NORTH WALES COAST etc.
CREWE - CHESTER - BANGOR - HOLYHEAD
OCTOBER 2002 - PART ONE

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 Having deposited its stock at the LNWR carriage sheds after working the morning FNW Holyhead-Manchester, recently painted 47773 "The Queen Mother" is moved into parking position at Crewe Diesel Depot. it will spend the rest of the day here before collecting its stock to return to Manchester for the evening return to Holyhead. 17/10/2002

 47370 "Andrew A Hodgkinson" emerged from the LNWR maintenance depot to run into bay platform 8. It then reversed to head for Basford Hall. 17/10/2002

 There still appear to be plenty of Class 47's about as two more entered the station from the Chester line. In the lead is 47790 "Saint David/Dewi Sant" with 47784 "Condover Hall" in tow. Both engines went onto the diesel depot to refuel before running into the depot buildings. 17/10/2002

 ...and there's more. 47812 "Pride of Eastleigh" appeared off the Stoke line to run North and off towards Manchester. Platform gossip indicates much route learning going on at the moment! 17/10/2002

 It would be a bad day at Crewe if at least one string of Freightliner locomotives did not transfer between Basford Hall Sidings and Crewe IEMD. Today 86606 led 86621 and 86614 round to the maintenance depot. 17/10/2002

 The class 87's are still in command of most North-South Virgin expresses before the introduction of the Pendolino sets oust them. Here, in reversed formation, 87034 "William Shakespeare" leaves for London Euston. 17/10/2002

 Class 90's still abound and 90023 padded around before hooking up to a selection of AC machines in the diesel depot yard. 17/10/2002

 Just then two EWS liveried class 90's shot South into the pale Autumn sunshine with a set of mail units - I forgot to note the locomotive numbers!! 17/10/2002

 After some delay the 9.21 Holyhead-London, now in the form of an HST, departed some 20 minutes down. Traction was provided by 43154 "InterCity" at the head with 43097 (shown) trailing. 2/10/2002

 There appear to be class 47 locomotives everywhere at the moment with very few working. 47805 "Pride of Toton" was parked, dead in Crewe station. 2/10/2002

 Pendolino 390010 "Commonwealth Games 2002" was padding up and down, presumably between Stafford and Manchester judging by the frequency. The unit is not in service yet. 2/10/2002

 37797 and 66125 were sat dead in the depot yard before 125 was started up and moved to couple up to the 37. The 37 was also started up and the two waltzed around the yard before leaving South. 2/10/2002

 They then appeared in the platform 12 avoiding loop. 2/10/2002

 Before heading North on the West Coast Main Line. 2/10/2002

 While all this was going on, 37798 appeared with the Sandbach-Warrington acid train. 2/10/2002

 One 47 that was working was quite a surprise in the form of 47811 clad in First Great Western livery. Such appearances at Crewe are not unknown but not too frequent. In tow were 90027 and 90025. 2/10/2002

 It took the two electrics through platform 12, presumably to Basford Hall. 2/10/2002

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