by Ken Jones. Added to website 3 February 2011
Ken writes:
Arriva Trains Wales {ATW} currently have an offer for the over 55 age group
(see Arriva Trains website
HERE)
any return on their
network for £15 and you can reserve a seat online at no extra charge. So as their trains now come as far east as Birmingham International I
did a day return on one of their longest routes [more than 4 hours each way] to Holyhead. I'm the only person on the day doing the whole
route in one go - the crews change at Chester or Shrewsbury and the line is now really 3 distinct parts - International to Shrewsbury,
Shrewsbury to Chester, and Chester to Holyhead.
But the stations along the North coast of Wales with their long platforms bring back memories of long holiday trains to places now visited by
families in cars. The views are still worth taking the train for. My last visit to Holyhead was to see two BR shunters used on the breakwater
on their own track, the only BR registered locos not connected to the national system.
I've had to enhance some of the pictures taken from the window due to reflections.
1. 158824 arrives at Birmingham as part of a 4 car unit from Shrewsbury. This unit will only be going back as far as Shrewsbury meaning overcrowding and standing for
passengers between Shrewsbury and Chester in the other unit.
2. 158841 in unbranded for Alphaline livery at the other end will take me all the way to Holyhead - taken at Birmingham International while driver changes end.
3. Birmingham airport from train. More planes now use the apron so the internal bus fleet has seen an expansion in number.
4. Birmingham New Street Signal Box from the train.
5. Midlands Air Ambulance from train at what I think is still part of RAF Cosford.
6. Shrewsbury signal box although most people take pictures of the bigger one. The route has semaphore signals and signal boxes still in use.
7. Near Mostyn you will see the Duke of Lancaster ship, beached in 1979 as a potential leisure centre - more information on websites
HERE
and
HERE.
8. The stations are in faded green / red / cream livery along the North Wales coast, but someone at least has painted the seats at Colwyn Bay.
9. Old station building and sign at Llanfair PG. I came here many years ago and am sure there was a small railway museum here because I bought a souvenir platform ticket.
10. Hunslet shunter at aluminium works on Anglesey.
11. There is still locomotive haulage from Holyhead including 57304 pulling Pendalino for service to Euston.
12. View of coupling between class 57 and class 390. (See also on this website
HERE)
13. My artistic shot of the day.
14. View of Holyhead station. The unit stops just under the roof - so it's a long walk to the buffers and the ferries - and no trolleys to help passengers.
15. Yes a long walk but at least you get to see the curvature of the station. I'm lucky I'm only carrying a camera.
16. Holyhead is still a major ferry port for boats to Ireland.
17. Bus services are provided in Holyhead by Goodsir coaches in plain white livery with contact details on the rear. This was
obviously a busy time as 3 buses wait for passengers.
18 ABOVE & 19 BELOW. Also during the week you can see top and tail loco haulage from Holyhead to Cardiff with ATW set using class 57s.
Only 57314 was at Holyhead during my visit - seen stabled in the sidings.
20. 158819 in former Alphaline livery with Arriva branding will take me back to the Midlands - but there is no trolley service after Chester despite one being advertised.
21. ATW sign at Llanfair PG with helpful information below as to how to pronounce the name.