CREWE - CHESTER - BANGOR - HOLYHEAD
North Wales Coast
July 2001-2

 A visit to the coast on 29th July and the first target was 1D87 for Holyhead which should have passed Colwyn Bay at 13.50 but was 30 minutes down. I missed a shot but did see that the loco was "Royal" 47799. The next was 1A61 for London which passed at 14.40 dead on time in the form of an HST which was too fast and close to identify. 29/7/2001

 En route for home a stop at Bunbury locks near Nantwich for a cuppa and a stroll along the towpath which just happens to be crossed by the Chester-Crewe line! An unidentified 175/1 crosses the canal in a blur. 29/7/2001

 The locks form a staircase and one can only marvel at the engineering. The cuppa?...well, we entered the cafe to hear the serving lady moaning that she had had a busy day. The list on the door shows closing time as 5 o'clock and it was barely 4 o'clock so no problem!

(Mrs B) "Could we have two teas please?" Dear lady looks at watch, "Well, yes alright"..finishes writing in book and walks slowly across to tea counter. (Me with blood rising) "Forget it it's too near 5 o'clock" exit building in disgust. Barking Britain again and the dying tourist industry blames infected sheep! - give me Germany any time. 29/7/2001

 Due to the tea failure it was a Mac and then Crewe station to see 66244 arrive on a ballast with 66249 on the rear. 87004 "Britannia" waits to relieve "Henry" before heading South for London. 29/7/2001

 While waiting for the "Royal" another strange paint job arrived from South Wales, believed to be 153312 depicting a Dylan Thomas quotation. 29/7/2001

 The purple Deltic has moved at last and 9016 "Gordon Highlander" could just be seen behind those confounded LNWR screens. 29/7/2001

 47799 "Prince Henry" finally appeared, dead on time, where it was swapped for "Britannia" - very smart. 29/7/2001

 66163 performing a runround through platform 12 at Crewe in order to head a ballast train South. 15/7/2001

 Presumably waiting for the 13.45 Holyhead - London, 87013, "John O' Gaunt" was parked up while the shed performed. 15/7/2001

 My first Voyager as 220 018 entered platform 12, they look very good. 12/7/2001

 Determining which set is which will not be easy while on the move and the positioning of the numbers invites people to go to the platform edge to see. Please think again Virgin! 12/7/2001

 The 13.43 Holyhead - London is booked for an HST but today 47737 "Resurgent" appeared at the head. 87028 "Lord President" propelled it South. 12/7/2001

 It was 15.50 and the Middlewich-Arpley Enterprise ran through between platforms 5 and 6 which was surprise enough but to see 37411 "The Scottish Railway Preservation Society" at the head made my day. The train reversed and came back past platform 12 and stopped at the North end. I got half way along the platform and, yes, off it went. This locomotive was previously named "Ty Hafan" 12/7/2001

 66135 had been shunting scrap class 47's in readiness for their final journey to Wigan .....

 ....the cortege reversed out onto the main line before running through the platform 12 loop and away up the West Coast Main Line to oblivion. 12/7/2001

 Meanwhile out in the yard, D6700 had been parked up against 37420 "The Scottish Hosteller" which still retains its nameplates. 12/7/2001

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