CREWE - CHESTER -- BANGOR - HOLYHEAD  MONTHLY REPORTS FEBRUARY 2005 - PAGE THREE

A visit to see some of the "stored" locomotives at Crewe IEMD - these pictures were taken from private land with permission from the land owners. Please don't trespass. Former coastliner 47749 "Atlantic College" looks to be in remarkably good condition despite having been stored here for some time. Behind it is 47760 with 92032 to the left. 24/2/2005

An intriguing line-up comprising 86426, 92035, 92020 and 86430. 24/2/2005

86430 with 92020 "Milton". 24/2/2005

86606. 24/2/2005

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A bitterly cold East wind blowing and snow in my home town so off to Crewe to get some bright shots in the white stuff. No snow in Crewe! Braving the wind, the first item of interest is 57308 "Tin Tin" sat on thunderbird duty. 22/2/2005

A walk down to the South end of platform 12 reveals that demolition of the disused bay canopies is well under way. Various stories abound as to the reasons why but favourite is car parking. 22/2/2005

The glass Tardis is still a mystery on platform 12 but much restoration work is being undertaken within the buildings indicating that something is afoot! 22/2/2005

221 114 "Sir Francis Drake" setting off for Holyhead. 22/2/2005

I have long complained about the inability of digital cameras to capture speeding trains but I was given a Canon EOS 300D for Christmas and what a difference from my old camera. 221113 was going some through the station on the down fast when I took this which I think is a pretty good performance. I was shooting into the light and took three in rapid succession - a vast improvement and no shutter delay. We will see what the future brings. 22/2/2005

Super Power! Was this the elusive "Sandbach Acid"? 67015 came off the Manchester line with one 4-wheeler in tow at roughly the time the acid train used to appear. I forgot to check the hazard sign on the tanker so I don't know what was in it but I suspect it may be fuel rather than acid. 22/2/2005

Just as I was about to give up and write Crewe off as a unit station one of the few operational 87's, 87033 "Thane of Fife", appeared with a single Virgin coach in tow. It paused momentarily in platform 11 before heading North up the WCML. Nice to see one back at Crewe. 22/2/2005

The 87 was followed by 90020 "Sir Michael Heron" which paused in platform 12 before heading off towards the IEMD. 22/2/2005

Yet more as 66100 towed 92011 through the station. 22/2/2005

Still more as I left the station and passed by the avoiding lines to hear a 57 ticking over. It was 57012 "Freightliner Envoy" waiting to enter the tunnel with a freight. Above the tunnels, in the centre of the shot, can be seen the lines heading off to Manchester and to the left is the preserved signal box at the Crewe Heritage Centre. 22/2/2005

Note the work recently completed to stabilise the embankment leading to the Crewe "Muck Hole", visible in steam days only from the famous footbridge that led to Crewe North shed - 5A. 22/2/2005

As if that were not enough, 60050 headed South running light and sounding good while the containers for Hamburg South, waited to head North!. 22/2/2005