MONTHLY REPORTS

CREWE - CHESTER - BANGOR - HOLYHEAD  JULY 2014 - PAGE ONE

Crewe station and 150250 leaves on the Crewe-Chester shuttle. 04/07/2014

On the Heritage Centre 60163 "Tornado" was already in steam in preparation for its trip to Carlisle with "The Border Raider" the following day. 04/07/2014

Pendolino 390005 crawled in to the station off the Manchester line. 04/07/2014

5972 "Olton Hall" arrived on time in "Hogwarts Castle" guise. The engine was travelling from Carnforth to Tyseley and was stopping off for water. 04/07/2014

The Hall entered the UDL (up and down loop, thanks to Frank Myatt for the clarification) where it stopped to take on water. Steam locomotives usually stop in platform 12 and I wondered if stopping where it did was due to clearance problems with the platform edge. However, in October 2002 the loco was in platform 12 so, unless the track had moved or the loco changed, there had to be another reason.. In fact it looked as if the reason was that a DRS freight was scheduled for platform 12 for a crew change and its train length was significant. 04/07/2014

Running maintenance, 04/07/2014

The hose. 04/07/2014

Sections of the station have been fitted out with a somewhat comprehensive lighting system. 04/07/2014

Diesel shunter with flashing light on top! 04/07/2014

The weeds are flourishing. 04/07/2014

The DRS freight arrived behind 66301 and, when the train stopped, its length prevented access to platforms 12, 11 10 and 9 as well as the loop carrying the Hall. Needless to say the freight only stopped for a couple of minutes. 04/07/2014

5972 set off. 04/07/2014

Back at Sandbach, 92044 "Couperin" powered a freight through the station with....

.....66730 tucked in behind. 04/07/2014