THE NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY NOTICE
BOARD
Hysbysfwrdd Rheilffordd Arfordir Gogledd Cymru
57 315 passes Connah's Quay
with the morning express to Cardiff, 19 June (Tim J. Rogers)
This site is dedicated to all our regular contributors and
supporters, and especially the rail staff of North Wales.
Updated 26 June 2009
Note: We hope you enjoy this
larger than usual edition - there will no more updates until Tuesday 9
July.
The
longest days
57 315 runs into Colwyn Bay, over the diversion line built in the 1980s
to accommodate the A55 road, with the morning train to Cardiff.
57 315, on the morning of 18 June, traverses what is possibly the most
scenic section of the North Wales main line, with Penmaenmawr mountain
looming behind.
19 June, and Stephanie Durrant
is up to see the sun rise at Colwyn
Bay...
... and take this picture of the morning Cardiff express, now with 57
316 in charge after the weekly loco-swap.
23 June, and 57 316 passes the westbound flask train. (Stéphanie Durrant)
Early morning at Abergele on 24 June, with 57 316 (Stéphanie Durrant)
The evening train also runs all the way in daylight at this time of
year: 57 315 is heading
towards Holyhead at Cyttir Twyn Trewan on 16 June. (Corrie)
57 316 arrives at Llandudno
Junction in the evening sun on 23 June, 7 minutes
late. It should have run right time, but was stuck behind a
late-running
Manchester - Llandudno. (Peter
Lloyd)
Nearing its destination, the train passes Ty Croes on Anglesey on the
evening of 25 June (Corrie.)
Troubles at the Talyllyn
We hear from Tywyn on the Cambrian Coast that the Talyllyn Railway,
famous pioneer of railway preservation, has run into financial
difficulties, with an estimated loss of over £100,000 in 2008,
despite having a very small paid staff, ably supported by many
volunteers. Our picture of Tywyn Wharf station in 2007 might give some
clue as to why receipts have been bad...
In an attempt to remedy the situation, it has been decided, as well as
re-organising the catering, to make redundant the line's salaried
General Manager, a post which was created in 2007, after a 15-year
period in which the role was filled by volunteers. Larry Bridges, a
career railwayman who was previously the British Rail Line Manager for
the Cambrian Coast, was appointed.
The Talyllyn is an enjoyable ride through fine scenery without the
bustle which characterises some other lines. Why not take a ride in
2009? See the
Talyllyn website for information.
Feedback
Arriva Trans Wales confirm that the Ffestiniog Railway has agreed to
accept the North and Mid-Wales 4-in-8 Rover for free travel on both the
Ffestiniog Railway and Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) for 2009,
although this will not be mentioned in the forthcoming leaflet. This
is, it has to be said, an exceptionally good offer, especially
considering it is valid on buses for all eight days as well as on
trains for four days of your choice. Make the best of it this year: more
details here.
Concerning Class 175s, insiders tell us that all the class have indeed
now been fitted with conductors' door controls at all doors, so the
'yellow spots' on the windscreens which indicated this are now
redundant. Picture above by
Stéphanie Durrant.
Father's Day Fellsman - not what was expected
Ian Bowland was at Crewe on 21 June to see the promised two DB
Schenker 37's on the
Compass Tours' charter to Carlisle, 'The Father's Day Fellsman.' The
train was due out at 09:12 but ten minutes before departure time the
two
veterans ' sat 'dead' in Crewe Depot yard.
There was an announcement that the train would depart from platform 12,
so clearly there was a problem and, sure enough, round the bend from
the Shrewsbury line came 'Royal' 67
005 Queen's Messenger
with
the charter stock.
Unfortunately the 37s had been 'failed' near Penrith (Eden Valley loop)
on the previous evening while returning from York with the Compass
Tours 'Jorvik
Fellsman' charter. 37 401 was
working on only four traction motors out of six, and 37 670
had a brake-related problem. 37 401 was deemed too weak to risk out on
the West Coast Main Line pulling 13 coaches and pushing a dead 37.
Network Rail decided to ask DB Schenker to take the train forward with
a replacement engine, which arrived in the shape of 66 077
from Carlisle, and the train reached Manchester just over 1¼
hours late, before heading the empty stock to Crewe. The 66 did a good
job of the remaining journey considering the weight of the train and
its 75mph speed limit.
It was considered that problems might recur on the Sunday if a repair
job was rushed through overnight, so 67 005 was sent up from
Bescot to work Sunday's train.
