NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY :NOTICE BOARD

Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd

15 December 2025

Forthcoming events

See our Calendar Page for operator details.

January 2026

Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Friday 9 January John Hooley "A Midlands Miscellany".

February 2026

Friday 13 February Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Paul Shackcloth "People and Places 8".

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North Wales Coast Railway website created and compiled by Charlie Hulme

Action at Porthmadog on 12 December - see below. Picture by Ken Robinson.

A short issue this week - a combination of few contributions and my lack of time. Next issue with more to say on 22 December. - Charlie

67s galore - recorded by Paul Hajdasz

On Friday 5 December I took the opportunity to travel from Crewe to Manchester Piccadilly on several round trips aboard TfW diesel engine services. The first was 1W13 05:43 Swansea to Manchester Piccadilly with 67 017 arriving at 10:17.

I then caught from Manchester 1V52 back to Crewe with 67 012, seen arriving at Manchester from Cardiff.

The next leg was 1W57 when 67 008 rolled into platform 6 at Crewe,

By the time I boarded the final round trip on 1W59 with 67 029 hauling, the weather had got decidedly worse. But it was an enjoyable day out, all for £20:75 when I bought a Cheshire Day Ranger using my Senior railcard.

News pictures

Rumour has is that Colas are 'getting rid' of their ten 56s over the next year; 56 087, 56 094, and 56 096 are already out of service. Sunday 1 December saw 56 302 and 56 078 working
the final Railhead Treatment Train of this year, seen at Bangor, so this could be the last time Colas 'grids' go through Bangor. (Logan Humphreys).

Some freight trains have run recently, including a load of slate waste from Llandudno Junction, to Hope cement works; unfortunately for photographers it runs along the coast in darkness in both directions.

The hourly (sort of) shuttle service between Chester and Wrexham has started with the new Timetable, worked with a TfW class 197.

Cambrian Corner

197 units have visited the Cambrian Coast up to Pwllheli recently, presumably on driver training, but mostly hours of darkness, but John Oates made some observations on 12 December:

3C03 with 197 029 and 197 030 at Dovey Junction on the way from Aberystwyth to Machynlleth Carriage Sidings, and later that day 197029 & 197030 again at Barmouth on 3C06 Machynlleth CS to Pwllheli (arriving 1829, 2 early and then leaving on 3C07 back to Machynlleth.

However, there have also been some tamper movements during the past few weeks, and one was on 12 December - I took a few at Porthmadog on its return from Pwllheli to Coleham. The attached shows the working at Porthmadog, with 97 303 Dave Berry in charge The attached shows the working at Porthmadog, with 97 303 Dave Berry in charge following the arrival at 12:48 of 2J07 from Machynlleth which on this occasion was not formed off the arrival of 1J07 from Birmingham International which was a 2-car.(John Oates)

From Richard Snook's archive

A misty scene at Rhyl on Sunday 13 December 1987. 'Wrong-line working' was in force while engineers were re-laying the Down Fast line through Prestatyn station. 31 156 stands by with empty ballast tipper wagons. Passing is the 08:04 (Sundays only) Holyhead to Hull service; use of such unsuitable traction units resulted from a hastily removal of the diesel locos from the cross-pennine route. The train is formed of a Class 150 unit and one of the batch of Class 142 units which were initially allocated to the south-west and called 'Skippers' intended for the branch lines. Sadly, they were found to have problems on the sharp curves there, so they were soon dispatched to Join their sisters in the North West to squeal around the curves there.

Next to pass was 47 644 The Permanent Way Institution on the 13:21 (Sundays) from Llandudno Junction to London Euston. This name was applied in June 1986, but removed in 1990 and applied to 47974, then moved to 47 357, and finally 60 045 which is currently in store.

On 28 August 1987 37 683 and 37 686 with Penmaenmawr - Salford 'roadstone' hoppers cross the 'cob' . The Terminal at Salford Hope Street, but is supplied by a Peak Forest quarry.

On 20 April 1987 45 130 passes Ffynnongroyw with the 15:16 Llandudno - York, one loco-haulage turn to survive the purge.

From Dave Sallery's archive

37 903 passes Gwersyllt with steel coils for Shotton. 37903 was cut up at Crewe DMD in 2005.

47 125 Tonnidae is on P Way duties at Prestatyn, 22 April 1990

47 787 + 47 704 are on a test train returning to Crewe at Mold Junction, 24 November 1995.

60 044 + 60 001 near Mostyn on Railfreight Coal day, 11 August 1991.

Looking Back: Isle of Man Railways 1970 - David Pool

The Isle of Man Railway in 1970 was still operating, but clearly struggling to survive. The Marquess of Ailsa had a lease to run the Railway, but had found it impossible to keep the Ramsey and Peel lines open with the running costs far outweighing the income. A limited service was being provided on the line to Port Erin, with two locomotives in steam. On 20 June 1970 No.10 G.H.Wood and No.11 Maitland were crossing at Ballasalla on the afternoon trains.

I photographed No.11 again as it was leaving Castletown. Some attempt seems to have been made to cut the grass around the rails, but there was little evidence of any routine inspection of the sleepers or ballast.

The line to Peel had been closed in 1969, but as usual the appearance of the station and track on 21 June 1970 had changed little from the days when trains had been running. In 1970 there seems to have been no problems with vandalism, but there was not a lot to be targeted!

There was no shortage of locomotives or rolling stock, since the Railway had needed a fleet of locomotives to run the regular services on all the lines. If a locomotive had problems, it was just taken out of service, unless an inexpensive repair could be carried out. In an effort to draw attention to the Railway, a parade of locomotives was arranged at Douglas Station for the 1970 season, when any locomotive which could be moved was dragged out. No.11 Maitland was shunting four locomotives, Nos. 8 Fenella, 15 Caledonia (the Manx Northern Railway 0-6-0T). 6 Peveril and 16 Mannin. The latter, the youngest of the Beyer Peacocks, was the most powerful of the 2-4-0T locomotives, having a larger boiler and a higher boiler pressure, the size difference being clearly seen on my shot.

Two other Beyer Peacock locomotives were on display, No.14 Thornhill and No.3 Pender. No.14 is now privately owned and under restoration, while No.3 is now at the Manchester Science and Industry Museum, having been sectioned to illustrate the internal features of the boiler.

Port Erin Station in 1970 was still in much the same condition as in my previous visit in 1964, with few signs of any recent expenditure on the station or the track. No.10 G.H.Wood was arriving with the 11:20 train from Douglas, and would be returning at 16:10, the timings as always for the convenience of travellers starting from Douglas and to a lesser extent to those from Port Erin.

In stark contrast to the few passengers on the Isle of Man Steam Railway, the Manx Electric Railway and the Snaefell Mountain Railway were taking advantage of the relatively short journey times to attract visitors to the Summit of Snaefell. At Laxey on the afternoon of 25 June 1970 the passengers for Snaefell were boarding car No.1, having just arrived from Douglas. It appears that tickets were being checked, and the number of visitors with flat caps would not be seen today! Note the difference between the 3ft 6in gauge of the SMR and the 3ft MER.

One of the two locomotives working the Port Erin line would be kept at Port Erin overnight. No.10 G.H.Wood was on the 16:10 from Douglas on 26 June 1970, and would be crossing the incoming train at Ballasalla. It was sad to see that the unused platform at Douglas was being used as a car park. I would not like to have to turn my car on the platform and reverse at an angle to the platform edge!

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