Chester, Wrexham, Shropshire - October 22

Vintage Trains on 22nd October have their Tyseley to Chester train with 5043 returning up Gresford bank, Wrexham and Shrewsbury. Realtime trains are showing timings for the route with a 16.38 departure time from Chester. There have been false dawns on this route before. Hall 4965 was due to use this route in November 2009 only to fall foul of gauging issues. So does this mean it's actually on and gauging has been carried out successfully. Or will it be a repeat of when Steam Dreams had 4936 pulled with a day to spare on its planned run to Kingswear last year, gauging again being the problem. .

It's fantastic news to have the prospect of GWR power on this GWR line, the first time, I believe since March 1998 with Mogul 7325. Unless it happened in the 70's. I cannot recall a Castle hauled train on this route since the Birkenheads in March 1967. 5051 ran in 1983 but I'm sure it arrived at Chester with a 47 pilot owing to fire risk. Both Kings have used the route, 6024 was the last time in February 1998. And the last time a Hall ran via Wrexham with an excursion was in 1979 with Hagley Hall although I think 6960 used the route in 1985 with the Exhibition train.

This is great news and Vintage Trains should be applauded if indeed it does happen.

 

Although Castles are "bigger" locos than Halls, they're actually a little more gauge-friendly. There's nothing quite like a Hall's cylinder cover for testing the gap to the platform edge! VT are pretty good at checking out their routes and other arrangements with NR in advance, and when they have had to postpone or re-route a tour, they've normally done it several weeks in advance. I'd say there would have to be a very last-minute problem to stop it going ahead as advertised. Mind you, where NR is involved, there's always that risk ;-)

 

Yes it did, this dates from the 70s, I'll see if I can find the date !

Edit ---- evidence would suggest this is Saturday 7 October 1978, 7029 having come north to Chester with a tour called 'The Fenman'. The Marches Venturer should have come north with 6000 the locos exchanging trains at Chester which happened a number of times back then but 6000 had apparently failed with a hot box. It hadn't struck me though that the last GW loco over this route was 7325, in 98 as stated by @7P6F.


Scott

 

I see it's not stopping at Walsall outbound.

How reliable are the LM trains to Tyseley first thing on a Saturday and/or what sort of parking is there at Tyseley?

I guess there is always the fall back of getting on at Wolverhampton if it goes pear shaped.

 

Plenty of free parking on tarmac is available at Tyseley.

 

Think you're right. The King went down the bank on a Newport-Crewe train on 21/2/98, a month before the Mogul, and was scheduled to do Chester-Shrewsbury on the return Chester Chuffer on 22nd December 2007. Quite late on this was changed to return to Bescot via Crewe and Stafford.

 

Looks good for the 22nd. The timings are up and the return is pathed via Gresford:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50654/2016/10/22/advanced

 

As 6000 is mentioned ,I photo'd KGV passing Bersham Colliery ,south of Wrexham, on 04/07/1987 with a Chester to Hereford.

 

Looks familiar, I may have been there too !

 

And since @7P6F mentioned 6960 with the exhibition train in 1985 here it is at Croes Newydd North Fork on Monday 10th June.
I must have taken the day off specifically to see this as I do remember being up to my neck in work at the time preparing for the move to Shropshire, and got rewarded with a typical June day !
Lots of change in progress at Wrexham with the lines on the north to west curve being removed so I suspect that's why we chose to go there. I suspect too that this is much changed now as well.
Certainly looking forward to seeing the Castle over this stretch on Saturday.

 

5043 roars across Chirk viaduct in the evening light heading for Shrewsbury.



Cheers,

Alan

 

Lovely shot Alan and very nice to meet you today. Here are my two short video clips from Wardle and Chirk Viaduct

 

Cracking Austin. You caught 5043 in full-on mode there today. Absolutely delighted to meet you both this afternoon, and double delighted to be able to replay the action from Chirk again, it wasn't hanging about was it? Looking forward to meeting you again track-side soon. All the best, Alan.

 

Cheers Alan, we were so lucky with that light at Chirk.

 

5043 has a growing number of gradients that have been demolished under its belt, Gresford Bank can be added to its tally!

Having joined at Wolverhampton we soon set sail for Stafford, the Earl taking advantage of the favourable gradients to soon reach its maximum, 76 recorded at Penkridge. After a eight minute stop at Stafford, we squared up to Madeley with our minimum being 62. As was expected, Crewe wasn't quite ready for us but what it did offer was a rare non-stop run through Platform 6 when we did get the road. After this, 5043 accelerated noisily away and was clipping along nicely though the Cheshire countryside, speed held comfortably in the mid-60s most of the way. Three miles out of Chester, we came to a involuntary stop (don't know the cause) but five minutes later we rolled into Chester arriving eight minutes late.

Chester was looking beautiful in the Autumn sunshine, 5043 even more so as she performed her various shunting moves. Departing bang on the dot, we now faced the rare challenge of Gresford Bank. We got a taste of what was to come with an energetic start towards Saltney Junction; just before Rossett Crossing the fireworks began and the climb was begun at near enough line speed. I don't think I can even begin to describe the next few minutes as 5043 tore into the climb, but she was sending just about everything running for cover!! Our absolute minimum was 38 as this magnificent machine ripped this climb to shreds, waiting for video footage with baited breath!

The rest of the run to Shrewsbury was just as brilliant as the Shropshire countryside was bathed in glorious late afternoon sunshine and an arrival at Shrewsbury in 57mins represents first class work from 5043 and her crews.

Onwards to Wolverhampton, the comparison in performance was very stark as we were frustratingly held to follow the 17.47 to Birmingham New Street and we were constantly legged up by this, however it did give us chance to sample more of that wonderful exhaust as the Earl worked away from the various signal checks.

This is a serious contender for 'Railtour of the Year' for me and was right from the very top drawer! Thanks to all at Vintage Trains and West Coast for a seriously special day. And it was great to meet 'Where's Mazeppa', thanks for the help with certain mileposts and for the company.

 

Nice shot Alan, nice to meet you this afternoon. My two shots from Wardle and Chirk Viaduct can be found at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pamw

Have been unable to upload the photos direct to the thread for some reason.

 

Excellent synopsis Mick, it looks like that you all enjoyed an exciting and high-speed day out behind 5043, it was certainly high-speed when it passed us at Chirk!! Like you, I am looking forward to further episodes of video capture of the trains progress. VT certainly know how to lay on "Express" steam. I must book up for the next one.

Cheers,

Alan

 

Likewise Pam, delighted to meet you this afternoon, I really enjoyed the banter with Austin and yourself.

All the best,

Alan

 

My two shots for the day, firstly at Waverton approaching Chester (it had just shut off and the safety valve was starting to lift). second at Croes Newydd running a good 5 minutes early. Looks different that Scotts shot further up the thread.