NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY :NOTICE BOARD
Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd
18 November 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
See our Calendar Page for operator details.
November 2024
Saturday 23 November Deganwy Railway Modellers - Model Railway Exhibition. Craig Y Don Community Centre, Queens Road, Llandudno, Conwy LL30 1TE. Opening times 10am - 4pm
Adults £5.00 Children £2.50
Saturday 30 November Pathfinder. Change of traction: now two WCRC 37s from Dorridge to Chester via Wrexham General
December 2024
Wednesday 4 December Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales Branch Liverpool Brian Roberts “Merseyside Area Connections in the 1970s”
Tuesday 10 December Midland Pullman from Holyhead to Edinburgh Waverley - Edinburgh Christmas Pullman
Wednesday 11 December Welsh Highland Railway North Wales Group Fred Howes - “From Train Spotter to Civil Engineering Manager”.
Saturday 14 December Intercity Y Cracyr Nadolig” (The Christmas Cracker) Wolverhampton to Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog with class 40 and class 45 locos.
14-15 December Manchester Model Railway Society - The Christmas Model Railway Show. The Sugden Centre, Sidney Street, Manchester
January 2025
Thursday 9 January Clwyd Railway Circle David Jones “Landscapes of Steam, Chester and the Welsh Borders”. Note: Change of venue and date : Hawarden Institute, 31 Glynne Way, Hawarden, Flintshire, CH5 3NS
Friday 10 January. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Engine Sheds" by Noel Coates of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society.
Monday 20 January Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales Branch Bromborough: AGM followed by: Jon Penn “A Miscellany of Railways” (Non M,C&NW members and Non-RCTS members will not be able to take an active part in the AGM)
February 2025
Wednesday 5 February Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales Branch Liverpool: Chris Poole “Czech Railways”
Thursday 6 February Clwyd Railway Circle David Jones and Dave Southern “Annual General Meeting” followed by “Rails to Bala”
Friday 14 February. Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society "Macclesfield Area Railways in the 1950s and 60s" by Martin Welch.
March 2025
Saturday 1 March - Railway Touring Company - 'The Mancunian' from Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno and Holyhead via Altrincham. Steam hauled.
Thursday 6 March Clwyd Railway Circle Jeff Nicholls “A Baptism of Fire and Water-My First Wolsztyn Experience” Part One
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.
Monday 17 March Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales Branch: Charles Roberts “On Line Transport Archive (OTA) Images”
April 2025
Wednesday 2 April Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales Branch Liverpool: Paul Shackcloth “L & Y Engines at Work, Part 3” Speaker and Subject TBC
Saturday 5 April Saphos Lakelander from Llandudno Junction to Carlisle. Diesel to Lancaster and return, steam from Lancaster, return via Cumbrian Coast line.
Saturday 5 April UK Railtours - The Snowdonian. No further information available at present.
Saturday 11 April Pathfinder Tours 'Cambrian Coast Express' from Swindon to Pwllheli
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.
Saturday 12 April Midland Pullman Torbay Riviera Pullman from Chester, Wrexham General and Ruabon to Paignton.
Saturday 19 April Northern Belle - Settle and Carlisle Steam Special. Wrexham General and Chester to Carlisle via the S&C. Diesel to/from Carnforth, steam for remainder.
May 2025
Thursday 1 May Northern Belle "Conwy Castle & Bodnant Gardens" charter from Coventry It includes other off-train options.
Saturday 9 May Pathfinder Tours 'Cambrian Coast Express' from East Midlands Parkway to Pwllheli
Saturday 10 May UK Railtours Llandudno and Chester. London Euston to Llandudno Junction and Penmaenmawr freight yards.
Saturday 16 May Pathfinder Tours 'Cambrian Coast' Express from Bristol Temple Meads to Pwllheli
Saturday 31 May Northern Belle Conwy Castle & Bodnant Gardens from Cardiff
June 2025
Friday 20 June Northern Belle Spirit of Travel Lunch. Circular tour picking up at Chester and Wrexham General. Diesel hauled.
Friday 20 June Northern Belle Champagne Afternoon Tea. Circular tour picking up at Chester and Wrexham General. Diesel hauled.
Saturday 21 June North West Rail and Transport Collectors Fair Crewe Alexandra Football Club 10:00 - 16:00
Thursday 26 June The Railway Industry's "Three Peaks by Rail" will be down the Coast on the evening of 26 June and heading onwards in the early hours of 27 June.
July 2025
Saturday 5 July Railway Touring Company "North Wales Coast Express" from London Euston to Llandudno. Electric to Crewe, with steam along the Coast.
Sunday 13 July Railway Touring Company charter from Liverpool to Holyhead on with steam throughout.
