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47786 "Roy Castle
OBE" arrived in Crewe's platform 11 with coaching stock
for a Pathfinder charter train. The locomotive was uncoupled
and then ran onto the Chester line where it stopped and reversed
to run round its train. The train later left heading back South.
15/9/2000 |
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47786 "Roy Castle
OBE" running round its train at Crewe. 15/9/2000 |
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Not a N.W.Coast topic
but interesting all the same. 87028(R) "Lord President"
sits quietly alongside 87035(L) but a glance at the first two
coaches reveal that they are very shiny and indeed covered in
oil. The 87 was taking the train to Liverpool but had suffered
a major internal failure which had released what looked and smelled
like transformer oil into the bodywork. The train had been terminated
at Crewe. 14/9/2000 |
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The oil was leaking out
from two drain holes (see arrow) in the loco body and had trailed
over the wheels and suspension and covered the first two coaches.
14/9/2000 |
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There was much discussion
while another locomotive was being sought and passengers were
walking about the platform looking bemused. 14/9/2000 |
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A replacement was found
in the shape of 90006 "High Sheriff" which was
attached behind 87028 and pushed the train to London. The shunter
told me that the affected carriages had been isolated and would
be removed at London for decontamination. With oil still leaking
from the coaches as it left, I wonder what state the Class 90
was in at the journey's end? 14/9/2000 |
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Visiting Crewe station
on 12th September 2000 to photograph the usual 37/4 on the 13.19
Crewe-Holyhead, I was surprised to see 175 005 standing in platform
12. Thus the march of progress continues and the 37/4's life
on the North Wales Coast continues to fade into history. |
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Even more surprising was the sight
of Deltic D9000 "Royal Scots Grey" standing in the
middle road with five maroon coaches attached. The loco waited
for the 175 to leave and then pulled forward to the signal where
it waited until it received a green. It took off along the Coast
Line almost in silence, to deliver the stock to the IETD. 12/9/2000 |
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A short stay at Bangor
station on 9th September witnessed the reversing procedures carried
out every day by the Crewe-Bangor-Crewe shuttle. After arriving
at Bangor with the 10.19 from Crewe, 37421 deposits its passengers
and runs the stock forward into the tunnel |
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It then reverses the
whole train into platform 2 with the shunter in the leading compartment
signalling to the driver. 9/9/2000 |
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The locomotive is then
uncoupled and runs back towards the tunnel where it stops. 9/9/2000 |
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It then reverses down
the centre road towards the front of the train now at the Eastern
end of the station. 9/9/2000 |
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Finally the engine couples
up to the stock ready to depart for Crewe. 9/9/2000 |
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A few minutes up the
road from Bangor, across on the Isle of Anglesey, is the village
of Llanfair PG which has a request-stop station. This train,
the 10.07 Birmingham-Holyhead, was pulled by 37429 "Eisteddfod
Genedlaethol" and did not stop. 9/9/2000 |
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Later, the 12.19 from
Crewe to Holyhead came through behind 37401 "Mary Queen
of Scots". The driver was concerned about something
at the rear of the locomotive and pulled slowly into the station
looking backwards before opening the throttle and taking off
for Holyhead. 9/9/2000 |
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37421 later returned
to Anglesey on the 14.15 Crewe-Holyhead where it formed the 16.46
to Birmingham seen here entering Rhosneigr station - also a request
stop. 9/9/2000 |
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37421 collected about
six passengers and then left complete with the almost mandatory
video camera. 9/9/2000 |
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37401 "Mary Queen
of Scots" arriving at Crewe on the 07.49 train from
Holyhead. This locomotive will now perform a runround procedure
to take the train back to Holyhead as the the 10.19 from Crewe.
02/09/2000 |
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37401 runs to the South
end of the station and out into the yard where it stops and reverses.
It then takes the centre road and runs out onto the Chester/North
Wales line where it, again, stops and reverses back onto its
train. 02/09/2000 |
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It is unusual to be able
to take a shot from above the loco as it waits to depart from
platform 12, usually it parks under the road bridge where shadows
make it difficult to photograph. Today I was lucky and 37401
left with train 1D65 for Holyhead. 02/09/2000 |
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