NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY:NOTICE BOARDRheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd |
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11 December 2018
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A Class 221 Super Voyager between Abergele & Pensarn and Rhyl on the 1A43 Holyhead to Euston on a dull and rainy 5 December. Picture by Alan Martin. RHTT's last runSaturday 8 December saw the last run of the Rail Head Treatment train for this season, with the usual power 56 087 and 56 094 and piloted by 50 050 Fearless (formerly D400), owned by Boden Rail Engineering. Bob Greenhalgh photographed the ensemble westbound past Beeches Farm. Near Prestatyn (taken from a legal position) (Dave Sallery). Rhyl (Roly High). 56 094 on the rear wearing the usual RHTT livery of gunge overlaying its Colas orange. Only the rear loco gets gunged, but with top-and-tail working both get equal treatment. Bangor (Rowan Crawshaw). D400 became 50 050 when the class number-based system was adopted, as it as thought that 50 000 could not be used. Some other classes fixed this by re-using the number of a withdrawn loco, but all 50 class 50s were still around at the time. The 50 was run round the train at Holyhead to lead on the return, so its rail blue livery remained unsullied, as seen at Bangor (Rowan Crawshaw). Llandudno Junction, with station refurbishment in evidence (Gwion Clark). Eighteen Class 50s survive in preservation, including several registered for main line use. Class 37 nostalgia - with Graham Breakwell37 428 was one of the batch of class 37 rebuilds allocated to Cardiff depot for passenger services, but on 7 June 1986, having emerged in this form from Crewe works earlier that year, it is passing Baschurch crossing north of Shrewsbury with an an engineers' train, judging from the 'Mermaid' ballast tipping wagon behind the loco. Later that day, 37 428 stabled at Shrewsbury with 37 426 (named Y Lein Fach/Vale of Rheidol on 5 May 1986) and 20 135. Also given a Welsh name (on 11 May 1986) was 37 430 Cwmbrân, seem at Aberystwyth on 21 June 1986 with train 1A50, the 11:10 to London Euston which it would work as far as Shrewsbury. Fourteen feet above sea level. The wording of the small plaque eludes us, but it relates to the opening of the new station serving Cwmbrân new town on 12 May 1986. 37 428 had to wait until 1997 for a name. On 15 August Graham was at Baschurch to capture the loco heading south, with an other 37 waiting for the signal to continue north with HEA domestic coal hoppers, perhaps for the coal depot then still in operation at Gobowen. On departure, the black material covering the new nameplate could be discerned, as the loco was on the way to Pwllheli for a the unveiling the next day of the name David Lloyd George by Lady Olwen Carey-Evans, daughter of the famous statesman. See our 28 August 2017 issue for more about this. The newly-named loco then worked the 07:40 Pwllheli to London Euston 'Snowdonian' service on its first run of the summer. Graham photographed the train at Machynlleth (above) ... ... and departing from Welshpool. The name had previously been carried by 47 409. 37 428 had further adventures, including a period in 'Royal Scotsman' maroon livery, North Wales Coast work, the Rhymney line, the Fort William sleeper, and transfer to the freight sector, before being put in store in 2003 and final withdrawal in 2009 and scrapping in 2013. Interesting up-to-date 37/4 news is that 37 418 (a regular on North wales passenger trains in the 1990s) has emerged from overhaul at Barrow Hill, resplendent in 'large logo' livery complete with 'Highland Stag' and will be working for Colas on Network Rail trains. Cambrian 9797 304 enters Barmouth as the 08:12 from Coleham on 4 December to pick up a 'Stoneblower' (Ken Robinson). 97 304 has run round the loop and returned to the up platform, whilst the Network Rail Stoneblower (no. DR80211) moves under its own power from the headshunt to the siding (Ken Robinson). The ensemble is almost ready to return as the 12:03 to Coleham it didn't leave until 12:14 (Ken Robinson). Near Fairbourne (Ian Wright). North Wales Coast home page | Archive | Previous Notice Board |