NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY :NOTICE BOARD

Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd

03 November 2025

Forthcoming events

See our Calendar Page for operator details.

November 2025

Thursday 4 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

Saturday 10 November; Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales

Friday 14 November Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Noel Coates "Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Engine
Sheds".

Saturday 22 November Pathfinder Railtours The Chester Christmas Explorer Oxford Parkway, Golden Valley and Marches line to Chester

December 2025

Monday 1 December Midland Pullman Edinburgh Christmas Pullman from Bangor to Edinburgh

Thursday 4 December Clwyd Railway Circle 'Railways & Tramways of the Isle of Man' Geoff Morris.

January 2026

Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Friday 9 January John Hooley "A Midlands Miscellany".

February 2026

Friday 13 February Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Paul Shackcloth "People and Places 8".

Other useful sites:

For up-to-date North Wales information
join the North Wales Trains News group

North Wales Coast Railway website created and compiled by Charlie Hulme

37 422 Robert F Fairlie passes Talacre on a down train, 19 June 1993. The colliery had three years of life left; the loco is still in service today. Picture by Dave Sallery.

News Pictures

DCRail ran an empty stone train from Wembley to Penmaenmawr on 2 November, hauled by 60 055 Thomas Barnardo. 60 055 then hauled the loaded train to Chaddesden Sidings in Derby via a somewhat convoluted route. Interestingly 60 096 tailed the train in both directions but made no other role.

The loaded train passing Llandudno Junction (Logan Humphreys).

60 096 on the rear, reportedly to be on the way to Toton Depot (Garry Stroud).

In other news ..

People who arrived at Stockport station on 1 November to see a steam train from Manchester to Reading with Eddystone at the head found an additional extra (?) attraction in the form of 67 015 with its set of coaches parked in Platform zero, It transpired that one of the axles of the Driving Van Trailer coach had a serious 'wheel flat' after sliding on the rail, perhaps due to leaves on the line. The flat was so serious that it had to taken out of service and the damaged axle fitted with a 'wheel-skate' Such a train must run at very slow speed, taking five hours over overnight to reach Crewe for repair.

On 31 October Freightliner's 70 002 ran a loaded slate train from Llandudno Junction to Hope, which reached its destination safely despite some delays long the way. The 6H67 headcode implies eventually a regular flow Tuesday - Friday, at least at until Christmas. The route is listed in Real Time Trains.

LSL have announced their rail tours for 2026 (covering Saphos, Midland Pullman, Statesman and Intercity) and so far none of those listed are starting at or visiting North Wales. I hope this changes as in recent years they've run quite a few trips.

Mystery solved

The 'mystery train' reported in the last issue was in fact a 'Northern Belle' operation.
Passengers could enjoy the Great 'British Sunday Lunch at £445' or 'Champagne Afternoon Tea' £365. Pick-up points were Manchester, Stockport, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, and Crewe.
Expensive a cuppa perhaps, although an ordinary return from Manchester to Holyhead would cost you £9.50.

More Eddystone views - by Richard Snook

The excursion arriving at Chester from Durham on 25 October. The loco is normally based at Swanage,

This was the loco's first passenger run since overhaul

Note the air-brake equipment on the tender.

From David Sallery's Archive

37 109 with an evening Crewe to Bangor working approaches Prestatyn, 3 July 1998.

43 141 and 43 162 on a diverted Euston - Holyhead train leave the Crewe - Manchester line at Sandbach, 10 May 1992.

A London bound HST passes under the A41 bridge at Waverton, 13 June 1996.

Feedback

Kevin Driscoll writes: 'Enjoyed the old photos, but just to clarify the comments made about the
train leaving the Crewe District Electric Depot. It can also refer on 19 April 1970 (repeated here). It cannot have been going to Stoke, as it is an electric unit. On the day there were various specials to/from the depot, mainly Crewe, but also Stoke, Stafford and Leicester, so the one in the photo was probably showing the correct destination'. [The headcode 2A90 also suggests a normal service].

Mark Hambly agrees: 'It is unlikely that the passing AM10 unit was going to Stoke, or at least if it was then it would have had to have gone via Stafford, as Crewe to Kidsgrove was not electrified at the time (went live in 2003, if I remember rightly), so the unit was probably was heading for (Crewe and) Stafford.'

On another point:on the caption of loco 213 seen at Holyhead: It's later number was 40 013 not 40 213.

Looking back: Diesels, Trams and Ferries 1970 - David Pool

On 2 May 1970 I visited Hull with the aim of photographing the Paddle Steamers on the Hull to New Holland ferry, which were nearing the end of their working lives. My first stop was at the Transport Museum, today called the Streetlife Museum, which contained some interesting items which had no association with Hull. It would appear that the National Museums were not prepared to take them, while the Hull Museum kindly offered them a home. The first exhibit was Steam Tram No.1 built by Kitsons in 1882 for the 3 foot gauge Portstewart Tramway in Northern Ireland, which eventually closed in 1926. Steam Tram No.2 has also been preserved and is at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.

The second exhibit in the Museum was stated to be Ryde Pier Tramway No.3, built in 1867. I believe this is a correct description, but many references on line and in print appear to add information which is misleading and incorrect. My understanding is that No.3 was indeed built in 1867, by John Knapp of Ryde for the Horse Tramway which had opened in 1864. The Tramway was extended in 1871 and five double deck trailer cars were built by Starbeck in Birkenhead for the extended line. No.3 was never a double deck car, was not built by Starbeck, and was not delivered in 1871. The Pier Tramway was electrified in 1886, at which time the street running line on the extension was closed. In 1927 the electric power cars were replaced by petrol (and later diesel) cars, a number of trailer cars remaining in use. The Tramway was eventually closed in 1969. Car No.3 is claimed to be the oldest surviving tramway vehicle in Britain.

Making my way to Corporation Pier, the first ferry to arrive was Wingfield Castle, built in 1934 by William Gray & Co. of Hartlepool. The shallow draught of the paddle steamers was needed to cope with the shifting sands in the Humber estuary. Withdrawn in 1974, it is now preserved at Hartlepool.

Crossing over to New Holland, we passed another ferry Tattershall Castle, a sister ship to Wingfield Castle. There was a strong following wind blowing as the tide ebbed, so the vessel was coasting, if that is the correct term. Also withdrawn in 1974, Tattershall Castle is now a floating restaurant on the River Thames.

The third ship at work on that day was the Lincoln Castle, built by A & J Inglis of Glasgow in 1941 and incorporating several design improvements over the other two ships, such as the boiler forward of the engine. It was withdrawn in 1978, but its time in preservation was marked by controversy, and eventually it was scrapped in 2010 when the owners were unwilling to accept offers to save the ship. My photograph was taken at New Holland Pier.

The station on New Holland Pier had been built to handle considerably more trains that a two car DMU. The 12:10 from Cleethorpes to New Holland Pier was a Cravens Class 105.

Hull Paragon Station was a typical main line terminus, again with the capacity to handle considerably more trains that the services in 1970. Another Cravens Class 105 was on the 15:45 Hull to Scarborough, while the 15:40 to Liverpool Lime Street was a Swindon Trans Pennine Class 124.

On 3 May 1970 I visited the site of Burton Point Station, closed in 1955, where the 10:58 New Brighton to Wrexham was a Derby Class 108 2 car unit M51561/M50924. The weekday Wrexham trains to and from New Brighton were diverted to Birkenhead North from January 1971, although there were trains on Sundays until 1976.

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