from Pwllheli where I boarded the service.

[The nameplate was uncovered by Lady Olwen Carey Evans, daughter of the famous statesman, before the first 'Snowdonian' train of the year to London. The name was recovered from 47 409 which had been named in Scotland in 1985. Pwllheli was chosen for the ceremony was it was the nearest suitable nearest to Llanystumdwy, his Welsh home. ]

I left the train at Welshpool, then making the most of the ticket with a trip to Tywyn behind 37 430 and 37 427 with 12 NSE mk1s. Then 37 428 (again!) from Machynlleth to Aberystwyth and back to Welshpool. Next, a 150 and 142 dmus as far as Caersws for the final leg to Shrewsbury with 37 427 and 37 430 again, passing 37 426 at Sutton Bridge Junction with another Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth run.

From Dave Sallery's Archive

A class 120 Cross - Country DMU on a train to Shrewsbury. Pwllheli 7 August 1985.

37 685 on the rear of the 'Royal Scotsman' near Prestatyn, 11 July 2011

40 122 (carrying it's original name D200) at Blaenau Ffestiniog, 14 April 1984 with a Lea Valley Railway Club railtour 'The Ffestiniog Orbital.'

A Class 442 at Surbiton on a working to Weymouth, 6 May 1996.

A Class 47 hauling ex-Great Western stock near Towyn, 11 May 2003. Anyone know the number and name?

Looking Back: Liverpool in 1956 - by David Pool

2026 marks the 70th Anniversary of the closure of the Liverpool Overhead Railway, and my photographs taken in 1956 are not to the standard of clarity expected today. I did not start to use colour film until 1960, so it was usually Ilford FP3 or HP3 in my Zeiss Ikon Tenax camera. The image size on the film was 24mm x 24mm, but the results were usually good for that time. During the Winter of 1956 I was trying HPS film, which was faster but rather grainy. The quality of the images may be poor, but hopefully the subjects are interesting.

The prototype Deltic was on trial in 1956, and on 2 November it was as usual on the up Merseyside Express, departing at 10.10 from Lime Street. The Deltic was contributing to the smoky atmosphere of the station.

The Birmingham train followed ten minutes later, and on this day was headed by the rebuilt Scot 46157 The Royal Artilleryman.

The line under the Overhead Railway provided a connection between the North and South docks, and a British Railways ex Lancashire and Yorkshire “Pug” was the usual motive power. On 20 November 1956 51246 was running Southwards light engine. The baffle plate on the chimney was an attempt to minimise the damage to the Overhead Railway structure from locomotive exhausts, but by 1956 the battle had been lost, and without the funds for major repairs the closure of the Overhead Railway was inevitable. The tram in the shot was a “Baby Grand” No. 235.

I don’t remember who had organised the trip, but on Saturday 8 December 1956 my school had a visit to the Docks, travelling via the Overhead Railway, so the following images were taken on that day. Having arrived at Pier Head Station, the first train I saw was a Modernised set 30-7-14 heading for Dingle. These had sliding doors and more comfortable seats, but used the old undercarriage and bogies from withdrawn stock.

We alighted from our train at Gladstone Dock, where Mersey Docks and Harbour Board No.10 (Avonside No.1571) was at work. A sister loco No.26 is now at the Ribble Steam Railway.

Colour light signals were used on the main line of the Liverpool Overhead Railway, but some semaphore signals were used at junctions, such as the ones photographed on the entry to Seaforth Sands car shed, and on the British Railways owned lines to Seaforth & Litherland Station and Aintree Station.

My photograph taken during the visit illustrates the rather uncomfortable third class wooden seats provided in the older trains, but unfortunately the negative is showing its age. Participants on the visit were expected to wear school caps! When British Railways reclassified third class to second class in June 1956 the LOR decided to follow suit, but rebranding the coaches was never carried out, and the change was not visible except on any new stocks of tickets at the busiest stations.

Returning to Pier Head station, my next shot was one of the Modernised sets, 28-9-26. The coach numbering is a little confusing, since the centre trailers were numbered in a separate series from the motor coaches. There was a power coach No.9 in set 2-1-9, which also was in service in 1956.

One of the third batch of “Standard” sets was heading for Dingle. Set 45-8-46 had been built in 1895, and comprised two power coaches, each with 56 seats plus a trailer coach with 40 first class seats. I have been modelling this set in 1/76 scale, and attempting to obtain details of the roof ventilators and coach lettering. The problem is that there was no consistency in the number or location of the ventilators, and very few images exist showing views from above. The lettering on the coaches is another difficulty, in that the LOR crest which used to be on the coaches was replaced by L.O.R. in some cases. Again, it has not been possible to get photographic evidence. If anyone has photographs of the set 45-8-46 I would be very pleased to hear from them.

My final shot at Pier Head Station was a "Widened” set 25-10-27. This differed from the “Standard” set in that the motor coaches were ten inches wider and five feet longer, having been rebuilt in 1902/3, and provided a total of 198 seats in comparison with the 152 seats in most of the Modernised sets. It had the sad task of running the last service from Seaforth Sands to Dingle on Sunday 30 December 1956.

David would be interested to read any comments about this item.

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