Tuesday 15 July Midland Pullman Yorkshire Coast Pullman from Ruabon, Wrexham General and Chester.
August 2025
September 2025
Friday 5 September Clwyd Railway Circle To be announced
Saturday 5 September Pathfinder Tours 'Cambrian Coast Express' from Cardiff Central to Pwllheli
Saturday 12 September Pathfinder Tours '.Cambrian Coast Express' from Bristol Temple Meads to Pwllheli
Wednesday 17 September Midland Pullman Settle and Carlisle Pullman. From Ruabon, Wrexham General and Chester.
Saturday 20 September Northern Belle Settle and Carlisle Steam Special. Wrexham General and Chester to Carlisle via the S&C. Diesel to/from Carnforth, steam for remainder.
October 2005
Friday 3 October Clwyd Railway Circle To be Announced
November 2005
Friday 7 November Clwyd Railway Circle Jeff Nicholls “A Baptism of Fire and Water-My First Wolsztyn Experience” Part Two
Saturday 8 November Northern Belle Settle and Carlisle Steam Special. Wrexham General and Chester to Carlisle via the S&C. Diesel to/from Carnforth, steam for remainder.
North Wales Coast Railway website created and compiled by Charlie Hulme Hulme
The RHTT in sunshine passing Conwy Castle on 13 November. (Gary Thomas).
News pictures
The flow of stone from Penmaemmawr to Bradwell Up sidings is running every Monday at present. Above, 70 802 passes Rhyl Marine Lake on 11 November. PIcture by Gary Thomas.
Passing Bagillt (Stephen Dennett).
An extra trip on 14 November, recorded by Tim Rogers at Bagillt.
On 18 November, 70 802 rushes past Llandudno Junction with the outward 4D61 Bradwell Up sidings with empties to the quarry. (Garry Stroud).
88 009 Diana (with 68 017 Hornet) working 6D43 07:30 Crewe Coal Sidings (DRS) to Valley Nuclear Electric passing Prestatyn on 12 November (Ivor Bufton). These trains apparently run occasionally to to keep the path and driver competence.
The return passing Rhosneigr (Gary Thomas). The 88 is leading, so the turning trangle, sonetimes used by steam locos on railtours must be useable.
Bangor (Logan Humphreys).
Contradicting our information in a recent issue, the 197 126 (the last-numbered 197 passes Sandy Lane Crossing on the approach to Prestatyn station while working 3Q71 11:20 Holyhead to Crewe on 15 November (Ivor Bufton). 197 123, also mentioned has been seen in test running, but has anyone seen it in passenger use?
Colwyn Bay on 16 November: 197 109 on the 10:25 Manchester Airport meets 197 121 on the 12:42 Llandudno - Manchester Airport. The tractors were on the way back from a farmers' protest on the promenade in Llandudno (Greg Mape).
66 745 arrives at Penyffordd station with a light-engine move from Bescot Up Engineers Sdgs to Penyffordd Cement on 14 November. Picture by Stephen Dennett . This loco was named Modern Railways: The First 50 years until 2022 when new plates Modern Railways - Diamond Jubilee were applied. One of the old plates were auctioned to raise monet for the Railway Benefit Fund.
The Rail Head Treatment Train continues its efforts until the December timetable change. 56 113 and 56 093 pass Pensarn on 11 November. The activities of this train, which has the Cambrian main line in its itinerary, have been under examination since the recent collision between two Class 58s at Talerddig.
It has now been revealed that the sanding devices on the Class 158 which caused the collision, which should have been automatically lay sand on the rails if a slide was detected, were not working on the train which caused the accident because pipes, which should have applied the sand to the rails, were blocked.
On the border between Baguley and Timperley on 18 November, the 09:15 from Arpley sidings to Tunstead passes, hauled by 66 007. These wagons will form the 16:20 Tunstead to Lostock works. This service, carrying limestone used in the production of Sodium Carbonate, has run for many years in some form, but will cease in January 2025 when the works, onwned by Tata, ceased production.
A Diversion for a 67
A problem occurred on 8 November which could not be blamed on the loco. A points failure had occurred in the Cheadle Hulme area: after some delay the 12:49 Cardiff - Manchester on which we hoped to travel to Stockport was diverted to run direct to Manchester on the Styal line, which by-passes Stockport. TfW trains normally don't use the section between Wilmslow and the junction with the Airport branch. Is there some regular run this way to maintain driver knowledge?
A trip to Cardiff by 67 - related by Gary Thomas
On Thursday, 14 November I travelled from Llandudno Junction to Cardiff Central and back to experience the "Premier Train". As reliability is still a little bit patchy (but improving) it was with some trepidation that booked first class advance tickets, but on the day I was lucky to experience loco-hauled trips in both directions.
