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| 67029 propels Wrexham, Shropshire & Marylebone Railway crew trainer from Shrewsbury to Wrexham over the River Ceiriog viaduct at Chirk. Geoff Morris |
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| | 57315 and stock in new Arriva Trains Wales livery stabled at Holyhead for the new Holyhead-Cardiff service. David Lindsay |
DMU classes seen in the area are Class 185 (Trans-Pennine Express), Class
175 (Arriva Trains Wales), 158 (Arriva & East Midland), 156 (Northern & occasional visits by East Midland units), 153 (Arriva), 150 (Arriva, Northern), 142 (Northern) and 221 (Virgin). Emu classes seen are Class 350 (London Midland), 390 (Virgin) and 507 / 508 (Merseyrail Electric)
Loco-hauled passenger services in the area comprise Class 67 on Wrexham - London Marylebone services and Class 57/3 on the new Holyhead - Cardiff service which started in December 2008. Class 57/3 is also used to haul Pendolinos, mainly when WCML services are diverted due to engineering work.
Other classes, diesel or steam, appear occasionally on charter trains & empty stock movements.
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| 66304 passes Edge Lane Junction with empty hoppers bound for Liverpool Bulk Coal Terminal on 18 November 2008. When loaded, the hoppers go to Ratcliffe Power Station, on a new service operated by Fastline. On the left is the reinstated curve to Olive Mount Junction, expected to reopen during December 2008. Bevan Price | |
Most freight services in the area are operated by DRS, EWS and Freightliner, but Fastline & GBRf locos may also be seen. Details of booked services on the WCML and North Wales appear in the well-known "Freightmaster" book, and an on-line version thereof. The majority of diesel-hauled freight services are worked by Class 66 & 60, but Classes 37 & 67 also appear sometimes.
Classes 86, 90 & 92 work electrically hauled freights on the WCML, including some services to & from Garston.
The busiest freight centre in the area is Warrington, with other traffic being dealt with at Garston, Liverpool Docks, Oakleigh (Northwich), Folly Lane (Runcorn) & Ditton. Ravenhead (St. Helens) receives occasional oil tank traffic (about once every 3 to 4 weeks), but traffic to Knowsley ceased during 2007, following transfer of the "bottled water" contract to the Prologis terminal at Coventry.
In the Liverpool area, the curve from Olive4 Mount Junction to Edge Lane Junction is due to reopen in December 2008, allowing some freight trains to and from the docks to avoid reversal at Edge Hill.
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| 156.479 at Burscough Bridge on 22 June 2008, with the recently rebuilt station / bus interchange building on the left. Bevan Price |
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| 67030 towing 507019 through Chester en route to Birkenhead following application of City of Culture vinyls. Geoff Morris |
| | 185129 inside the main running shed at First Trans-Pennine's depot at Ardwick during a Branch visit. Geoff Morris |
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| | 66125 + 66084 at Hoylake on 21st March 2008, with a track-relaying train. Bevan Price |
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| New-delivered 66586 passes Chester locks on 6K22 Penmaenmawr - Basford Hall (its first revenue-earning trip). Geoff Morris |
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| 37417 at Upton-by Chester on 6L30 Warrington Arpley - Llandudno Junction (via Ellesmere Port) conveying spoil wagon. Geoff Morris |
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| 60091 at the rear of 6V47 Dee Marsh - Llanwern steel empties at Hargrave (diverted from Wrexham to Shrewsbury via Chester & Crewe). Geoff Morris |
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| Fairbourne Railway's replica Darjeeling loco departs Penrhyn Point station on the 1600 to Fairbourne.. Geoff Morris |
30/12/08
