Friday August 20th
Awaiting the 0654 unit at Leighton station, a 31 rounded the corner. For a split second i thought our 310 unit was being dragged. Closer inspection saw it was 31119 dragging Eastern units on our regular MWFO Ilford – Wolverton Works drag.
Meeting up with Tony Ewer at the Keynes, we endured a procession of dull haulages both North and West. It was some hours later that the first reasonable power of the day in 47357 took us forward from Flint to the “junction”.
Whilst waiting here 25115 clattered in with a flask from Trawsfyndd. Whilst we examined the destination label on the flasks solebar we were told in no uncertain terms to get away from the train by an irate guard emerging from his brake van.
When a steaming “peak” arrived we laughed not at the dull power in 45057, on a 40 turn, but the fact the boiler was steaming in August!
Leaping from the steamy Mk I’s at Colwyn Bay we were soon rewarded for our patience with that unique big nose profile of a class 40 on approach with heads leaning out of the front Mk I coach too! 40181 was taken just back to the Jn where we hoped for a 40 hauled mileage move on one of the returning Holyhead – Eustons. This proved to a very dud move as 47492 was flagged first, then slightly better “genny” 47404 was bashed along the coast to Crewe.
On arrival here my mate shouted “theres a rat in”, I replied “probably on vans” but we legged it over to join a very vo “rodent” in 25168 on a short rake of Mk I’s. The 1510 Crewe – Llandudno control relief with 2 happy bashers in the front seats of an otherwise lightly loaded train. We enjoyed the small Sulzer sounds immensely but bailed at Chester, happy with 22 odd “rat” miles.
After we watched the now well loaded 25’s train leave Chester we raked in yet more EH 4’s and the Flint chippie. We had viewed 40073 Holyhead bound earlier and were well pleased as she whistled into Chester on her return diagram. At Crewe 85008 was soon roaring in, so we opted for change of scene as we headed North behind this “roaring beast”. Preston that evening, portion power wise, was “EH city” though another “genny” in 47413 was a surprise on 1V53 as we arrived at Lime St
Phots from 200882
25115 at the Jn wih the flask from Trawsfyndd
August steam heat courtesy of 45057 at Colwyn Bay
40181 at Holyhead prior to working the 1517 1J53 Holyhead – Manchester Vic service, a Trev Rolfe phot
25168 at Chester with the 1510 Crewe – Llandudno control relief
20/8/82 Fr – Moves and gen
31119/units 312/5xx
86218 1H04 0650 Euston-Manchester MK-CR
47509 1D32 0840 Stoke-Llandudno CR-CH
47483 1D33 0930 Crewe-Holyhead CH-PR
47447 1K11 0815 Holyhead-Crewe
47459 1J66 0953 Bangor-Manchester V PR-FL
47357 1D35 0945 Manchester-Bangor FL-LJ
45057 1J30 1157 Bangor-Manchester V (steaming) LJ-CB
25115-nuc waste-phot
47556 1A45 1021 Holyhead-Euston
47500 1D44 0900 Euston-Bangor
40181 1D29 1045 Manchester V-Holyhead CB-LJ
47492 1K29 1207 Holyhead-Euston
40073 1D42 0950 Euston-Holyhead
47447 1D43 1000 Euston-Holyhead
47404 1A56 1259 Holyhead-Euston LJ-CR
25168 1510 Crewe-Llandudno Rlf CR-CH
47500 1A61 1436 Bangor-Euston CH-CR
47492 1D63 1727 Crewe-Holyhead CR-FL
47447 1K36 1707 Holyhead-Euston FL-CH
40073 1A82 1805 Holyhead-Euston CH-CR
85008 1P79 1805 Euston-Blackpool CR-PR
47479 1P79 1805 Euston-Blackpool
47429 1F27 2146 Preston -Liverpool PR-LS
47413 1V53 2355 Liverpool-Penzance LS-CR
Saturday August 21st
A long queue of holidaymakers all heavily laden with luggage patiently waited for the barrier to open for 47413’s Liverpool – Penzance train. The atmosphere despite the late hour was buzzing, Summer holidays beckoned for groups and families of all ages. Our fears of a wedge were unfounded as all the holiday crowds piled into the rear coaches leaving the 6 bashers aboard sprawled out in the front coach with a bay of 4 each.
So windows open i sat back to enjoy the unique Sulzer sounds of a Genny” opening up in Lime St tunnels. I apparently took a bit of waking up at Crewe where we bailed and it was to prove a “can city” that night. We suffered 86204 forward to Wigan on S19 which as usual was freezing and desolate in the wind, We were pleased to escape on an albeit dull “roarer” in 85021 forward to Preston. “No 82 or 83 on the Barrow splitter portion tonight then”.