Both trains arrived late, the outward trip was held for over 10 minutes on the approaches to Cardiff Central and I was almost 30 minutes late on my return due to a traction motor fault with 67 015, causing it to take some time to get up to speed after station (or other stops). 67 015 was failed at Holyhead the following morning due to a faulty speedometer, with the morning service starting from Chester with a 197 and another 197 returning in the evening. 67 015 and its mark 4 set was recovered on Saturday morning by 67 014.
I'm pleased to say that both trains were well presented and the on-board catering team were excellent. I enjoyed an excellent Welsh breakfast on the way to Cardiff ...
... and a nice simple steak on my return trip.
When it comes to freight, Cardiff seems to be a shadow of its former self. I only saw the RHTT DB Cargo's 66 083 ...
and 66 054 ...
... and an empty freight from Margam to Portbury Docks. This latter train featured one of the regeared DB Cargo class 66/6s, no. 66 651 which is the former 66221.
Given this I didn't hang around and instead took Stadler "Flirt" DEMU no. 230 010 to Barry Island and then up to Rhymney before returning to Cardiff. They are really excellent units, fast accelerating, with seats perfectly aligned to windows and little noise due the "power car" in the middle train. How I wish we had these instead of the rough riding CAF 197's!
Cardiff at 17:15.
From Dave Sallery's archive
31 275 heads towards Penmaenmawr, near Mostyn, with empty ballast hoppers, 14 July 1996.
31 317 is ready to leave Penmaenmawr with loaded ballast wagons, 6 March 1991. A 47 on another ballast can be glimpsed behind.
47 144 is engaged on remodelling works at Rhyl, 22 April 1990.
37 425 Concrete Bob leaves Prestatyn on a down service to Bangor, 24 June 1993.
Watch the trains
The Railcam organisation have installed a live camera at Towyn on the Coast line, which can be viewed on YouTube, free to view for a short trial period, before switching to 'supporter only'. If only it had been there 25 years ago...
Looking back: Isle of Man part 8 1977 - by David Pool
In 1977 the Isle of Man National Transport Company had taken over the Isle of Man Road Services fleet in addition to the railways and tramways. Four of the oldest buses dating from 1952 were Leyland PSU1/13 Nos. 88 to 91. On 31 August 1977 No.89 (NMN907) was returning to Ramsey on the circular route in the North of the Island via Andreas and Bride.
The Leyland PSU/1 buses had underfloor engines in a steel ladder frame chassis, and were designated Royal Tigers. A lighter version was subsequently produced, the Tiger Cub, which proved to be more popular with fleet operators. The Royal Tiger emblem on No.89 was an indication of Leyland’s intention to progress from the austerity of many postwar designs.
Manx Electric Railway crossbench No.25 with trailer No.45 was about to leave the siding at Laxey on 31 August 1977. This car had been appropriately repainted to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977. The MER between Laxey and Ramsey had been closed in 1976, and its reopening in 1977 was a popular decision by the new IOM National Transport Company.
On a rather wet 1 September 1977 Douglas Horse Tramway saloon car No.29 was waiting to leave the Manx Sea Terminal. Car 29 is one of the oldest trams in the fleet, having been built in 1892.
Manx Electric Railway trailer No.59 was nearby, being used as a Tourist Office. This is a 16 seater Short Saloon, built by Milnes of Birkenhead in 1895, and is known as “The Royal Saloon”. It was originally a four wheeler, but tended to derail, and was fitted with bogies in 1900. This seems to have solved the problem, and it was entrusted to convey King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1902. Subsequently it saw general use as a trailer after some modifications to the platform entrances, then after periods in Museums and on display was overhauled in 2004/5 and again in 2018, after which it has continued to be used on special occasions.
Photographing buses in city surroundings can be a challenge with pedestrians and traffic blocking your shots, and I much prefer to photograph in scenic locations. The sun had reappeared on 2 September 1977, and National Transport’s Leyland PSUC1 Tiger Cub No.54 (3680MN) was climbing away from Calf Sound, in the South of the Island.
Although there appears to be a turning circle for the Horse Tramway tracks at the Sea Terminal, the horse is being led round “Sunshade” car No.32 on 3 September 1977.
IOM National Transport No.100 (900EMN) had not been in the IOM Road Services fleet, and had been one of the Douglas Corporation vehicles. It is a Bedford VAS 1, built in 1966 and previously No.7 in the DCT fleet. Renumbered 100 and repainted, it was photographed at Bride on a Ramsey service on 5 September 1977. It was later renumbered 13 in 1978, but withdrawn in 1979, and after having had several owners has now been preserved.
It was sixteen years before I returned to the Isle of Man, being tempted to see the celebrations for the IOM 1993 Year of Railways. It was well worth the wait, especially if you were a steam enthusiast. Maybe more images next week?
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