NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY :NOTICE BOARDRheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd
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10 February 2025![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Forthcoming events See our Calendar Page for operator details. February 2025 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. This is stopping at Llandudno Junction, Bangor and Holyhead for off train options or to visit the relevant towns. 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 3 May Vintage Trains The North Wales Coast Express. Birmingham New Street to Llandudno for the Victorian Extravaganza. Diesel and steam top and tail (steam likely to be 5043 or 7209). Sunday 5 May Inter-City Yr Wyl Fictoriadd (The Victorian Festival) Birmingham International - Llandudno. Traction: two Class 20s 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. Saturday 21 July Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales August 2025 4 August Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales 11 August Belmond Britannic Explorer Six day tour of Lake District & Wales 25 August Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales 22 August Belmond Britannic Six day tour of Cornwall & Wales, September 2025 Thursday 4 September Clwyd Railway Circle To be announced Saturday 5 September Pathfinder Tours 'Cambrian Coast Express' from Cardiff Central to Pwllheli 11 September Belmond Britannic Explorer Six day tour of Lake District & Wales Saturday 12 September Pathfinder Tours '.Cambrian Coast Express' from Bristol Temple Meads to Pwllheli 15 September Belmond Britannic Explorer Britannic Explorer Six day tour of Cornwall & Wales, 26 September Belmond Britannic Explorer Six day tour of Lake District & Wales 29 September Belmond Britannic Explorer Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales 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 Thursday 6 October Clwyd Railway Circle To be Announced 20 October, Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales 17 October Belmond Britannic Explorer Six day tour of Cornwall & Wales, 10 November; Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales November 2005 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. December 2025 Thursday 4 December Clwyd Railway Circle To be announced North Wales Coast Railway website created and compiled by Charlie Hulme |
![]() Late entry, but has to be shown: on 23 January 37 425 Concrete Bob passes Deganwy with the Ultrasonic Test Train. Picture by Melanie Thomas. News pictures ![]() We had the Valley flask 'dummy run' visit on Thursday 6 February, the first time since mid-November last year. The single flask was topped and tailed by 68 016 Fearless and 68 009 Titan, seen above making its way through the mist past the former Bethesda Junction (Logan Humphreys). ![]() Two views of the return working taken at the Anglesey Golf Course next to RAF Valley... ![]() ... the second includes a lovely clear shot of a snowy Yr Wyddfa in the background (Gary Thomas). ![]() Beeches Farm on the way to Chester (Bob Greenhalgh). Forty Years of Llandudno Junction's new signalboxBy signaller Stuart Cawthray 1985 images copyright: Manchester Locomotive Society This weekend (7-8 February) marks 40 years since the old manual lever framed box closed, and the new NX [Entry-Exit] Panel Signal Box opened. ![]() I was a 'Box Lad' at The Junction in February 1985. I signed off on the Friday afternoon in the old box, and Monday morning was going to be my first day as Box Lad in the new Power Box. When I walked into the new box it was quite busy with all the S&T installers finishing off after the weekend’s commissioning. On that Monday, as well as the regular Signalman and Box Lad on duty, we also had an additional relief Signalman in case we needed him. ![]() As the first morning went on, the kitchen area of the new box started to fill with the local managers from the Opts and S&T departments. The smell of a roast dinner started to drift into the panel room, at this point the Signalman on duty asked if I was okay to work the box, and disappeared into the kitchen to have his ‘Monday Roast’. This was my time to 'play trains' and really get used to the new panel. All of the Signalmen had been given a few week’s training on it, and I’d popped in to have a look, as Box Lads aren’t officially allowed to work boxes, well that was the official line anyway…. ![]() Around dinner time the Down Crewe to Holyhead 4D52 Freghtliner was due to pass. In the old box you could never go Down Main, Down&Up Passenger Loop (platform 1) then back to Down Main. But, in the new Power Box you can, so I pulled off LJ57/LJ61/LJ71, the Class 47 and 25 loaded Freightliner flat snaked it’s way though platform 1. As the loco passed the box, my old Block Inspector Alan Bullimore, opened the kitchen door and asked “Stuart why is that train going though platform 1?” to which I replied “Because it can Mr Bullimore”, the reply, with a smile was “Okay carry on” and disappeared back to his dinner. Fast forward 40 years, and tonight (Thursday 6 February) the TfW 1D65 