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

July 2

July 3

47826 "Springburn" powering away from Colwyn Bay with the 09.20 Holyhead-London. 12/07/2004

47840 "North Star" on the 13.23 Holyhead-London approaching the A55 underpass at Llysfaen. 12/7/2004

---

47 heaven today at Crewe. The 08.35 London-Holyhead had arrived behind 90008 which came off and parked on the siding adjacent to platform 12. 5/7/2004

The train was eventually taken out by Freightliner's 47805 (formerly "Pride of Toton") in partial Virgin livery. 5/7/2004

There appeared to be a Manchester diversion today as numerous trains ran centre road without stopping before peeling off towards Manchester. This one is 87032 "Richard Fearn" one of many 87's knocking about today. 5/7/2004

Shaun Courtnage's brilliant Class 47 web site indicated that 47197 would be in charge of the 09.20 Holyhead-London with 47829 bringing up the rear to provide ETH. In fact it was the other way round as 47829 enters Crewe in its Police livery. 5/7/2004

I guess 197 was just along for the ride. The use of locomotives on the Virgin North Wales Coast services at the moment is prolific to say the least. 5/7/2004

Also on the siding was 87004 "Britannia" 5/7/2004

Meanwhile, at the southern end of the station was D1648/47851 sitting in the sunshine... 5/7/2004

...together with 829 which had been removed from the Holyhead train in favour of 90008 at the rear. 5/7/2004

In bay 3 was 87033 "Thane of Fife" together with...

...47847 "Railway World Magazine/Brian Morrison" 5/7/2004

Back at the North end again as a Liverpool bound service, running in reverse formation, is pushed away by 87026 "Sir Richard Arkwright" with 82107 up front. 5/7/2004

Now I have seen many strange and wonderful sights at Crewe but what the...... It was quite a mooooving experience to come across this educated bovine creature on platform 5... Thanks to Simon Cross for referring me to a news item about the cows and to Charlie Hulme for the artist's details - all is now clear.

Listing

Top

Link to July 2

Link to July 3