CREWE
- CHESTER - BANGOR - HOLYHEAD
THE BIG ONE!
20th December 2000
Over the past two years I have travelled
the Crewe-Holyhead route several times, been on the Irish Mancunian
in both direction, been on both Farewell Specials but I have never
travelled to Birmingham behind one of the 37/4 locomotives. The
Grand Tour (Crewe-Holyhead-Manchester-Llandudno-Crewe) is not
possible any more and with only 10 days to go it was time to rectify
matters. So, on Wednesday 20th December 2000, I joined 1G96, the
8.47 from Holyhead, and set forth into the West Midlands, an intriguing
journey in that the train enters Birmingham New Street from one
end to travel out the other - no running round to do. This of
course is why, as Charlie Hulme explained to me, that 37425 used
to appear with "Concrete Bob" and "Sir Robert McAlpine"
facing alternate ways in rapid sequence. Similarly now with 37429
and its part red nameplate and blue nameplate. Apart from the
incident at Crewe involving windscreen wipers the journey was
uneventful but interesting with lots of growls en route.
The stock comprised 5331,
35513, 4876 and 5278, the latter having an annoying wheel flat.
Because my mind works that way I calculated that each time a coach
with a wheel flat went from Crewe to Holyhead and back it would
hammer the rail over 500,000 times and wondered what that would
do to the vehicle. Similarly I noticed that passing class 175's
appeared to be a maroon/plum colour instead of the predominantly
blue one sees at the platform edge. Consultation with the internet
revealed that this is probably due to the speed at which these
superwonderful machines travel and their subsequent closing speed
with the 37 - it is a phenomenon known as the red shift - something
that Patrick Moore has explained several times on his programme
the Sky at Night. It results from different colours of light travelling
at different speeds. Consequently, if two superwonderful class
175's pass each other, such is their resultant closing speed that
each will appear white when viewed from the other. Finally, should
two superwonderful 175's pass in a tunnel, where air pressures
are rapidly increased and decreased, they will prevent light from
emerging and therefore will not be seen at all. This confirms
the widely held belief that railway tunnels generally appear as
black holes. QED
Arrival at Crewe saw 87023 "Polmadie"
playing around with two Virgin coaches. The coaches are being
"chocked" before the locomotive left and ran round to
reattach at the rear and leave. Very mysterious. 20/12/2000
1G96, the 8.47 Holyhead to Birmingham
arrived on time behind 34729 "Eisteddfod Genedlaethol"
on a cold, dark, wet day. We photographed and boarded for the
off....but it was not to be. 20/12/2000
The windscreen wipers would not
work and fitters were up on the bonnet trying to fix them. One
man departed to the depot, presumably for parts, and returned
where more work was undertaken. Eventually a ladder was produced
and a "Do Not Move" sign was attached to the loco. Serious
stuff this. 20/12/2000
Brilliantly sorted by the Crewe
lads and a double yellow! Off we went at a pace, 20 minutes down
and Birmingham bound past the signal from where I have so often
photographed the 37's. 20/12/2000
A chance to take one last decent
shot of 37407 "Blackpool Tower" now minus nameplates
and looking ever more rough as the weather takes its toll. 20/12/2000.
Through Wolverhampton et al and
finally to Birmingham New Street the same 20 minutes down. Here
the train becomes 1D71 the 12.07 for Holyhead. 20/12/2000
The road ahead looking over 37429's
shoulder. 20/12/2000
Into one enormous tunnel the name
of which I know not. The loco ran quietly for a while before being
opened up - the accoustics were flesh tingling! 20/12/2000
Stafford ahead and, despite many
yellows, we were still only 20 minutes down. 20/12/2000
All quiet at Crewe and along the
coast, a beautiful, well behaved, cross-bred collie for company
and here we are entering Holyhead with one of the few greens of
the day - still only 20 minutes down, well done driver(s). 20/12/2000
The run round - yes I know it
has all been done death before but in 10 days time it will be
history and no more - think about it! 20/12/2000
Ready to leave. 20/12/2000
"OFF" and away we go.
20/12/2000
Journey's end and on time - not
long to go. 20/12/2000