NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY :NOTICE BOARD
Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd
16 September 2024
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 advice and file name convention given on the Contributions Page.
Forthcoming events
September 2024
14-15 September Welsh Highland Railway Super Power Weekend celebrating the successful restoration of the NG15 locomotive.
Sunday 15 September Steam Dreams 'Welsh Dragon' steam-hauled London Paddington - Shrewsbury, then diesel through to Pwllheli. For more on this and this and the next two entries see the Steam Dreams website.
Wednesday 18 September Steam Dreams 'Welsh Dragon'
Wednesday 18 September 2024: Private LSL charter, Holyhead to Cardiff Central via Heart of Wales. This looks like it is steam hauled from Holyhead to Crewe as the movements include a visit to Valley triangle
Thursday 19 September - Steam Dreams 'Welsh Dragon' steam hauled Cardiff to London Paddington via Gloucester and the Golden Valley line
Saturday 21 September - Northern Belle Telford - Carlisle pickups Shrewsbury, Wrexham General, Chester.
21-22 September Bala Model Railway Show Ysgol Godre’r Berwyn Secondary School, Ffrydan Road, Bala, Gwynedd LL23 7RU. 10:00 - 16:00 (Bus link to Bala Lake Railway station) Opening times: 10.00-16.00 on both Saturday and Sunday.10.00-16.00 on both Saturday and Sunday. Please note that dogs, other than registered assistance dogs, are not allowed at the School.
Saturday 28 September 2024 (re-dated from 25 May: Railway Touring Company, Manchester Piccadilly to Holyhead and return. Hauled by Bahamas, being run in memory of Steve Peach with funds going to the Maggies Charity.)
October 2024
Friday 4 October Clwyd Railway Circle Wrexham’s Second Railway Mania - David Parry
4-6 October Ffestiniog Railway Bygones weekend
5-6 October Llangollen Railway Heritage Railcar Weekend
Friday 11 October. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "In Search of Steam in Japan. Six different steam locomotives in steam on different days on the LCGB tour of Japan in August 2023" by John Owen.
November 2024
Friday 1 November Clwyd Railway Circle Chinese Steam in 2001 and 2003 - Phil Thomas
Friday 8 November. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Then and Now" by Bob Barnard.
30 November 2024: Pathfinder. 40 145 from Dorridge to Chester via Wrexham General
December 2024
Tuesday 10 December Midland Pullman from Holyhead to Edinburgh Waverley - Edinburgh Christmas Pullman
14-15 December Manchester Model Railway Society - The Christmas Model Railway Show. The Sugden Centre, Sidney Street, Manchester
January 2025
Friday 10 January. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Engine Sheds" by Noel Coates of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society.
February 2025
Friday 14 February. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "Macclesfield Area Railways in the 1950s and 60s" by Martin Welch.
March 2025
Friday 14 March. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "Navigation Road and All That" by Ted Buckley. Local rail scenes, mainly of steam, from the 1960s in the Altrincham and Dunham Massey areas and elsewhere taken by Ted's father Bill Buckley.
April 2025
Friday 11 April. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "Steam, Diesel and Electric in the Northern Fells" by Ian Pilkington. A joint meeting with the Irish Railway Record Society Manchester Branch.
North Wales Coast Railway website created and compiled by Charlie Hulme
Returning railtour at Llandecwn (Richard Putley).
More Railtours
46100 Royal Scot passes Leamington Spa, with 'The Welsh Dragon' the 1Z70 09:12 Paddington to Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog charter on Sunday 15 September, the 'Welsh Dragon' , steam-hauled London Paddington - Shrewsbury. (Garry Stroud).
Arriving at Llandudno Junction in the rain, 57 311 leading...
... departing for Blaenau Ffestiniog ...
... and returning from Blaenau Ffestiniog (Logan Humphreys).
This is the first part of four-day holiday package as series, visiting other lines in Wales. Day begins on the Coast returns to the Coast with steam, then to Cardiff via the Heart of Wales line.
Ken Robinson writes: 'On Thursday 12 September, Pathfinder ran their last Cambrian Coast Express of 2024 to Pwllheli, this time from Swindon. The weather wasn't too good (although it improved as the day wore on, but I was otherwise engaged) so I ventured down to Barmouth hoping that things would improve (they didn't!).
'However, here are two that I took: crossing the famous viaduct; and then entering Barmouth itself. The locos are 97302 and 97 304.'
