North Wales Coast Railway Notice Board 10 February 2025

NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY :NOTICE BOARD

Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd


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 signalbox

By 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 Bullimore

Alan 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



David Pool, when asking he posted this image in the last issue, asked about LMS coaches with four doors on the corridor side, as the second coach in this train. [This image didn't appear in early versions of the last issue due to a technical error - apologies.]

As so often, every picture tells a story, and this is such a case. The second coach in the train is a second class version of the, Period III, coaches produced for the LMS Post-war and distinguished by both a slightly different "tumblehome" profile and, although not visible here, the so-called 'Porthole', circular, lavatory windows.  The leading Brake Second, behind Jubilee 45677 in the following photo, appears to be of similar vintage. A small number lasted sufficiently long enough to gain Corporate Image blue and grey livery but all seem to have been withdrawn by the end of 1968.

On attempting to magnify the published image, I think there are three main windows between the centre doors, suggesting this to be a Corridor Second; there appear also to be no First Class markings on any of the doors.   In this case then these were allocated Diagram 2119 and built between 1946 and 1950, with batches supplied by Derby Works (250 vehicles), Metro-Cammell (316) and Birmingham R&CW (135).  A small number lasted sufficiently long to gain Corporate Image Blue and Grey livery but all seem to have been withdrawn by the end of 1968.

Of sad but local interest, records state that an early withdrawal was M2235, destroyed as a result of the Penmaenmawr accident of 27.8.1950.  It had been one of three from Derby Works' Lot 1406, converted to Tea Cars in January, 1950 for use on The Irish Mail and in which three compartments were used as a serving area.  In April 1953, M2211 was converted similarly as its replacement.

LMS 57 "CF" (Corridor Third), later BR
                "TK" then "SK" (Third Corridor
                Second Corridor) No.12992 (7054102031)

Coach 12992, Severn Valley Railway,  Hugh Llewelyn, CC BY-SA 2.0

In preservation on the Severn Valley Railway, the type is represented by Derby-built 2300 and BRC&W's 12992; both appear to be operational currently and in the line's LMS rake.

The question arises - why four doors? British Railways did not continue this layout except for 'Corridor Composite'  coaches (part second class, part first).  Around 1950 there were several fires on trains, and four doors would give an easier escape, but all the incidents occurred on on older-design coaches. Perhaps faster entry and exit at stations was the aim, which might be a problem on secondary trains with  services with many stops.

Thanks to John Myers and Mark Hambly for replying to our query..


Belmond Britannic Explorer

We're including the dates for the Belmont Britannic Explorer, which is planned to run from July to October using re-gauged carriages from a similar around  Ireland which seems not to of caught on. Priced from around £7000 for a cabin for two, Their website is here.

There seem to be a few questions about this operation, especially regarding the Cambrian lines, but it does happen there will be some good pictures to be had.


1825 and all that …

Text by Narrow Gauge Railway Museum, about its temporary exhibition.

2025 sees the nationwide bi-centennial celebrations for the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway [S&DR].  The S&DR was NOT the first railway to use steam locomotives; it was NOT the first line to carry passengers; it was NOT the first line to be authorised by an Act of Parliament - all of these accolades are held by narrow gauge lines!

But the second S&DR Act [authorised on 17th May 1823] was the first time in history that Parliament permitted the conveyance of passengers by steam power.  The S&DR also adopted what became the standard gauge of 4’ 8½” and brought its engineer George Stephenson to the attention of a much wider audience. 

The 2025 temporary exhibition in the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Tywyn attempts to show that the history of narrow-gauge railways is just as long lived.  Our display starts the story in 1793, in the middle of the long reign of George III, although there is ample evidence that narrow gauge lines were the original railways, as old woodcuts show them in use for mining as long ago as the Middle Ages.  The narrative shows that the hopes of the original promoters were fulfilled or dashed; reflecting the fortunes of the industries they served and celebrates the engineering innovations promoted on and for narrow gauge lines.

