North Wales Coast
February 2001 Part 1
The 9.19 Holyhead-London arrived
at Crewe 5 minutes early behind Intercity liveried 47826 sporting
odd numerals. 7/2/2001
The diesel locomotive is detached
at Crewe to be replaced by an AC electric. Today the class 47
ran round the train and went off up the Chester line. 7/2/2001
Waiting out on the Chester line
siding was 87020 "North Briton" which was attached
to the rear to propel the train to London. 7/2/2001
Was this my last
shot of 37429 on active service? It was taken outside Conwy Castle
on 20th January 2001 and was too close for my digital camera to
cope. The locomotive was sidelined after this run before appearing
in Crewe Diesel Depot yard on 23rd January 2001 parked on the scrapline. It moved to Cardiff later in the day
where it was reported to be running with two traction motors isolated.
It is now reported as on decision at Cardiff with an unlikely
future. This was the last operational unit running in Regional
Railways livery. Thanks to "Matt" for the information
R.I.P. Eisteddfod Genedlaethol,
you gave us all much pleasure 06/02/2001
33108 reversed the stock from
the LNWR carriage sheds into bay platform 7 where a good crowd
boarded but how many were bashers is anybody's guess! 3/2/2001
The locomotive was shining like
a new pin and you could positively smell the paint as it ticked
over in the bay. There were those on the platform that doubted
it's ability to survive the journey but, nonetheless, it left
at 10.30 for South Wales. (apparently the fears were justified,
it failed at Hereford and was dragged to Cardiff and then back
to Crewe by 37428) 3/2/2001
Celebrity 37 number 37116 "Sister
Dora" standing at Crewe with a train of concrete sleepers.
I since found out that this locomotive worked 4 North Wales Coast
trains on 8th June 1996. Thanks to the Class
37 Group website for the information. 02/02/2001
The train later left on the West
Coast Main Line. 02/02/2001
DRS locomotives 37611 and 37610
headed South through the station LE and stopped outside the LNWR
carriage sheds before one of them(?) attached to a rake of NW
Coast coaches including one RR vehicle. All were later pushed
into the sheds by an 08 shunter. 02/02/2001
43121 brought the 08.38 London-Holyhead
into platform 11 running 40 minutes down. 43093 "Lady
in Red" brought up the rear of the train consisting of
just 5 coaches plus a buffet car. 02/02/2001
A few seconds after the HST had
left 47841 "Spirit of Chester" hauled the 09.19
Holyhead-London into the same platform. The loco detached here
while AC electric 87027 "Wolf of Badenoch" attached
itself to the rear for the push to London.
"Wolf of Badenoch"
was a victim of the Winsford crash when it hit the rear of, I
think, a class 142, detaching the body from the frame and pushing
it forward a few metres. Fortunately the 142 was empty at the
time otherwise there may have been more serious consequences.
The locomotive was repaired at Crewe. 02/02/2001
142044 waits in bay platform 9
to depart for Chester. 02/02/2001
37521 "English China Clays",
a former runner on the North wales Coast, appeared off the Manchester
line with the Middlewich - Arpley Enterprise. Strangely the train
crossed over to run through platform 6 while passengers were asked
to stand clear of the platform edge. This train runs through to
Basford Hall sidings to reverse before heading back North up the
WCML for Warrington. 02/02/2001
The train was held at the South
end of platform 6 while several trains passed through which gave
me the opportunity to photograph it again. 02/02/2001
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