CREWE - CHESTER -- BANGOR - HOLYHEAD
 MONTHLY REPORTS
MARCH 2009 - PAGE TWO		  

 350237 at Kidsgrove en route for London Euston! 30/03/2009

 6233 "Duchess of Sutherland" at Kidsgrove while running from Crewe to Butterley. 30/03/2009

 Shots of the final steaming before the locomotive left for The West Somerset Railway to follow soon.

 Link to more pictures HERE

 The arrival at Crewe Heritage Centre of 6100 Royal Scot was a well kept secret. I was privilaged to be able to attend its arrival on condition I didn't release the pictures until the news broke nationally. So here now are the shots taken as this iconic locomotive arrived. Click HERE to transfer.06/03/2009

An unidentified Hippo/1 rounding Conwy Castle viewed across the estuary. 06/03/2009

Hippo/1 heading the other way. 06/03/2009

Hippo/1 on the cob at Conwy. 06/03/2009

An Eastbound class 158 DMU rounding the coast at Llanddulas with the disused loading stage in the foreground. 06/03/2009

The 158 passing a West bound Hippo at the site of Llisfaen Station with the A55 on the left. 06/03/2009

There is another loading stage which is still in use, Raynes Jetty, and this was the MV Victress pushing through the heavy sea en route to collect a cargo of stone from the quarry. 06/03/2009

With the wind blowing hard there were many course corrections made while approaching the staging. 06/03/2009

Safely docked, the Masters of these ships have my utmost admiration. 06/03/2009

The ships dock against the staging after sometimes spending several days anchored in the bay. They dock at low tide so that they can leave at high tide when fully loaded - there is little depth of water under the pier. The fully illuminated MV Victress left, in the dark and this was a crude attempt to record the scene as the Douglas Complex gas rig flared off in the background with the flame reflecting off the low cloud base. Better luck next time! I have no idea as to what the light under the boat could be - too rough to be a reflection, but the red light near the rig is the weather monitoring mast's flashing beacon! 06/03/2009