More of 6201 "Princess
Elizabeth" as it thrashes out of Crewe past the
VW/Bentley factory (formerly Rolls Royce). The sight, the sound
and the smell were incomperable on this, the longest day of the
year! The line runs East-West so it was a telephoto straight
into the sun, not the best but it portrays the scene well. 21/6/2003
37896 brought 47780
and 47759 out of Crewe Diesel Depot and parked them both down
the yard. 17/6/2003
37669 brought 92017
down the WCML and ran South through the station. It then reversed
and PUSHED the 92 back through the station and out onto the Chester
line, presumably onto the IEMD. 17/6/2003
47786 "Roy
Castle OBE" was in charge of the 10.21 Birmingham-Holyhead.
17/6/2003
The occasional
Class 86 can still be seen at Crewe. This is 86212 "Preston
Guild" pushing South to London Euston with a diverted
manchester train. 17/6/2003
Llysfaen in North
Wales and 47810 "Porterbrook" feels its
way round the curves towards Penmaenhead tunnel with the 07.45
London-Holyhead. 14/6/2003
It was Princess
Elizabeth day on the North Wales Coast but things were running
late. The 10.21 Birmingham-Holyhead should have run behind the
charter but, thanks to the Prestatyn Observation Crew, I was
in position to catch 47737 "Resurgent"
as it raced across the viaduct at Llanddulas. 14/6/2003
Waiting for charter
trains can be a time consuming occupation but when it's Summer
on the Coast waiting can be a pleasure especially when sat looking
at the sea. Even this Cormorant was asleep in the warm sunshine.
Then I got the call from Prestatyn.....it was on its way. 14/6/2003
The class 47 took
about 15 minutes to reach the viaduct from Prestatyn but there
is a stop at Rhyl to contend with. The Stanier Pacific took barely
10 minutes and was going some as it approached. Sitting on the
embankment at Hartford (Cheshire) in the 1950's, the heyday of
steam for me, I would see the whole range of ex LMS locomotives
in their various forms and liveries but the events that linger
in my memory most is the sight and sound of a Princess Royal
coming round the curve South of the station. Having left Crewe
I would guess that the speed was around 80 mph by the time Hartford
was reached and they would still be working hard. The exhaust
beat produced a cross between a rapid clicking sound and a harsh
purr - the double chimney of the Coronations softened the beat
so it was only the PR's that produced it. The class was small
so there were not too many opportunities to hear it but I will
never forget it and it was reproduced on the Coast on Saturday!
What more can you say? 14/6/2003
The usual stop
at Llandudno Junction gave me the chance to overtake the train
and await its passing elsewhere. This time I chose the Conwy
Estuary Nature Reserve and was again given plenty of warning
of the train's approach due to the exhaust. It appeared from
behind the trees to access the cob, the driftwood on the stones
indicates wetter days from the past. 14/6/2003
Conwy Castle rarely
fails to impress as a backdrop and, today, the light breeze was
coming from behind the engine, taking the steam vertically from
the chimney and against the Castle ramparts. No noise, just the
gentle barking from Lizzie as it eased towards the Castle tunnel
- a mournful burst from the Stanier hooter and it disappeared
into the town. 14/6/2003
A hot Summer day
in North Wales and plenty of time to hang around before the return
trip. Here the locomotive has just left Penmaenhead tunnel and
was really working hard as can be seen from the exhaust against
the cliff face. Speed was quite low and I thought the train was
in trouble but maybe the regulator was closed down while passing
through the tunnel because in the few hundred yards to pass me,
the speed had picked up considerably. 14/6/2003
Accelerating away, 6201
"Princess Elizabeth" passed through Llysfaen,
East of Colwyn Bay with the Colchester-Holyhead "Irish Mail"
on its return leg. The pier in the background is used by boats
loading stone from the nearby quarry and the bridge over the
rear of the train carries the feed conveyor.14/6/2003