CREWE - CHESTER -- BANGOR - HOLYHEAD
 MONTHLY REPORTS
JANUARY 2006 - PAGE ONE
 

 First visit to Crewe for the new year, first day of the new year that we have seen any Sun in South Cheshire! The Manchester line is now effectively shut for upgrading and 66621 was in charge of a spoil train waiting to leave to head South. 11/01/2006

 I wonder what this will be? 11/01/2006

 57302 "Virgil Tracy was out on the headshunt and returned to enter platform 11 to await the arrival of the Pendolino from London Euston. Destination Holyhead. 11/01/2006

 I have commented before but it is strange to see the train approach the parked locomotive but of course the formation allows for docking. Previously the electric loco had to be allowed to get out before the diesel could take over. 11/01/2006

 No matter how many times you watch the coupling operation there is always a gathered crowd. I have to say it is fascinating to watch and complicated too. 11/01/2006

Smart. 11/01/2006

The connection went smoothly and worked first time, it didn't take very long either and soon the train was away en route for Chester and North Wales. 11/01/2006

Away through the tangle of steelwork that is Crewe. 11/01/2006

Back on the West Coast Mail Line the class 350's are now well entrenched, this one is 350123 ex Liverpool Lime Street. 11/01/2006

The Winter sunshine brings its own problems and shooting straight into the Sun can produce odd effects as this shot of an unidentified, northbound Voyager demonstrates. 11/01/2006

Another Voyager, this time 221122 "Dr Who", arrived in platform 12 from Holyhead en route for London Euston. 11/01/2006

DRS liveried class 66 number 66402 entered platform 5 to deposit personnel before running into the LNWR depot. It's a smart livery. 11/01/2006

 Two class 90's numbers 90034 and 90031, passed through the station from the IEMD and headed South. The EWS livery does suit these engines. 11/01/2006

 And finally.....something half decent in the shape of class 47 number 47826 "Springburn", changing crew and then also heading South. 11/01/2006