NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY :NOTICE BOARD
Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd
23 September 2024
Seen at Glyndyfrdwy by Ivor Bufton
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
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
An artistic view by Logan Humphreys of the Holyhead - Cardiff train on 18 September passing Talybont west of Bangor. More pictures below.
Testing time for the leaf-buster
On Sunday 22 September the Rail Head Treatment Train was on a test run from Coleham to Holyhead. 67 027 (recently transferred from GB Railfreight to Colas) was the loco but it failed at Wem. Bob Greenhalgh photographed it in pouring rain at Morrisons Saltney on its way to Holyhead 200 minutes late with 37 405 from Coleham providing the power.
The WNXX Forum reports that to keep some traffic moving Single Line Working was implemented around the failed train (so Down trains using the facing crossover at Wem and back over via the trailing crossover at Nantwich).
Passing Prestatyn (Ivor Bufton).
Malltraeth (Logan Humphreys).
For the return run, 67 027 was on the rear (Greg Mape).
On 17 August, Greg Mape had noted 67 027 in a siding at Westbury.
Welsh Highland superpower - pictures by Ian Pilkington
Pictures taken during the WHR Superpower Weekend on Saturday 14 September. Above, 130 heads the 11:30 Dinas-Beddgelert mixed train near Pitts Head Summit.
143 approaches Rhyd Ddu with the 14:10 Caernarfon-Porthmadog.
87 heads away from Rhyd Ddu with the 14:05 Porthmadog - Caernarfon.
K1 (visiting from Statfold Barn) approaches Rhyd Ddu with the 15:00 mixed train from Caernarfon.
Sir Nigel at large
18 September saw the return working along the coast of 1Z98 09:10 Holyhead to Cardiff, part of the the 'Welsh Dragon' five-day Steam Dreams holiday package. The train was hauled by 60007Sir Nigel Gresley from Holyhead to Crewe, where diesel traction (37 409 and 37 521) took over for the run to Cardiff via the 'Heart of Wales' route. The sun was shining at Llanfairfechan (Picture by Ian Pilkington) ...
... and when Garry Stroud
captured the train passing Penmaenmawr. The passengers
boarded at Bangor.
Restarting from Rhyl with 1Z98 after being checked by late-running 158 827 of 1L14 to Birmingham International (Roly High).
Approaching Prestatyn (Ivor Bufton). The weather was not the best for photography, although producing spectacular steam effects.
Pabo Lane, near Llandudno Junction for a scheduled water stop (Brian Jones).
Powering away past Shed Lane following an unscheduled stop at Chester station (Geoff Morris).
Rowton, Chester (Peter Cross).
For views of the rest of the day's journey we recommend a Youtube video by 'MrThrash37'. Day 5, 1Z46 13:00 Cardiff to London Paddington via Gloucester and the Golden Valley line, on 19 September was steam-hauled by 34046 Braunton.
Llangollen events
31 271 about to couple up to the 13:35 departure from Corwen on 20 September (Ivor Bufton)
Saturday 21 September saw The Llangollen Railway put on a series of five return trips from Llangollen to Berwyn with on loan 08 shunter 08 202 (although advertised as 'steam'). Ken Robinson was there. This was one of several Saturdays that this service - known as The Berwyn Shuttle - was run. These shuttles ran in-between service trains and was something more 'unusual' on the Llangollen Railway. Above, 08 202 at Berwyn after arrival with the first shuttle of the day...
... the normal service trains (timetable A) were in the charge of PT 7754, seen here at Llangollen ...
... 08 202 just after passing Llangollen Goods Junction returning with the second shuttle.
Snippets
Given that the Network Rail yellow power cars are not currently being used I visited Bagillt to see the NMT on Thursday 5 September. The photographs show 43 272, ex-East Coast with Colas vinyls, in the lead emerging from the shrubbery that is developing where the platform used to be ...
... with 43 357, ex-Cross Country, bringing up the rear (Russell Withington).
A 197 makes its way across Malltraeth viaduct on 22 September (Logan Humphreys).
Stockport on 18 September: with 1W55 08:49 Cardiff to Manchester Piccadilly at Platform 3. The train was recorded running 13 minutes late at Nantwich but just 6 minutes late at Stockport and 2 late at Manchester Piccadilly; the 12:30 return was able to depart just half a minute late (Stuart Broome).
From Dave Sallery's archive
A class 108 on a Llandudno to Holyhead local nears the Conwy tubular bridge in February 1991.