Picture by Kate Jones
On the Slate
66 305, Recently named at Skipton on 14 August, Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway arrives at Llandudno Junction at 14:25 with the 4D59 09:11 from Wellingborough with slate waste empties (Garry Stroud).
Backing four wagons at a time to the loading point (Garry Stroud).
The train 'parked up' apparently for the weekend, it appears that no driver was available (Logan Humphreys).
175s to live again
Today's Railways reports that Great Western Railway is 'set to' take on the lease of the Class 175 fleet. At the end of August several units for 'handback' at Landore Chrysalis Works and others stored mostly at the Potter Group site at Ely. Units have been moved around in their 'own steam' except for 175 111 which has been stored for a long time at Longsight depot which was moved by a 37 601 - 37 218 sandwich.
507 Farewell - report by Geoff Morris
On Sunday 15 September the Branch Line Society ran a railtour to mark the end of class 507 usage on Merseyside. It started from Hooton and visited various lines on the Wirral and Liverpool, initially running to Chester before heading towards Merseyside.
The weather was awful and so I walked to the nearest point to home, the overbridge at Brook Lane overlooking Chester North Junction. This only gives a clear view southwards but I had learned from Internet postings that 507 001 (which was recently put back into its original blue/grey livery) was at the north end of the train and so would be nearest the bridge. The train arrived on time and (as booked) was held at the junction while a Holyhead - Manchester service made its booked call at platform 7.
This stop provided time to get a variety of photo angles before the railtour entered the station with the driver enthusiastically sounding the horn many times. By the time it departed north, again with the horn sounding frequently, 777 030 had arrived at the Junction and so I got photos of the old and new side-by-side, a very satisfactory end to a wet walk !
Hooton. Picture by Greg Mape...
... and playing second fiddle, 507 003 (Greg Mape).
Bache (Bob Greenhalgh).
Shrewsbury Black Hole explained
[We have received this from an insider; it shows how awkward things are at present.]
I think further comment is needed about the 'Shrewsbury Black Hole' article [last issue]. Regarding Class 197s not going to Birmingham International there are a few reasons for this. The main reason is that trains from Holyhead to Birmingham International then work through to Aberystwyth. As a result unless 197s are passed to work on the Cambrian there would be constant unit changes at Shrewsbury rather than just occasional. It is proving difficult to get 197s passed for passenger services on the Cambrian due to the ERTMS signalling.
In addition some trains to Birmingham International are worked by Machynlleth guards who do not sign 197s yet. Some Shrewsbury Drivers now sign the route to Tyseley and 197s are passed to go ECS to here for Tyre Turning now. Whilst 196's are similar to 197s they are not identical as a result further work needs to be done for stopping points on Platforms to Birmingham International particularly for 6 carriage trains. The electronics will need updating on the 197s for platform particularly for 6-car trains to stop at short platforms for selective door opening.
There are multiple reason why 2 158s would be swapped for what appear to be two identical 158s at Shrewsbury. Two of the most common reason are as follows:
1. Sometimes 158s have ERTMS faults which mean that a 158 cannot go to Aberystwyth. If this happens an Aberystwyth bound train will have to go back to Birmingham International.
2. Sometimes a 158 has a fault which can only be fixed at Machynlleth or is due an exam at the end of the day at Machynlleth. Machynlleth is the home depot for 158s and deal with all exams and major faults. As a result to get the faulty or due exam 158 to Machynlleth a unit swap will have to take place at Shrewsbury.
I admit that in this case it does not seem that the reason for the swap wasn't given to the passenger. Things can be chaotic both for control staff and front line staff. At the moment this not made easier with 158s being old and needing major overhauls in the not too distant future. Also both the 197s and Mark 4s are not very reliable either.
The reason for a unit swap isn't always verbally told to front-line staff from Control. However emails go out to guards and stations with the reason for a swap, admittedly at the bottom of the more important swap info.
This and That
Cambrian allocated 197s continue to be tested along the North Wales coast. On Friday 13 September it was the turn of 197 029 seen here departing Conwy station, with the return 3Q71 11:20 Holyhead back to Crewe.
70 804 approaches Selside on the Settle-Carlisle line with 6J37 Carlisle-Chirk logs on 11 September (Ian Pilkington)
I particularly wanted to photograph the new Welsh Highland Railway Kalahari, 134, at the Superpower Weekend, and reckoned the best way would be to get to Dinas early. After leaving home at 7am Jack and I were at Dinas before 8.30, and when 134 emerged from the shed at 9am the sun was shining (David Pool).
