NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY:NOTICE BOARD

Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd

07 March 2022










 



Contributions to the Notice Board are welcome, although they may not always be used, due to time constraints, especially if they don't follow the file name convention given on the  Contributions Page.


Forthcoming events

Charter trains, and meetings, may be subject to cancellation or postponement. See our Calendar Page for Club and Society details.

March 2022

Monday 21 March RCTS online Zoom Geoff Plumb “The Wrexham & Shropshire Railway”

Saturday 26 March Vintage Trains Steam (7029) The Chester Venturer Tyseley - Chester

Saturday 26 March Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways - start of operating season
 
April 2022

Friday 1  April Clwyd Railway Circle:
“Roaming the Rails of Great Britain” Bill Rogerson

Saturday 23 April Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways:  'The Snowdonian'  an 80 mile round trip over the whole railway with a variety of motive power.

Monday 25 April RCTS Chester David Powell “Merseyrail Fleet Replacement”

Saturday 30 April Vintage Trains North Wales Coast Express
Class 20 x 2: Tyseley Locomotive Works - Llandudno & return

Saturday 30 April Northern Belle: 'Conwy'  WCRC Class 47/57 York - Llandudno Junction  & return


May 2022

Friday 13 May  Pathfinder Tours Cambrian Coast Express.  Oxford - Pwllheli

Friday 20  May 
  Pathfinder Tours Cambrian Coast Express Bristol- Pwllheli

Friday 27th May  Vintage Trains Cambrian Coast Explorer 1
(diesel) Dorridge  - Pwllheli
  and return

June 2022


10-11 June
Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways ‘Cwrw ar y Cledrau’ returns in 2022 with a vibrant mix of Real Ales, Steam Trains, and Live Music. Regular steam-hauled trains will also be running throughout the weekend.  Updates will be posted on www.rail-ale.com.

July 2022

Saturday 2 July  Vintage Trains Cambrian Coast Explorer 2 (Vintage Trains) (diesel) Stratford-upon -Avon - Aberystwyth and return.

2 -3 July Llangollen Railway Classic  Transport Weekend

Sunday 17 July 2022 
Railway Touring Company. Steam  The North Wales Coast Express  Liverpool -Holyhead and return.

Tuesday 19 July
  Railway Touring CompanyThe Welsh Mountaineer Steam  Preston  Blaenau Ffestiniog  and return.

30-31 July :  Welsh Highland Railway Centenary and Celebrations:
A weekend of heritage trains operating between Dinas and Rhyd Ddu (as South Snowdon is now known) to celebrate the reopening of this section of line.

August 2022

Friday 12 August   Pathfinder Tours  Cambrian Coast Express Cardiff - Pwllheli

September 2022

Friday 2 September Clwyd Railway Circle: “The Greatest Railway Builder in the World” A 60 Minute Talk on the Life and Times of Thomas Brassey by Peter Bolt

3-4 September Llangollen Railway   Diesel Weekend

Saturday 3 September
Railway Touring Company 'The Cheshire
The Cheshireman  steam  (6233) Norwich  - Chester and return (diesel Peterborough - Norwich)

Friday 9 September  Pathfinder Tours Cambrian Coast Express.  Oxford - Pwllheli

24 September  Trailffest Half Marathon : An Event Train will be provided to take the competitors from the event centre at Porthmadog to the start of the race in Tanygrisiau, the cost of which is included in the entry fee.

October 2022

Friday 7 October Clwyd Railway Circle: “Fond Memories” A look back over 70 years of Railway interest by Larry Davies

7-9 October: Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways: Vintage weekend.

8-9 October
Llangollen Railway  DMU railcar weekend

November 2022

Friday 4 November Clwyd Railway Circle: “A trip by Norwegian Railways to Hell (and back).” Geoff Morris

Saturday 5 November
Llangollen Railway Ride the Rocket Firework Train

December 2022

Friday 2 December Clwyd Railway Circle: “Members Selections & Christmas Celebrations” Members are invited to give a 15-minute presentation of their choice (Any format). Contact David Jones 01244 537440 to book a slot.

(see  our Calendar page for meeting venues)






North Wales Coast Railway website created and compiled by Charlie Hulme


67 010 passing Rhyl Marine Lake on Saturday 5 March with the 09:48 Holyhead - Crewe 'set-swap' empty coaches, a 'runs when required' working. Picture by Gary Thomas, who notes 'As you can see, I was almost "bowled" by a 158!'

Penmaenmawr stone



Big news this week is that a second (or first if the previous one was a pilot)  operation of a train to deliver stone from Penmaenmawr quarry to the Hanson terminal at Tuebrook Sidings, Merseyside. Above, the empty wagons head west at Beeches Farm (Bob Greenhalgh).



Pensarn (Gary Thomas).

The timings - although the return train ran late - were

6D60 07:05 Tuebrook Sidings  - Penmaenmawr Quarry 09:45
6K22 14:56 Penmaenmawr Quarry - Tuebtrook sidings 17:29

It's not clear whether this is to be a regular timing; trains will run when required. The same rake of wagons is also used for trains from other quarries.



