CREWE - CHESTER -- BANGOR - HOLYHEAD  MONTHLY REPORTS January 2007 - PAGE THREE

North Wales Coast line, Old Colwyn and 66084 heads East for Warrington with the RTZ vans ex Anglesey Aluminium. 27/01/2007

084 skirts the coast and heads for Penmaenbach tunnel. 27/01/2007

Same place and 45112 "The Royal Army Ordnance Corps" heads a York-Holyhead charter and is probably the last main line outing for this locomotive for some time. 27/01/2007

Vintage diesel and slightly early on the schedule. 27/01/2007

Tacked on the back end for security was class 47 number 47847. 27/01/2007

A quick hop round to Conwy to see 112 rounding the ramparts after leaving the tubular bridge over the Conwy River and its beautiful estuary, en route for Holyhead. 27/01/2007

.....and 847 followed. 27/01/2007

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Crewe station and a miserable, cold, wet and windy afternoon. 66570 was left ticking over in bay platform 8 - what price pollution? 16/01/2007

350111 arrived sporting a name "plate" - "West Coast Desiro APOLLO". You can barely read it and is there really any point? 16/01/2007

66020 passed through platform 1 with a train of hoppers - every vehicle was contaminated with graffiti, this is not art it's criminal damage. 16/01/2007

The reason for the visit. 50049 "Defiance" was Cardiff bound with 7 on as it entered platform 11 from the LNWR carriage sheds in order to run round. 16/01/2007

The class 50's were, of course, the main source of power for the West Coast Anglo-Scottish expresses when first introduced so scenes similar to this would have been commonplace. Signs, livery and stock are incorrect for the period but it makes an interesting sight. When travel times were speeded up in preparation for the introduction of electrification, many trains were double headed by these beasts in order to maintain the timetable. The "Hoovers" were later displaced and transferred to the Western Region where they were given names. 16/01/2007

After unhooking, the engine ran onto the WCML headshunt.......

....before returning on the down fast....

.......to reattach to its stock. 16/01/2007

Eventually, and after many delays, 049 received a green to leave for Cardiff. 16/01/2007

All the delays in turning 049 meant that the light was disappearing fast. The station lights combined with the inevitable water added atmosphere. 16/01/2007

The platform 12 refurbishment has now seen scaffolding erected across the two lines which probably confirms that the canopy is to be removed. The footings in the platform surface are similar to those put into the North end. This roof has been problematic for many years with glass falling onto the platform which presented a tremendous risk to those below. 16/01/2007