NORTH WALES COAST etc.
CREWE - CHESTER - BANGOR - HOLYHEAD
NOVEMBER 2001 - PART THREE

 Link to Part One

 Link to Part Two

 More rugby specials but this time empty coaching stock to Hereford and Cardiff. The first was in the charge of 37412 "Driver John Elliott". Most other 37's seem to be having there noses repainted so I treated 412 to bit of a clean up!

 The loco reversed the stock from the carriage sidings to platform 12 at Crewe under radio contact from the guard. 28/11/2001

 After a few minutes messing around the train left for South Wales. 28/11/2001

 Driver John's train was the first of three, the other two hauled by 37411 "The Scottish Railway Preservation Society" and 37416 "Sir Robert McAlpine/Concrete Bob".They were both at the back of the depot yard and by the time they moved it was dark hence the grainy sepia shot of 416. Bad timing with the number I know but it was already too dark to read. 28/11/2001

 Having received a tip off that 47851/D1648, the Green Machine, was running on the 9.19 Holyhead-London, I went to Crewe to photograph its arrival and detachment. A quick look at the diesel depot and guess what was getting ready to leave on test? - 37402 "Bont-y-Bermo" back from the dead. Thanks to Charlie Hulme and Mike Dunning for the 47 information. 27/11/2001

 37402 "Bont-y-Bermo" (Welsh for Barmouth Bridge) is an ex-Coast Line locomotive withdrawn on 29/10/1999, reinstated 24/3/2000 only to fail and be dumped again on 27/4/2000. Repairs have been carried out and I was fortunate to be at Crewe to photograph 47851 on the morning Holyhead-London train when I saw this scene at the rear of the diesel depot. Dates from the Class 37 Group site. 27/11/2001

 The two locomotives, 37706 was dead, drew down the slope off the depot and onto the headshunt. I assumed that 402 was going out on test with the dead 37 as ballast and backup. Question was would they reverse or carry on northwards and out of the station. 27/11/2001

 Of course they stopped behind those confounded LNWR screens but at least the nameplate could be seen to be still in position together with the new numbering on the nose. 27/11/2001

 The pair started to draw forward so I ran(!) ahead to catch them as they emerged from the screened area. Needless to say they stopped again, this time to allow 66172, which had been standing in the yard ticking over, to draw forward and hook onto 37706. So, 706 was just ballast and the shed was the insurance. 27/11/2001

 Down the link line and a brief pause for an HST to clear and the entourage pulled out onto the running lines. the orientation of the engines indicated a return North either onto the Coast Line or the WCML, either way I crossed over to wait. 27/11/2001

 A dense cloud of grey smoke obliterated the LNWR workshops for a moment as the years of clag were shifted and then 402 had its head. They headed North with a brief but impressive burst of power but there was no smoke this time. 27/11/2001

 The platform 12 loop was blocked by a parked mail train so platform 11 it was - I wish I had been across there to see it. 402 took its load out onto the West Coast Main Line so we will wait to see the outcome. Previous photos of 37402 in store can be seen at the Rail37 Archive. 27/11/2001

 The reason for visiting Crewe today was to see the newly painted, two tone green, class 47, dually numbered as 47851/D1648 by Virgin as a run up to the demise of their class 47 hauled trains. 27/11/2001

 The locomotive was detached and ran round to head North for other duties. This engine is joined by two others in historic livery, one in large logo blue and the other in Inter City livery. 27/11/2001

 To cap the day off another class 37, number 37710 appeared on the Sandbach acid tanks. 27/11/2001

Listing Top

Link to Part One

 Link to Part Two