It may have been possible to save a light engine move from there and
use heritage locos in the form of Riviera Trains class 47s, but
unfortunately that 'plan B' wasn't an option either, as one rostered
driver involved on Sunday didn't 'sign' 47s (have familiarity with
driving the loco type). With no time for training and no time to swap
the rosters, or find another driver, the class 67 was provided, meaning
a slightly more
adequate engine than the 66 was found to pull the Sunday train, which
at least generated a lot of interest from the ordinary day-trippers who
were travelling, many of whom crowded around it at Carlisle for photos
because of its perceived 'celebrity' status.
Incidentally, this would have been one of just a small percentage of
charters in the UK operated on 'bio-diesel' fuel so far as Prince
Charles has recently insisted that the Royal locomotives operate on
that at all times rather than the normal diesel still used by most
other diesel engines and trains in Britain!
Although bound for Carlisle, the Chester route was taken out of Crewe:
the route was
via Hooton and Warrington Bank Quay.
Pathfinder Tours have a (already sold-out) tour from Portsmouth
to Cornwall on on 27 June, and also booked for a pair of DB Schenker
37/4s - we hear that 40 145 East Lancashire Railway is being
brought from Bury to work with 37 401, which will be an interesting
pairing. According to the Class 40 Preservation Society, the
train will be hauled from
Portsmouth to Westbury by 37 401 with 40 145 on the rear. From Westbury
40 145 will work on its own to Penzance and back. On arrival back at
Westbury the 37 will be attached to the rear and 40145 will work the
train to Portsmouth Harbour.
These events give us an indication of the amount of organisation effort
to keep these tours running: DB Schenker's and Network Rail's charter
train team, and companies like Pathfinder and Compass deserve our
congratulations. Incidentally, Stephen Cornish, who started on the
railway as a ticket clerk on the Altrincham line, and is remembered by
your compiler from his time as Area Manager, Buxton early in his career
at the time of the problematic changeover from old DMUs to Sprinters,
recently retired as Special Trains Manager at Network Rail, to be
replaced by Rachel Gilliland. We wish them both well.
Compass Tours' Holyhead - Carlisle excursion on 2 August remains
allocated to two DB Schenker 37/4s and with a third one - one-time
North Wales Coast machine 37 419
- intended to be ready for traffic well before then, it is hoped that
there will be less risk of an on-the-day availability problem this
time, as if one of them 'breaks' there might be a one spare at
Warrington.
The 'North Wales Fellsman' picks up at Holyhead (approx 11:00),
Llanfairpwll, Bangor, Llandudno Jcn, Colwyn Bay, Rhyl, Flint, Chester
and Warrington Bank Quay for the run to Carlisle, returning via
the famous scenic Settle & Carlisle Railway. Seats are available,
at the time of writing this, in 1st Class (£79) and
Standard (only £49, or £34 for Child under 16) on this
train. Go to the Compass
Tours Website for full route and booking information.
Special thanks to our friends at Compass Tours for supplying us with
the information for this story.
37/4 rescues 67 - report by Mark Riley
The morning of 25 June saw the rare appearance of a 37/4 at Wrexham, as
37401 was sent from Warrington
Arpley to haul 67 015 David J. Lloyd off
to Crewe for repairs to a broken windscreen. 37 401 is seen here at the
bottleneck of the bay platforms, about to run up to 67 015 in the
headshunt.
37 401 hauls 67 015 off the headshunt and into the bay platform area,
ready to head onto Croes Newydd loop. One might reasonably have
expected another 67 as rescue loco, but an appearance of a 37 was a
pleasant change for enthusiasts in a location now dominated by the
Class 67s.
The extent of the damage to the windscreen on 67 015 was a little
difficult to see as it was covered over in plastic/polythene sheeting.
It appears that the damage may have been caused by an object/debris(?)
from a passing freight train when the 67 was heading north from
Marylebone. Fortunately, the driver escaped injury, but must have been
badly shaken. Considering the closing speed of the the two trains could
have been in excess of 100 mph (160 kph) the outcome could have been
far worse.
After a pause for the 11:30 Chester - Birmingham International to pass,
the two locos rumble up to Croes Newydd....
... and shortly afterwards leave for Chester and Crewe. 37 401 was last
used as a rescue loco for the Wrexham and Shropshire in April 2008. I
wonder how long we have to wait to see another in the Wrexham area?
Wrexham Virgin problems 25 June
Passengers arriving at Crewe on the morning of 25 June at 10:20 found a
Class 221 in platform 12 and screens showing the 09:10 Euston-Holyhead
as five cars only.
An evening visit found 221 103
in Platform 12 announced as a 19:30 additional train to Wrexham, which
duly left at 19:30 - despite the fact that the 18:10 from London Euston
had been 24 minutes late starting due to late inwards running,
suggesting they struggled at Chester (or Crewe) for around an hour
trying to attach the unit on the way up.
At Chester, passengers saw the 20:22 Holyhead noted as 'expected
20:49.' 221 103 rolled in to form the 20:27 for Wrexham: the
explanation offered was a technical problem with the train out of
London.
