NORTH WALES COAST etc.
CREWE - CHESTER - BANGOR - HOLYHEAD
OCTOBER 2003 - PART TWO

 WEST COAST DIVERSIONS 16-17th October 2003
 October 1

October 3

 Alsager station and the Crewe diversions again. 47737 "Resurgent" is on thunderbird duties and is seen here sidelined while a Virgin train passes through en route for London. The 47 later left for Etruria to rescue a failed Class 87. Such are the proportions of the these diversions that I have opened separate pages to cater for them. More from Kidsgrove and boy! - what a day it was after the WCML was closed due to a collision between two freight trains. 16/10/2003

 Alsager diversions again as 92017 "Shakespeare" crosses the road as it approaches the station en route for Stoke and beyond. 14/10/2003

 Back from the dead is 87028 now minus the Virgin branding and name "Lord President". This locomotive was withdrawn as surplus to requirements but has recently been reinstated. Thanks to Ian Furness' wonderful WNXX website for the information. 14/10/2003

 Bleached out by the evening sun is 92002 "H.G.Wells" with an unidentified dead class 92 in tow. 14/10/2003

 87015 "Howard of Effingham" pushing through Alsager en route for London on the Crewe - Stoke section of the WCML. This is the first week of diversions from the main route and traffic will intensify after this week. More shots at Alsager by clicking the picture. 10/10/2003

 37890 on Crewe Diesel Depot pumps. 9/10/2003

 90001 "BBC Midlands Today" feels its way round the curve onto the old NSR formation en route for London. The train is part of the diversions from the WCML while the Crewe-Norton Bridge section is upgraded. 9/10/2003

The AL7's plod on but looking more rough by the day as oblivion(?) approaches.
This is 87008 "City of Liverpool" on a Preston service. 9/10/2003

 Another class 87 and marked for early withdrawal is 87027 "Wolf of Baddenoch". This southbound train did not take the Stoke diversionary route. 9/10/2003

 A late afternoon feature at Crewe is the class 47 hauled ecs working to Manchester to form the 17.20 Manchester-Holyhead. today it was 47793 "Christopher Wren". 9/10/2003

 Hitting the curve for Manchester. 9/10/2003

Running South as ecs was recently named Pendolino No. 390029 "City of Stoke on Trent". 9/10/2003

 One of the two class 87's that do look smart is 87002, unnamed at the moment(!) but carrying the "Porterbrook" logo on purple house colours. This train was running about 30 minutes down and the locomotive's position at the head of the train suggests connector problems. 9/10/2003

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Link to October 1

Link to October 3