Crewe to Holyhead developed door problems in platform 3, and with the Avanti 1D94 Euston to Holyhead on block behind. After consulting with the Platform staff, to save the passengers going over the bridge to Platform 4, I ran the Avanti though platform 1 like I did with 4D52 nearly 40 years ago…. ![]() Llandudno Junction at 23:03 on 6 Febuary 2025 1D94 20:00 London - Holyhead in platform 1, signal LJ61 pulled off [clear to continue] A 197 stabled for 05:30 2D10 to the Blaenau Ffestiniog branch 1D65 21:21 Crewe to Holyhead in platform 3. I’ve also got a Line Blockage on the Llandudno Branch [Top left in the picture] you can see a Permanent-way trolley on the Up Llandudno as the Track circuit is lit, note the detonator protection magnets & reminder appliances we use to remind us of blocks. Alan BullimoreAlan Frederick Bullimore joined the railway in September 1963 joined the railway straight from school as a Junior Porter at Toton Sidings. Within a week he was given the position of Control Reporter (Box Lad) in Toton Centre. In 1965 he took up his first signalling post at Attenborough Junction on the line between Nottingham and Trent and after a series of re-locations and promotions, in 1975 he moved to Wales, appointed Area Inspector at Llandudno Junction and stayed there until the end of 1989 by which time he was the Assistant Line Manager. In January 1990 he was appointed Chief Movements Inspector at Chester responsible for Chester, North Wales, Shrewsbury and the Cambrian. Thereafter he held a number of Management posts, all based in Chester, and retired in 2001 as Assistant to the Area Production Manager Liverpool, responsible for North Wales, Chester and Crewe (WCML). After his retirement he volunteered as a signalman on the Llangollen Railway. He died in 2023, leaving a huge collection of photgraphs. many of. This link them, with his permission, nave been made avaialble on Flickr. This link will take you to his North Wales section which includes many taken during the changes at Llandudno Junction. A Chester afternoon - with Geoff Morris![]() I became aware of the visit of the restored Brighton Belle rolling stock to Chester on 28 January. The poor morning weather persuaded me to stay at home and as the train ran an hour late, I was quite pleased at my choice. The weather improved (slightly) in the afternoon and, once I 'd seen that the afternoon run had started from Crewe, I walked to Chester station to take some photos. I started in the east car park (above) where I was on my own with only one other enthusiast visible at the east end of platform 7. After the train had arrived I transferred to the station platforms. ![]() Only one of the four cars (Beryl) had all of the window blinds raised, permitting a limited view of the interior. The unit had been numbered 3101 which seems a little odd as the original 5-BEL sets were numbered from 3051 to 3053. Note that it carries route 4 in the indicator box which indicates a Victoria - Brighton service. ![]() Soon after the Pullmans arrived, 153 311, which was standing on one of the adjacent goods lines, departed towards Mickle Trafford. It now runs as an Network Rail Inspection unit and RTT showed that its subsequent itinerary took in Bank Quay, Ellesmere Port, Bank Quay, Chester and then the Mid-Cheshire line to Oxford Road. ![]() There was a good variety of traction present during the 30 minutes or so that I stayed at the station and some interesting combinations could be photographed together. A couple of examples are attached. One shows a class 197 stabled together with the front ends of 153 311, 20 132 on the west end of the Pullman stock, 195 020 having just arrived on the 11:23 ex Leeds and the nose of 805 004 appearing on the right with the 12:00 from Euston. ![]() The other shows the front ends of Pullman car 99288 (Beryl) and 20 118 Saltburn-by-the-Sea sandwiching one end of 197 029, which is one of the units to be fitted with ECTS for use on the Cambrian lines. About the Pullman: from the owners, 5-BEL Trust.Locomotive Services Limited has been restoring the 4-car train to a fully operational set at Crewe, capable of operating under its own power on the national network. The work is physically complete to a very high standard but some work needed to be completed in the area of insuring the loading gauge profile is correct and managing the weight distribution of the train before it can be tested. Commissioning the train will follow involving initially hauled tests on the main line, then later, tests with the train running under its own power. These tests will probably take place on the Crewe to Chester line and later on the electrified surface section of the Merseyrail network between Chester and Hooton. Sunny Manchester![]() On 30 January, 67 015 'on the blocks' at Manchester Piccadilly, preparing to propel the 12:30 to Cardiff ... ![]() ... and departing. The building in the background was once a parcels depot, with a conveyer bridge over the station to Mayfield station. Today it houses the local offices of Network Rail and Northern Trains. LMS coach mystery
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