The return run to Crewe and onwards to a grey, chill Llandudno Jn saw us bail dog tired and after much average power overnight we perhaps were not in the highest of spirits for a “Summer Saturday in the coast”. To a Mutley style mutter of “about bloody time” 40181 whistled in with the early morning Bangor – Manchester. Bashers were dossed out in at least the leading 3 leading coaches so we settled 4 coaches back! On leaving our enjoyment of the thrash was disturbed by an unfamiliar elderly enthusiast opening our compo door and in a pompous Oxbridge accent asking if “we had any TOPS gen”. Its fair to say that even i had a print out for the whole world in my trusty Adidas bag i wouldnt have genned up this bloody “ned”.
With myself and colleague still muttering abuse we bailed “ned” style at Colwyn Bay although in the company of many 40 men fresh off their overnight! Mr Oxbridge was nowhere to be seen either! On arrival at a now sunny Llandudno our spirits lifted instantly of seeing two 40’s on stock in the station. The sight of 50 odd bashers leaving the DMU and crossing the island platform at Llandudno to join 40198 on the 0900 York enraged one of the barrier grippers. He came running up to “nip our tickets” but was suitably rebuffed with 50 “impeccably” valid “Roveaways” and other Rovers being presented.
The rare 40198 performed in style on the branch and there was much flailing from the front coach. This bashing game’s brilliant i mused, required 40 up front, the sun is shining, soche crowd and all memories of that rancid overnight vanished! The Colwyn Bay bakers move, then a very required clawback on Tony Ewer with 40008 forward.
Just before departure we were impressed on seeing 25323 on the first Manchester – Bangor, the expressions on the faces of the 40 men said it all for them! And so the Summer Saturday on the coast panned out with much class 25/40/47 haulage on a virtual procession of holiday trains. The festers were short, the bashing crowds soche, the sun never stopped shining and the lengthy rakes of Mk I’s that made up most of these trains were full of happy holidaymakers from all over the country.
Despite being “genned up” by the locals we still had one or two trains that we didn’t know what was coming on all the many trains. Eastern 40077 on the York – Llandudno being an unexpected surprise. And so with the sun still shining a bit we bailed off 40029 at Chester, our Coast bash over, simply brilliant!!
Phots from 210882
The ticket that brought all the fun of the Coast!
40198 looks enticing as she waits departure time from Ludo with 1E86 0900 Llandudno – York
40141 storms through Colwyn Bay with the 1440 Lawley St- Holyhead liners
Whistling beast 40124 awaiting the tip from Prestatyn with 1E82 1353 Llandudno – Sheffield/York. 40029 wasn’t far behind with 1J22.
21/8/82 Sa Moves and gen
47543 1V14 0147 Crewe-Cardiff
86255 1H00 0045 Crewe-Manchester
86233 1S23 2124 Bristol-Glas/Edin
86204 1S19 2147 Bristol-Glas/Edin CR-WI
85021 1P54 2345 Euston-Barrow WI-PR
81018 1V61 2340 Edin/Glas-Bristol PR-WI
86231 1M14 2200 Stranraer-Euston WI-CR
47447 1D04 0605 Crewe-Llandudno CR-LJ
40181 1J10 0709 Bangor-Manchester V LJ-CB
47432 1A23 0624 Holyhead-Euston
56346}
51181}
56332} 0627 Rock Ferry-Llandudno CB-LL
51187}
40198 1E86 0900 Llandudno-York LL-CB
47447 1A66 0921 Llandudno-Euston
47404 1A41 0930 Llandudno-Euston
25323 1D34 0745 Man Vic-Bangor
40008 1J66 0944 Llandudno-Manchester CB-RH
47492 1K28 0920 Holyhead-Crewe RH-PR
40124 1M08 0752 Leeds-Llandudno PR-RH
47323 1D30 0735 Nottingham-Llandudno
47483 1D33 0930 Crewe-Holyhead
40029 1D35 0945 Manchester V-Bangor RH-LJ
25323 1157 Bangor-Manchester LJ-CB
40141 D.Liners-Phot
47437 1J30 0900 Euston-Bangor
40181 1D29 1045 Manchester V-Holyhead-phot
40077 1M71 0900 York-Llandudno CB-LJ
47500 1A56 1259 Holyhead-Euston
40124 1E82 1353 Llandudno-Sheffield/York LJ-PR
40029 1J22 1358 Bangor-Manchester PR-CH
47437 1A61 1436 Bangor-Euston CH-CR
86244 1A61 1436 Bangor-Euston CR-MK
end
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