RAIL37 MONTHLY REPORTS NORTH WALES COAST etc. CREWE - CHESTER - BANGOR - HOLYHEAD APRIL 2004 - PART ONE

April 2

I just managed to catch the 08.40 London-Holyhead leaving Crewe hence the blurring. Lead locomotive is 43153 with 43094 bringing up the rear. 20/4/2004

Meanwhile, at the South end, Crewe carriage sidings, formerly known as Crewe Diesel Depot! 20/4/2004

90022 had just headed North at a rate of knots with about seven mail vans(!) and going too fast for me to switch on the camera. Seconds later 90015 passed through going South at roughly the same speed. When these trains go straight through at speed it is quite a sight and well worth putting into video before loco haulage disappears. 20/4/2004

Not long to go now for the class 87's as 87015 "Howard of Effingham" draws into platform 11. 20/4/2004

Following close behind was 87035 formerly named "Robert Burns". 20/4/2004

A long train of EWS ballast hoppers went South behind 66217. 20/4/2004

Not seen this one before...numbered 901002 and carrying "Lab 19 IRIS II" on the indicator blind. Vehicles were numbered 977693(L) and 977694. It later left on the Stoke line. 20/4/2004

The 09.26 Holyhead-London HST soon to be replaced by loco hauled stock. Today, 43068 was in charge with.....

.....43098 trailing. 20/4/2004

66512 brought a train of long rails into the loop before running round and heading off South. 20/4/2004

---

Not at all related to the North Wales Coast or the Etc, even worse - it's Great Western! However, the achievement in returning this engine to steam is immense and my congratulations to all concerned. The occasion was a locomotive preview for all those who had contributed to the rebuilding of 3440 "City of Truro" prior to its public appearance on 3rd April. The venue was the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway in association with Steam Railway magazine. Picture report HERE. 2/4/2004

---

Sunday 4th April and it was the Churnet Valley Railway's 2004 Steam Gala..

---

Returning to London from a Liverpool run was Porterbrook's purple 87002. 6/4/2004

What has Crewe Diesel depot become? Units pervade where once the mighty locomotives lived. 6/4/2004

67030 had collected empty stock from the LNWR carriage sheds and proceeded round the rear of the station to perform another route learning(?) session on the North Wales Coast. 6/4/2004

20311(L) and 20313 left the LNWR depot and reversed in the platform 12 avoiding line. There was a fair burst from the exhausts as the two locomotives headed South. 6/4/2004

The Pendolinos are well and truly here now as 390039(L) headed North while 037 waited to leave in the opposite direction. More and more of these units are now in 9 coach formation. 6/4/2004

Thunderbird 57303 "Alan Tracy" waited for business as 43097 led 43094 on the 10.45 for Holyhead. 6/4/2004

Listing

Top

Link to April 2