From Dave Sallery's Archive
37 886 with the petroleum coke empties from Holyhead to Immingham passing Mostyn, 30 April 1995.
47 851 leaving Rhyl on a Holyhead service, 19 August 2004.
66 615 with empties for Penmaenmawr passes the newly painted signalbox at Abergele, 4 May 2006.
D1015 Western Champion at Rhyl, 16 February 2008. The train was Pathfinders 'Irish Mail' 1Z15 from Ealing Broadway to Holyhead and return.
Looking Back: Ireland 1997 part 2 - by David Pool
The branch line to Youghal in County Cork was closed to regular passenger services in 1963, but remained open for freight and occasional workings until 1987. About seven miles of track between Youghal and Midleton was lifted in 1992, but on 12 May 1997 Youghal station was still there, together with a turntable. Subsequently the branch was opened as far as Midleton, which now has Park and Ride facilities and an hourly service to Cork.
The Irish Traction Group was able to acquire several diesel locomotives when they satisfied the CIE’s requirements to have adequate sidings and buildings by setting up their base at Carrick on Suir, on the line between Limerick Junction and Waterford. Also photographed on 12 May 1997, CIE 103 and NIR Nos. 1, 3 and 2 were visible from the station.
I had seen B103 before, my photograph at Killarney in 1969 being in the NWCR News of 22 July 2024. Later on 5 September 1969 it was at Listowel, at the end of the branch from Tralee, having arrived with a few wagons. The track in the distance went to Newcastle and eventually the Foynes branch junction and Limerick, but my photograph appears to show the line closed. Regular passenger services to Listowel ended in 1963, and freight from Tralee ceased in 1977.
Listowel is famed for the Listowel and Ballybunion Railway, which used the single rail Lartigue system – not strictly a Monorail, since there were stabilising rails lower down the A frames on which the single rail was supported. The original line was closed in 1924, but a I km long demonstration line was opened in 2003, with a replica locomotive and coaches built by Alan Keef. The steam outline locomotive is diesel powered. The new line is on the West side of the old station site, on the trackbed of the line to Tralee, adjacent to the original Lartigue terminus. There are several Videos available on YouTube.
I only previously saw one of the NIR diesel hydraulics, built by English Electric at Vulcan Works. At Londonderry Waterside station on 3 September 1970 No.1 was the subject of some attention, presumably an engine fault, since the three locomotives regularly suffered from overheating problems. Nos. 2 and 3 were exported to Sri Lanka, but the fate of the remains of No.1 is unclear.
Another locomotive at Carrick was CIE G601, the first of the three diesel hydraulic shunters built by Deutz (Germany) in 1956. Not fitted with train brakes, these locomotives had limited use, and all were withdrawn by 1972.
On 12 May 1997 I was at Rosslare Strand station, waiting to photograph the evening train to Limerick, and noticed an unusual signal on the branch. Distant signals were not all that common on the CIE, and it appears that their colour was changed from yellow to red in CIE days. Rosslare Strand has two platforms, one on the down side which is used for trains on the main line from Wexford to Rosslare Harbour (bidirectional), and one on the up side which was used for trains to and from the branch to Waterford, but also for trains on the main line which used the passing loop through the station. The passing loop was not used frequently, and the track back to the main line was rusty.
The 1940 Rosslare Harbour to Limerick duly appeared, headed by 141 Class No.162, the evening sun giving me just the shot I wanted. The “South Wexford Line” to Waterford had its last passenger train in 2010, but is another of those lines which is a candidate for reopening, being still owned by Irish Rail.
Rosslare Harbour was getting busy in 1997 – not with trains, since their main function was to connect with the passenger sailings, but with freight and cars in transit. On 13 May I was up early to photograph the 0725 Rosslare Harbour to Dublin. CIE 171, the first of the 071 Class, was leaving the platform which had been built for foot passengers, but was now some way from the roll on/roll off vehicle ferries which dominated the traffic. The line has been cut back further, a new station being built a few hundred yards down the line.
This was a turntable siding, and very surprisingly a turntable has been repositioned at the end of the new track, apparently to be used for Steam Specials! I am not impressed by the description of the facilities at the new station – a waiting shelter with a seat, and a ticket machine but no booking office or toilets. There is a path to the ferry terminal buildings which are said to be an eight minute walk away. Some forward planning seems to be desirable if you intend to travel by train from Rosslare Europort.
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