37 408 Loch Rannoch arrives at Prestatyn on an Up service, possibly the 12:06 Llandudno - Birmingham, 14 August 1993. Quite a crowd at the end of the platform to record its arrival. [Are they filming? They haven't turned round, or are they waiting for something else?]
57 312 and David Lloyd George at Blaenau Ffestiniog, 18 June 2016.
D1600 on an up freight through Cardiff Central in October 1966. D1600 became 47 472 and was broken up by MRJ Phillips, Old Oak Common TMD, May 1997
Looking back - 100 years of Isle of Man transport 1964 part 1 - by David Pool
The coastal scenery between Ramsey and Laxey is superb, as Manx Electric “Winter Saloon” 22 and Open Crossbench trailer 47 pass Bulgham Bay halt on 5 July 1964. The weather at this exposed location was not kind to the track, and in 2008 the line was closed for safety reasons, together with a proposal to close the Ramsey line altogether. Fortunately there was a policy change by the Manx Government, who agreed to spend several millions renewing the track, setting up an Inquiry to determine why it had been allowed to deteriorate. Since 2009 the Heritage value of the line has been recognised, and services run from March to the beginning of November each year.
Making my way towards Douglas, I stopped at Groudle Glen to see if there was any sign of the 2ft gauge railway which had run to Sea Lion Rocks, but closed in 1962. Buried in the undergrowth was Sea Lion, a Bagnall locomotive built for the opening of the line in 1896, and already withdrawn by 1962. A second Bagnall Polar Bear was in better condition in 1962, and had left the Island. Their names were associated with the Zoo at the end of the line which had been a tourist attraction until the War in 1939. The existence of Sea Lion was known by the Manx transport enthusiasts, and in 1970 it was retrieved for preservation. On a return visit to the Isle of Man in 1993, I was delighted to see it again – watch this space!
I had permission to visit the IOM Railway shed at Douglas on 6 July 1964, and at 9am the locomotives were being prepared for the day’s workings. The pattern of services was geared to the traditional behaviour of visitors to Douglas – having breakfast at 9am, and returning in time for the evening meal around 6pm. Trains would be leaving after 10am, and be back in Douglas by 5.30pm.
There was a two train service providing four return trips to Port Erin (the most profitable line), a shuttle service for Peel and two return trips to Ramsey. The ex County Donegal Railcars were used on services to Peel and Kirk Michael in Summer months, and on any Winter services. Being prepared for duty were steam locos Nos.1, 11, 12 and 8, plus the Railcars 19 and 20 just visible in the shed. No.16 was already in the station for a special working, and Nos.5, 10 and 15 were in the back of the shed, being unfit for service.
Douglas station was not the most attractive when the deserted platforms were in shade. No.16 Mannin was waiting to take the 9.55am Tynwald Special to St Johns. I don’t know how many passengers turned up, but there would have been plenty of room for them. IOMR trains were usually formed by one or two three coach sets, but there were plenty of additional coaches available for use.
Apart from Ramsey, the only other station on the Ramsey branch which had any significant passenger traffic was Kirk Michael. The nearby Glen Wyllin was a popular tourist attraction, and there were previously school trains, but these had generally been replaced by buses. There was one train service which ran from Douglas to Kirk Michael, and Railcars 20 and 19 were working the 14:10 from Douglas on 6 July 1964, photographed at Glen Vine between Douglas and St Johns. The inclusion of the telegraph pole was unfortunate, but the shot shows the general state of the IOMR track at this time.
The attention focussed on passengers joining trains at Douglas had led to there being a very poor service on the Ramsey line in 1964. Anyone wishing to travel in the morning from Ramsey to Douglas had the option of a bus or the Manx Electric Railway. The first train into Ramsey was the 10:25 from Douglas. IOMR No.8 Fenella was on this train on 8 July 1964, arriving at 11:40.
Giving any passengers from Douglas the time to have some lunch in Ramsey, the return working would leave at 13:45. This made it impossible to travel by train from Ramsey to Douglas and return by train on the same day, since the afternoon train departed from Douglas before the train from Ramsey arrived. The locomotive crew on Fenella would have enjoyed a long lunch break. Not surprisingly the Ramsey branch had been unprofitable for years.
The Railcars were back at Kirk Michael on 8 July 1964, and were departing with the 16:00 to Douglas. Note the different front end of No.19 in comparison with that of No.20 photographed at Glen Vine two days earlier. The children on the platform were remarkably well behaved!
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