The train from London arrived at Chester at 20:47 and the Wrexham
portion got away for 20:50, arriving General 21:05 when the connecting
ATW local for stations south of Wrexham had gone, of course, and two
passengers for the south were left stranded - they could have waited at
Chester for Birmingham New Street (via Crewe) but no information given
as to loss of connection, as usual.
Thanks for reports to Mike Stone
and George Jones.
Cambrian yellow things
Trevor Roberts captured 97 301
at Barmouth on the afternoon of 23 June. Trevor writes: 'Testing for
the new ERTMS system has been going on with a 97 and 3 coaches between
Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth for a few weeks and I understand that the 97
together with coaches on the coast section is imminent.'
Any reports on this testing, and the status of the installation on the
trains and locos, would be welcome.
This nose close-up, also by Trevor Roberts, reminds us that 'Warning
Panel Yellow' - a shade enshrined in the safety standards
documentation - is not exactly the same as 'Network Rail Test Train
yellow.'
The Network Rail radio survey train formed of Driving Trailer 9701,
survey coaches 977869 and 977868 propelled by 31 285, is train 1Z12 Derby to
Machynlleth on 24 June, seen by Stavros
Lainas at Whitchurch.
First 47 to Aberystwyth - report by Richard Boyd
On 25 June Green Express Railtours
ran a charter 'The Mid Summer Cambrian Coast Express' from Leeds to
Aberystwyth, which featured the debut (after almost 47 years!) of Class
47s at the seaside town. Above, the train pauses to cross another train
at Welshpool.
The train ran as 1Z76 06:29 Leeds-Aberystwyth and 1Z77 16:10 return.
47 804 (above, on arrival at
Aberystwyth) led on the way out, and thus
became the first 47 there ...
... whilst 47 826 worked the
return. Whilst it is unwise when it comes to railways to say never
again, this may very well prove to be the one and only time 47s reach
this resort.
Wrexham and Chester update - by Mark Riley
Freight action at Wrexham. 17 June. 67 029 Royal Diamond awaits departure at
Platform 1 with 1P13 11:23 Wrexham-London Marylebone, as 66 126 leaves Croes Newydd with 6F24
Shotwick - Arpley. The W&S service had been routed into platform 1
with 1J80 (06:45 ex-Marylebone) on arrival at Wrexham as its arrival
time was close to the imminent arrival of 6F24 running late at 10:58,
requiring a path through platform 3 off the Borderlands line.
67 008 was used to return 507
016 to Birkenhead, and returned hauling 507 001 from Birkenhead to
Doncaster works on 19 June, as seen here. From this angle, Wrexham
General is starting to resemble a nature reserve!
Later in the afternoon of 19 June DRS 57
008 and 57 003 pass
Chester with the Valley-Crewe Flask train at 16:00, with two flasks in
tow.
Don't forget your flasks
The Wylfa flask train is currently a more common sight than it has been
at some times in the past: it can usually
be seen heading east at Colwyn Bay around 15:50 on Mondays. Here it is
at Rhyl on 22 June, with 37 601 leading (Stéphanie Durrant)
The same train at Saltney Ferry; 37
682 is second loco. Note the load of four flasks. (Mark Riley)
37 087 and 37 688 pass Llandudno Junction
through platform 1 at 15:50 on 23 June (Peter Lloyd)
Castle over Shap
The 1Z80 / 1Z84 'Castle over Shap' railtour on 20 June featured
the 1980s experience of 47580 County of Essex in Stratford
large-logo guise (picture at Crewe by Cliff
Gallimore) as the inward loco from Tyesley ...
... and onward to Carlisle, double-chimneyed 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, seen above
at Crewe. (Cliff Gallimore)
Playing to the gallery at Acton Bridge (Gareth Jackson) A southbound
Pendolino ran at line speed through this platform seconds later ...
A mile further on at Acton Cliff - picture by David Jackson
Warrington Bank Quay (David Hennessey)
Cliff Gallimore writes: 'As a
rare treat for me these days, I travelled on the train. While not being
a Western man it's strange that I found most of my youth
at places like Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Newton Abbot and the like; also my
Father's family lived on the Brymbo branch. It was a delight to
be hauled behind such a wonderful locomotive (above, at Carlisle -
picture Cliff Gallimore)
that put in a fantastic performance over Shap; the memory will remain
for quite a while. An one-time working colleague of mine,
Bill Andrew was the driver - just like old times.'
Whistler portraits
Two more views of the excursion on 13 June from the East Lancashire
Railway to Aberystwyth, starring 40
145
East Lancashire Railway. This
one at Daresbury is by Mark Atkinson.
The train stabled in the loop at Aberystwyth (Dave Sallery)
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