MONTHLY REPORTS
NOVEMBER 2019 - PAGE TWO
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CREWE/CHESTER, NOVEMBER 16th 2019
Crewe station and debranded Pendolino 390 128 "City of Preston" hurried through on the up fast.
Hippo 006 left for Manchester.
En route for Chester and a dark, foreboding Beeston Castle appeared out of the gloom above the autumnal colours below.
At Chester, a dishevelled 56 090 appeared at the head of an RHTT and parked on the centre road with 56 113 on the rear looking equally unkempt.
156 461 was parked in what I assume was platform 1 and seemed to be out of its normal area judging by the vinyls.
Finally The Christmas Cheshireman, running Bristol-Chester-Bristol, arrived in platform 4 behind Stanier Class 5's, 44871 leading 45407 "The Lancashire Fusilier", with the RHTT blocking the normal viewpoint.
45407 was carrying its smokebox plate with a blue background, reminiscent of the BR Scottish Region's practice.
View from the bridge!
A 1960's scene - well almost.
The two class fives left in order to reverse back into the station sidings for servicing watched by public and staff alike.
The train was parked here while the locomotives, without their support coach, moved further back to be coaled and watered in preparation for the journey back to Bristol, this time via Crewe. The Stanier engines were deputising for A4 Pacific, 60009, "Union of South Africa" which had been failed.
Mersey Rail was busy as ever.
Finally, the RHTT left for Crewe and beyond.
The Chester shot tower was receiving attention.
I travelled back to Crewe in Euston-bound Voyager 221 118.
Parked on the up fast was 331 002 on test.
I normally travel in on a Manchester/Liverpool-Crewe shuttle service in either a 323 or the awful 319. However, today, for once, I had arrived at Crewe by car and so missed the chance to travel in a 331 - this is the first time I've seen a member of this class on this service.
About to leave on the 15.16 service to Liverpool.
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