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Towards Wales

A Railwayman's View - BR Midland Region by Peter Collins > Towards Wales
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Images 1-14 of 14 displayed.

LPPC DSL CO 0001001300250040-Edit A first-series Sulzer Type 2 Class 25 with corridor connections now sealed up and out of use, double-heads a sibling in multiple at the head of an arrival at Shrewsbury on a holiday season timetabled train using the ex-GWR north and west route via Hereford. It is heading south and these trains were often timetabled to run non-stop from Salop as far as Bristol Temple Meads but probably changed engines at Maindee Junction. Meanwhile, it being a Saturday, the 350hp Class 08 shunter on the right is stabled for the weekend until work restarted on Monday morning. Keywords: Digital, Rights Managed, Stock
LPPC DSL CO 004900610073-Edit High summer at Shrewsbury station and two BR Sulzer Type 2 Class 25s (25327 and 25283) come to a halt at the southbound platform starting signal with a dated summer timetabled train of Mark One stock, probably heading over the Cambrian main-line via Welshpool and Machynlleth to Aberystwyth from Manchester or Liverpool. Most of this traffic used to run at night, but this one didn’t, creating interest in the family waiting on the platform, or perhaps they are off on holiday. Note how the two locomotives carry their running numbers in different locations on the sides of their bodywork. Keywords: Digital, Rights Managed, Stock
LPPC DSL BW 00717 Chester’s platform clock shows 8 o’clock and I am not certain whether this is in the evening or morning. I would incline to the view that it is a Sunday morning as I clearly recall taking the Saturday night ‘Irish Mail’ from Holyhead, probably in 1975, departing about 02 00ish and spending most of the rest of the night standing in the fully-open buffet car with a large number of noisy Irishmen!
LPPC DSL CO 0176-Edit The BR Modernisation plan as set out in 1955 foresaw the complete withdrawal of steam power to be replaced by diesels and strategically situated electrification. It was a coherent and extremely comprehensive plan except for the approach to dieselisation which was basically scattergun in that it involved the ordering of new equipment from many different suppliers assuming at least one would be the right choice. Not only was this costly but difficult to control leading to many different types of train and locomotive being built, often without success. DMUs were not immune and whilst this Class 100 built by the Gloucester Carriage and Wagon Co lived a long life and one is here waiting at Chester with a stopping train to Manchester Piccadilly, there were very few of them, amongst the more common BR/Derby units, which required more spare parts than necessary and different skills to maintain them. Keywords: Digital, Rights Managed, Stock
LPPC DSL BW 0659 Sulzer Class 24 5044 is seen at Chester some time in 1973. The loco was repainted into BR Blue and given the TOPS number 24044 in April 1974, but was only to last a couple more years in BR service, being withdrawn in January 1976 and cut up at Swindon works in January 1977. This picture sums up the state of BR in the early 1970s, still pretty much operating as it did in steam days. Keywords: Digital, Rights Managed, Stock
LPPC DSL BW 1160 Interlude at Llandudno Junction 1. Brush Type 4 Class 47 number 47100 looks reasonably smart as it approaches the junction with the branch to Llandudno town itself and passes under a superb bracket signal. It is heading an up train to London Euston from Holyhead and has just emerged from Conway bridge. Keywords: Digital, ISO, John Stiles
LPPC DSL BW 1161 Interlude at Llandudno Junction 2. 47100 eases round the right-hand bend on its approach to the stop at Junction station just as a sibling 47 approaches with a Freightliner conveying early-style containers to be transhipped at Holyhead for Ireland. This service did not last long and has now long been discontinued. Note the further array of bracket signals worthy of attention by modellers. Keywords: Digital, ISO, John Stiles