Above, Dwygyfylchi  (Gary Thomas)



Crossing into the quarry sidings (Ryan Lloyd).



Arrived at the loading point,  positioning the wagons (Garry Stroud).



Loading in progress (Garry Stroud).



The loco, 60 026 has gained  the blue livery of leasing firm Beacon Rail, and nameplates in the style of an earlier diesel, D2, later 44 002, one of a batch of Derby-built locos named for UK mountains.  The theme was revived when Class 60 locos were allocated to construction traffic, but that Helvellyn was 60 037.



The loaded train approaching Llandudno Junction (Ryan Lloyd).



Passing  Roodee Junction (Geoff Morris).


Loco-hauled manoeuvres - notes by Mike Stone

TfW actually managed the full loco-hauled service on Tuesday 1 March and Thursday 3 March, but  Friday 4 March was rather an odd day. according to Real Time Trains - 67 010 worked into Holyhead on 1W93 the 11:23 from Cardiff, and was replaced by 158 832 out of thin air for the 16.36 back - have they taken to keeping a standby set at Holyhead?

158 832 then swapped with 67 025 at Shrewsbury on the 17:16 from Cardiff. 67010 reported on Holyhead - Crewe empty stock 5K67 on 5 March (see our heading image) so presumably it was to either make sure it or its set ended up at Crewe depot or 67 025 ended at Canton depot.

[Never mind the First Class passengers, it seems. -C.H.]


Seen at Chester - by Geoff Morris



This past week has seen STP (Short Term Plans) paths from 28 February 28 to 4 March for an LSL (Locomotive Services Ltd)  light engine to operate from Crewe to Chester followed by two round trips between Chester and  Warrington Bank Quay before returning to Crewe. I believe that they did not run on one day but, according to RTT, all were formed by 37 688.  I don’t know the reason behind them.



I decided to go for a couple of photos on 1 March  and ventured to the bridge at Chester East Junction. This was quite a busy period and during my short wait for the LSL move a Chester – Liverpool (via Frodsham) service departed formed of 153 329 and 153 921



37 688  duly appeared from Crewe and ran into the old parcels platform adjacent to platform 1 at Chester station in order to reverse and then head off on its first run to Warrington.  The loco, which is on long term lease from its owners, D05 Preservation Ltd. who  restored  it in 2017  to Railfreight Construction livery with the name 'Great Rocks' which was applied when engaged in limestone traffic  from in the Buxton area.



Although it was booked to stand for only a few minutes ...



 ...it was delayed to allow a late-running Leeds – Chester service, formed of 195 109 Pride of Cumbria,  to arrive.  




I didn’t wait for 37 688 to return but my walk home took me over the bridge over the Rock Ferry line at Brook Lane where my passage coincided with 197 004 shunting around on the Alstom depot. I’d seen one these units there a couple of times previously but this was the first time I had my camera with me.


More about Class 37/6 - addendum by David Pool



The Notice Board for 28 February 2022 contained some helpful comments by Chris Jones-Bridger on my image of 37 603 at Basford Hall Junction.  My photo taken at Fort William on 26 May 1999  may be of interest, as it shows 7D54, the 11:58 Fort William to Coatbridge, at the Aluminium Works seen behind 37 602.  As far as I know, 37 603 never got as far as Scotland, but I would be pleased to hear if it ever worked the aluminium trains.


From Dave Sallery's archive



45 116 near Mostyn on a service from Scarborough, 4 July 1984. The marooned Duke of Lancaster  rests in the background.



37 715 British Petroleum on fuel tanks from Stanlow to Holyhead, 16 October 1993.



Speedlink 47s taking a Saturday rest inside Tinsley depot, Sheffield, 21 March 1992.


Cambrian Corner - by Ken Robinson



There have been a couple of Network Rail workings along the Cambrian Coast line recently to bring Tamping Machines to the Northern part of the line. The second of which was 97 302 bringing a Colas Rail tamper to Porthmadog on 16 February 2022. The first photo shows this working - the 16:15 Machynlleth-Porthmadog arriving at its destination. The 97 left, light engine, at 19:17 (in darkness) for Coleham, Shrewsbury.

However, the Cambrian mainline suffered 'Biblical Floodwaters' (local observer quotation!) near Welshpool a couple of days later, following recent storms, and train services over the whole Cambrian system were suspended. Normality gradually returned and coast line services re-commenced on 22 February, whilst Cambrian mainline services began operating between Aberystwyth - Machynlleth - Newtown only, with bus replacement services between Newtown and Shrewsbury. Repair work is likely to take several weeks.



Consequently, the Tamping Machine referred to above (Colas Rail Tamper, No. DR 73924) has remained at Porthmadog and is effectively 'marooned', as these machines do not have ERTMS on-board equipment, and Coleham-based Network Rail class 97 locos cannot, for now, access the Cambrian lines. The second photo shows 158 821 forming the 09:34 from Pwllheli to Machynlleth on 5 March, passing the isolated tamper just outside Porthmadog station.



