The Cambrian Mountaineer and The Welsh Dragon.

9th May 2009

Railtours usually happen when I'm working. May 9 was an exception!! I thought I would try to get some coverage of both tours, so a North Wales all zones day rover enabled me to got to Shrewsbury and then onto Holyhead-saving not only Ł12 against the normal fares, but a fortune in petrol and enjoying a relaxing rail jourmey. The bonus was perfect weather in Holyhead! Many thanks to the Met office.

I was biased towards seeing The Duchess of Sutherland as this was to be her last summer in operation before a major overhaul next year. It was good to see 47798 Prince William as support loco, looking fantastic. This was truly a Royal train tour!!

D1648 or 47851-take your pick-Traction Magazine on the rear. 2009-05-10 16:21:00 Buy Print	47798 Prince William pays a flying Royal visit to Wrexham! 2009-05-10 16:21:00 Buy Print	47798 Prince William pulls away from a signal check north of Wrexham General, with ecs off the Welsh Dragon railtour, bound for Carnforth. 47851 is at the rear. 2009-05-10 16:20:00 Buy Print	47851 at the rear of the ecs move to Carnforth. 2009-05-09 16:22:00 Buy Print
47798 looking immaculate at the rear. This was an occasion when the support loco and lead loco looked as splendid as each other! (the stock also looked marvellous too!!). 2009-05-09 15:46:00 Buy Print	The Duchess pulls away from Holyheadwith aplomb, on the last leg of a rail tour for some time. 2009-05-09 15:45:00 Buy Print	Reversing onto the stock 2009-05-09 15:15:00 Buy Print	Looking at this beauty here, you could easily forget she is due for a major overhaul! Oh for a Tardis to go back in time to the Golden Age of steam!! 2009-05-09 15:12:00 Buy Print
47798 runs round to the rear of the stock. 2009-05-09 14:50:00 Buy Print	Name and detail on 6233 2009-05-09 14:38:00 Buy Print	6233 Duchess of Sutherland takes a breather, looking splendid. 2009-05-09 14:35:00 Buy Print	Close up of namplate on 47798. 2009-05-09 14:24:00 Buy Print
Cab of 47798, with the EWS 3 beasties! 2009-05-09 14:22:00 Buy Print	Holyhead now, and 47798 Prince William is in the holding siding with ecs off The Welsh Dragon. 57315 is in the background, with 175006 on a Manchester Piccadilly service. Blue skies all round! 2009-05-09 14:00:00 Buy Print	I accidentally chopped the signal in half as I attempted a shot of D444 on the rear!! 2009-05-09 10:15:00 Buy Print	97301 and 37676 depart Shrewsbury with The Cambrian Mountaineer, though a different headboard! 2009-05-09 10:14:00 Buy Print
97301 and 37676 ready for the off. Hundreds of enthusiasts briefly alighted for pictures! Note the new headboard mounted for the trip to Aberystwyth. The relevance escapes me though! 2009-05-09 10:08:00 Buy Print	Safe coupling. 2009-05-09 10:07:00 Buy Print	A real contrast in liveries! 2009-05-09 10:04:00 Buy Print	97301 couples up to 37676 for haulage to Aberystwyth. 2009-05-09 10:03:00 Buy Print
37676 Loch Rannoch awaits docking with 97301. 2009-05-09 10:01:00 Buy Print	The train arrives at Shrewsbury, hauled by Class 50 D444 Exeter (which ran low on water and oil at Leamington Spa!). 2009-05-09 09:59:00 Buy Print	Spitfire Railtours Cambrian Mountaineer from Bristol-Aberystwyth required a 97/3 as pilot loco fitted with ERTMS. 97301 awaits the arrival of the tour. 2009-05-09 09:30:00 Buy Print