CREWE - CHESTER -- BANGOR - HOLYHEAD  MONTHLY REPORTS July 2006 - PAGE TWO

The rebuilding of the North end of Crewe's platform 12 now appears to be complete. It all looks very modern and somewhat futuristic and really starts to show up the remaining structures. 30/7/2006

Viewed from the defunct bay the effect is more substantial than I first expected. 30/7/2006

There is even a new sign incorporating the "Virgin" logo. 30/7/2006

57313 "Tracy Island" sat waiting for the arrival of a Holyhead bound Pendolino. 30/7/2006

A view from the other end looking North - are the glass panels functional or just decorative? 30/7/2006

Clearance works are also progressing adjacent to trackless platform 13 where the LNWR glass panels have been demolished and the overhead wires removed. this shot is taken from Horse Landing and reveals a quite substantial and not unattractive set of buildings. Doubtless these will disappear when/if the full redevelopment plans come to fruition. 30/7/2006

Trees and plants growing in the roof guttering is not an uncommon sight at Crewe Station. 30/7/2006

Back to the subject in hand and an extra service to Holyhead arrived in platform 11 from the Shrewsbury line comprising 158826/158832/158782. I didn't see the train leave so I don't know if the sets were split at Crewe or whether they all continued to North Wales. 30/7/2006

66040 entered platform 12 with 21 hopper wagons in tow. The locomotive uncoupled and ran round before heading South. 30/7/2006

Somebody has defaced Pendolino 390029 "City of Stoke-on-Trent" with Superman vinyls! 30/7/2006

Every coach depicts scenes from the recently released movie. 30/7/2006

It looks diseased - yobs get community service for such "artistry" don't they. Form your own opinions but if this is the start of things to come I don't like it. Tarting up a 153 is one thing but a "Flagship" Pendolino is surely one step too far. Imagine what could have happened to Stanier Pacifics if they were still padding up and down the WCML! 30/7/2006

67014 came off the Stoke line and entered platform 12 with the "Northern Belle" stock, presumably returning from Lincoln after traversing the North Wales Coast Line the day before. 30/7/2006

Dead, on the rear, was 67020. 30/7/2006

390013 "Virgin Spirit" parked on the through line......

......while 57301 "Scott Tracy" arrived from Holyhead with 390006 "Virgin Sun" in tow. 30/7/2006

A good chance for a line-up shot! 30/7/2006

57301 headed South to return and park up in bay platform 7 - an in-yer-face shot. 30/7/2006

390006 head off for London Euston......

......which gave the opportunity for another line-up shot - pity about the post. 30/7/2006

The Northern Belle stock then left for the LNWR sheds for servicing. 30/7/2006

On the way out I noticed that two of the four tracks comprising the "Independents" were becoming over grown - doubtless these are the Manchester lines which have been out of use for some time and would still appear to be so judging by the degree of rust. 30/7/2006