All quiet at Coleham on 5 March, 97 303 and 97 302 basking in the sun outside the  maintenance building (Graham Breakwell).

Class 40 correction

Russel; Jones writes: 'For the record, the photo of 40 057 at Preston on your 28 February noticeboard is in fact 40 192 working the 1P35 Preston (Crewe at 15.13) to Barrow service, the hand painted numbers on the side are the giveaway. '


A driver's day - by Jim Scott



Here are some pictures of my trip from Bescot to Bescot via Wrexham and Chester on 1 March, the trip was so my trainee could get light-engine handling hours in, I got to choose my route, so I thought a trip to Chester would be nice. I should have had 66 713 but we had a last minute change to one of GBRf’s newest additions to the fleet 66 797.



Wrexham,  where we waited for the Mk4 set ...



 ... to clear the single line to ...



... Chester ...



... where 37 688 was waiting in the parcels bay



A 175 departing for Manchester.



Bob Greenhalgh captured Jim's working at Balderton Crossing.


Looking back: Diesels (etc) Part 3 - by David Pool



The shot of 66 043 at Winwick on 28 August 2001 does not look particularly interesting, but my notes show it was 6Z83, the 10:50 Immingham to Penyffordd.  The Z code indicates it was not a regular working, and it is possibly conveying coal. 



Holywell Junction on 8 September 2001 still had four tracks in use, and a pair of the new Class 175 DMUs in the original First North Western livery, 175 006 and 175 009, formed the  14:05 Holyhead to  Birmingham. 



It was getting nearer to winter on 5 October 2001, and the Railtrack Independent Snowploughs were on the move through Winwick with 56 067 providing the power.  In recent times it has become normal to have two locomotives for Snowplough movements, but a single locomotive was deemed sufficient on this occasion.  One plough is ADB 896223, and the other looks to be ADB 896235, but if anyone can confirm the latter I would be grateful.  On this day they were working between Arpley and Springs Branch. 



I then went on to the Crewe Heritage Centre, where the star exhibit was to be the Brown Boveri Gas Turbine 18000.  After appearing at Barrow Hill in green, it was now in the original black livery, and looking superb. 



I never saw 18000 during its time on the Western Region of British Railways, but when it was withdrawn from BR service it worked on test in Europe for around ten years, eventually being displayed outside the Mechanical Engineering building at the Arsenal Research Centre in Vienna.  It was looking rather forlorn when I photographed it there on 21 June 1992. 



The other Gas Turbine 18100 was perhaps more successful, being built by Metropolitan Vickers and running on aviation Kerosene rather that the cheaper heavy fuel oil used by 18000.  My railway photography had just started in 1952, and on 11 August at Dawlish 18100 appeared with a train, stopping at Dawlish station.  The HP3 negative is now showing signs of wear, and the 24mm x 24mm format of my father’s Zeiss Ikon Tenax was not ideal, but at least I got a photograph of “Kerosene Castle”! 



Back to 2001, and on 27 October the Northern Belle travelled from Chester to Holyhead, and is seen on the return journey at Ffynnongroyw.  47 798 Prince William is clearly in need of a wash before it resumes duties on the Royal Train.



2001 was in the era of colourful liveries on Virgin Trains locomotives, and on 4 December 2001 at Chester the 09:19 Holyhead to Euston was headed by 47 853 dragging DVT 82149 with the rake of Virgin coaches.  47 853 was originally D1733, and at one time had been used on the demonstration XP64 train with a special blue livery, being later repainted in InterCity livery.  While in the new “XP64 blue” livery it was named Rail Express in 2002, and was in the DRS fleet for many years.  It is now operated by LNWR Heritage Ltd and based at Crewe.

Out and about - with Stephen Dennett



It was good to get out and about this last week.



37 688 spent all week coming out from Crewe, and made 2 runs every day from Chester to Warrington Bank Quay.



The steel train had an engine I hadn’t seen before; Slack Lane between Hawarden and Buckley is a good vantage point.



I went off the beaten track for me to follow the “Lancheshire” Railtour, and got these shots at Eccles Station as it went sneaking round the back of the main line on the goods loop. Above, 66 084 brings the Pathfinder Tours  on to the Up Goods loop at Eccles.



A long day out for the punters, Westbury - Weaste, Weaste - Crewe, Crewe - Westbury, but lots of unusual lines for them to enjoy.   The train, with 60 015 on the other end,  made its way down the branch to the Ship Canal cement terminal and back.



66 084 leaves Eccles for Crewe.


Sunset at Meole Brace, Shrewsbury - by Graham Breakwell



Two views as the sun was setting on 7 March. Above, 175 116 and 175 006 passing Meole Brace Golf Course, heading into Shrewsbury with 1W95, the 15:23 Cardiff Central to Holyhead.



Going the opposite way 66 956 taking empty VTG box wagons from Gascoigne Wood Sidings (formerly opencast coal mine sidings, near Castleford, West Yorks, now used for storage of rolling stock) to Usk Yard Newport.



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