J I C Boyd, doyen of the writers and historians of obscure narrow-gauge railways, wrote that "Exhibits in the Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum include items from an era in transport history which began long before such railway names as the Stockton & Darlington Railway or the Liverpool & Manchester Railway became household words.  They were also much older than the steam locomotives, as the earliest railways used horse or gravity power."

The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum is located at Tywyn Wharf Station, Tywyn, LL36 9EY.  It is open every day from 1st April to 2nd November 2025 inclusive [when trains are running on the Talyllyn Railway].  Admission is free although donations are encouraged.  Pease see the websites for opening times and more information - www.ngrm.org.uk and  www.talyllyn.co.uk


From Dave Sallery's archive



47 217 with a train of logs for Shotton Paper.  Seen at Hope (Flitshire)  on 28 August 1992.



47 278 Vasidae in the process of running around an oil train for Stanlow at Hooton on 17 April 1991. Loco scrapped at Wigan CRDC December 1999.



47 324 Glossidae and 47 374 lead a line-up of three other 47s at Ellesmere Port stabling point on 30 April 1992. Also visible are a 37, 31 and another 47.

47 826 leaves Prestatyn on a Euston to Holyhead service, 13 September 2004. In it's previous guise as 47 274 this loco was severely damaged in a accident near Eastriggs, Dumfriesshire when heading the 20.55 from London Euston to Stranraer Harbour in 1976, in which it collided with a lorry which had fallen from a bridge, Both drivers were killed and the secondman injured. However, the loco was repaired and went on to be 47 826 for Virgin. Today this loco is in service for West Coast Railways


Looking back: Steam and diesels in Devon 1962 - by David Pool



By 1962 most of the Western Region workings in Devon were diesel hauled, but steam remained on the Southern Region lines.  The branches to Sidmouth and Exmouth no longer had the M7 tank locomotives, and the BR and LMS designed locomotives were being used.  On 8 October 1962 the 09:47 Tipton St John’s to Exmouth was headed by 82025, photographed near East Budleigh. 



The next arrival at East Budleigh was the 09:52 Exmouth to Waterloo, which would have crossed 82025 at Budleigh Salterton.  The three through coaches were hauled by the Ivatt 2MT 41320.  I noted the addition to the station name board stating “for Otterton and Ladram Bay” – the Holiday Park at Ladram Bay was not well known in 1962 but today is one of the leading Holiday Parks in Devon. 



Talaton was a good location for photographs on the main line between Exeter Central and Honiton.  On 10 October 1962 the 16:30 Exeter Central to Waterloo was headed by a West Country class, 34010 Sidmouth, a Nine Elms locomotive rebuilt in 1959.  This has been preserved and awaiting restoration for many years, but progress has been slow due to other priorities. 



While the Merchant Navy and West Country class locomotives were to be seen on most trains to and from Waterloo, the semi-fast local trains were often headed by the Maunsell S15 class locomotives, designed for express freight workings but equally useful on passenger trains.  30830, a Salisbury locomotive, was on the 15:34 Templecombe to Exeter Central.



The Western Region still had some interesting branch lines in 1962, but most were by then operated by diesel units.  The Kingsbridge branch was using a single unit W55011 on 15 October 1962, which shuttled between Kingsbridge and the main line at Brent.   The 11:00 Plymouth to Manchester was leaving Brent behind Warship D844 Spartan.  I assume the “change for main line trains” is intended for passengers arriving from Kingsbridge, and there would be a “change for Kingsbridge” on the other side of the sign visible from the through lines. 



The gradient at Rattery would have been a challenge for steam locomotives, but D848 Sultan on the 05:30 Paddington to Plymouth did not appear to be struggling with its load. 



Making a change from the Warships, a Hymek D7042 was on the 16:10 Kingswear to Taunton on 16 October 1962, passing though Torre. 



I was returning home on the following day, and planned to photograph the mid-morning train from Hemyock at Tiverton Junction.  I was prepared to see the 14xx running bunker first, but was not expecting the fog inland to be taking so long to clear.  Eventually 1471 emerged out of the mist with the 1030 from Hemyock, comprising a single Thompson 3rd/brake coach, and considering the weather conditions I got a reasonable shot.  Passenger services to Hemyock were withdrawn 11 months later.


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