CREWE - CHESTER -- BANGOR - HOLYHEAD  MONTHLY REPORTS December 2007 - PAGE TWO

Crewe Station and 6024 "King Edward I" is seen arriving in platform 12 with "The Christmas Chester Chuffer" bound for Chester, ex Taunton - steam hauled from Bescot. 22/12/2007

I am not particularly a GWR admirer but the Kings always did impress me especially that somewhat mysterious leading bogie. 22/12/2007

The engine was calling at Crewe for a water stop. 22/12/2007

Plenty of admirers. 22/12/2007

There was a scare when 66047 arrived in the loop with a long train of tankers but, thankfully, it passed straight through onto the WCML. 22/12/2007

Annoyingly for those waiting anxiously on platform 7, Super Voyager 221105 "William Baffin" parked up to form a train to Llandudno. Despite the recent announcement that Virgin had issued an instruction (again!) to switch off diesel engines when parked, this one was left ticking over. 22/12/2007

Finally it was time and, as ever, the cylinder drain cocks were open and the engine disappeared in a cloud of steam - would it clear in time? 22/12/2007

Fortunately it did and we were treated to a volcanic departure, the like of which I haven't seen at Crewe before. Absolutely magnificent even though it was GWR! 22/12/2007

Bay platform 7 - where 37/4's used to tread! 37408/415/416/419/420/421/422/429 - Shall we see them again? 22/12/2007