LPPC DSL BW 1162 Interlude at Llandudno Junction 3. As 47100 brakes its train to a stop in Llandudno Junction’s main up platform the Freightliner for Holyhead is slowing as it takes the line towards the bridge at Conway. The containers being carried on its train have long since been discontinued as larger and longer boxes have been introduced often resulting in the need for relevant lines needing the tunnels and bridges en route expanded, to allow the gauge to be increased to carry them. Keywords: Digital, ISO, John Stiles
LPPC DSL BW 1163 Interlude at Llandudno Junction 4 The Freightliner has slowed to a stop at the signal which is set against it on the approach to Conway Castle bridge. Although the Britannia Bridge over the Menai Straits has always been famous for its method of conveying the railway in ‘tubes’, as can be seen, the Conway bridge was constructed on the same principle and is the only survivor as the former was destroyed by fire being rebuilt as a double-deck bridge, the railway sharing with the motorway standard A5 road which has also replaced the previous single-carriageway as seen here with a Ford Escort Mk2 and a Humber Sceptre amongst other 1970s vehicles. Keywords: Digital, ISO, John Stiles
LPPC DSL BW 1164 Interlude at Llandudno Junction 5 The prominent LNWR-style signalbox stands guard over the Junction behind which are an assortment of sidings containing empty excursion trains awaiting their time to head to Llandudno town itself to pick up their passengers for their return journeys. They are stabled here due to a lack of siding capacity at the seaside town. Motive power for the trains is a comprehensive selection of locos used by the LMR for these types of trains with, from; left to right, an English Electric Type 4 Class 40, a Sulzer Type 2 Class 25 and a Brush Type 4 Class 47. All of this traffic has now been lost to road. Keywords: Digital, ISO, John Stiles
LPPC DSL BW 1159 Interlude at Llandudno Junction 6 a Class 103 Park Royal DMU makes it way to Llandudno having just departed from LLandudno Junction station. The fascinating features of this photo are not directly related to the train. The background is dominated by the Great Orme, which enjoys a tramway to its summit. The platelayers hut appears to have an outside privy, and the collection of cars on the A546 include a Mk2 Ford escort, a Morris 1300, a Cortina Mk3 with twin headlights, a Triumph Spitfire and what could be a Morris Marina.... True 1970s nostalgia! Keywords: Digital, ISO, John Stiles
LPPC DSL BW 0779 Creeping through Llandudno Junction station so as not to stop before the signal ahead clears is one of the later English Electric Type 4 Class 40s. Numbers D345 to D399 were fitted with then-current fashion of central headcode-boxes when built and here is an immaculate, recently outshopped LMR example on its way to Holyhead with the daytime Irish Mail, timetabled to run non-stop from Chester to its destination. It’s being watched by a group of sailors/ratings on the platform, presumably going home on leave, whilst on the right the ECS sidings seem to be occupied by stored BR GUVs, CCTs and Mark 1 coaches.
LPPC DSL BW 00718 The signalman at Llandudno has found a neat place to park his Mark 1 Ford Escort whilst the participants of a railtour are about to enjoy a scenic trip down to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Their trusty English Electric Type 4 Class 40 possibly 40035, ringing away waiting for departure time. Visually, the signalbox here is almost a replica of that at Llandudno Junction a few miles south of the eponymous seaside town itself.
Galapagos 0010 A major component of British Railways’ activities were their shipping routes incorporating ports and terminals situated all around the UK from the single quaysides of the Isle of Wight services from Ryde and Lymington to the major continental/international terminals such as Dover, Harwich and Holyhead. This is the latter one dull afternoon in 1975. On the left is Cambria, first of a new generation of ships launched in 1949 to replace war-worn vessels and on the other side of the harbour is possibly Hibernia. Both were into the last years of their lives. Note the name Sealink emblazoned on the hull of the further vessel. This was the trendy new title given to the ferries business a few years before it was the first part of the rail organisation to be sold off and privatised. I admit to being dazzled by this scenario and moved to the company expecting an exciting new future…………. little did we know…..

Images 1-14 of 14 displayed.