For most of the period covered by these notes (late 1970's - early 1990's) in the Stoke area,
arguably the most interesting aspect of the local railway scene as viewed from the lineside
was that of the many and varied freight workings...  Almost all regular hauled passenger
services were in the hands of Electric loco's apart from those Sunday Engineering 'Dragging'
duties which usually produced a good mix of Classes 40 & 47 in the earlier 1980's.  There
were also once numerous excursions and specials could also produce diesel locos up front.
During the Summer seasons, a few dated diesel hauled passenger trains also ran, to add to
the interest, with all year round diesel turns only becoming a more regular feature from the
mid 1980's ...

1979.  The outward 1P38 08:25 SO Leicester - Blackpool N was routed through Stoke even though
the return ran via the Hope valley.  This was one of those summer dated duties referred to above,
covered by pairs of Class 25's in this year - a type more normally found on freight many workings
in this area, but there was also a second Class 25 passenger duty through Stoke, another Summer
Saturdays Only dated working, one that had run for many years, the 1D30 07:35 Nottingham -
Llandudno & 1D17 rtn which had been a traditional duty for Class 25's even back to the 1960's.
There was also a SO 08:57 Stoke-on-Trent - Holyhead service which was even then was a regular EH
Class 47 turn.  1979 was also the year that the loco-hauled SX dated 0840 Stoke - Llandudno
commenced operation, A brief history of this turn, quite possibly the most well known of the local
turns can be found here .
1980.  1D30 07:35 SO Nottingham - Llandudno & 1D17 13:00 Llandudno - Nottingham rtn ran again
continued to produce a 'Rat' on a regular basis but the 1P38 08:25 SO Leicester - Blackpool N ,
which ran for the last time in this year, again via Stoke outward, had become a solid Class 47
turn albeit usually a NB example.   1D32 08:41 SX Stoke-on-Trent - Llandudno & 1K38 17:17
Llandudno - Stoke rtn continued to be popular amongst enthusiasts by virtue of it continuing
to be a booked Class 40 duty.  
1981.  For the 1D30 07:35 SO Nottingham - Llandudno service, this would be the last season it
would feature regular Class 25 haulage., although it would, while the 1D32 08:40 Stoke-on-Trent
- Llandudno & 1K38 17:40 Rtn continued to quite often feature Class 40 haulage.
1982.  The 1D32 08:40 SX Stoke - Llandudno & 1K38 17:37 Rtn was still producing Class 40's
but Class 47's could be seen to be making increasing inroads into the once solid Class 40 turn
while the 1D30 07:35 SO Nottingham - Llandudno & 1D17 rtn now in it's last season as an hauled
service, had become Mk II stock with Class 47's providing the motive power.  This latter service
would continue to run formed of DMU veicules for the next four summers.
1983.  The 1D32 SX Stoke - Llandudno and 1D33 09:00 SO Stoke - Holyhead trains continue to run,
but now with Class 47's as the regular motive power, though 40086 did work 1D32 on the 28/6.
What else is known of these services from that year is shown on this sites Diary Pages.  It
should be noted, however, that the SX turn now included a couple of trips to Blaenau Festiniog
bringing a hauled turn to the scenic Welsh branch line.  The new May timetable saw a new Fridays
only turn via Stoke that was booked for diesel power under the wires, this was the 1M86 1111
Truro/1240 Plymouth - Manchester P - usually the booked Class 47, but with some peaks too and
50009 (1/7/83) also turned up!
1984.  The 1D32 SX Stoke - Llandudno and 1D33 09:00 SO Stoke - Holyhead trains continued to
run as per 1983 with 40143 making a token appearance for the Class, just for old times sake,
on 27/8, including the then regular booked two trips to Blaenau Festiniog.  During the summer
months of 1984 the number of loco hauled DMU's and substitutions on the Crewe - Derby route
increased noticeably, (especially on Fridays for some reason) a situation that continued
through to the end of the year.  May of 1984 also saw the introduction of a couple of diagrams
to and from Manchester that ran via Stoke turned over to HST operation from Electric locos
and hauled stock.
1985.  The 1D32 SX Stoke - Llandudno and 1D33 09:00 SO Stoke - Holyhead trains continue to run as per
1984 with D200/40122 making several appearances on 1D32, but now with only one trip to Blaenau Festiniog
as part of the diagram (see Diary Pages).  More 'diesels under the wires' diagramming was introduced from
May 1985, a feature to remain until the replacement of hauled turns by Virgin's Voyager units through
Stoke (and elsewhere).  The two diesel hauled services that ran via Stoke were part of the same diagram
these were the 1M88 06:33 Poole - Manchester P & 1V16 17:25 Manchester P - Paddington ,  the latter
easily covered for the purposes of obtaining haulage in an evening using a "Staffs Potter" evening
rover ticket.
1986.  This would prove to be the final season for the The hauled 1D32 SX Stoke - Llandudno and 1K38 rtn.
Class 47 operation of this duty continued but with a number of appearances by D200/40122 on the turn
which again incorporated the Blaenau Festiniog trip with lots of quality thrash for good measure.
A brief history of the Stoke - Llandudno turn can be found here . This was also the one and only year that
we would see, in addition to SX Llandudno turn, the Stoke - Holyhead booked to run six days a week, not SO
through the summer as in previous years but failed to produce anything but 47/4's.  From May the 1M88
0633 Poole - Manchester P still continued as before, but the balancing turn was now 1V81 1415 Manchester
P - Paddington each afternoon, formed of the same set of Stock, so therefore always a different loco.
1987.  A pleasant Summer Saturday Surprise came in the shape of the 1M23 13:57 SO Poole - Manchester Picc 
as this turn would regularly produce a NB 47 off a Southampton Liner.  The only hauled through service
to North Wales now was the 1D07 0820 SO Stoke - Holyhead.  1M88 0625 Poole - Manchester was, however,
while running through diesel during the week, was changing to Electric power and diverted to Blackpool North
on Summer Saturdays.
1988.  A year in which the only through trains to north Wales were formed by single Sprinters
and Crewe - Derby DMU failures and Loco-Hauled Substitutes became an increasingly common sight
as the year progressed...
1989.  ... and that DMU situation continued into the following year.  The period January - May 14th
saw almost daily loco-haulage over the Crewe - Derby route continuing very much as before.  With the May
timetable change, came the removal of almost all of the through workings beyond Derby and Crewe.
This was intended to improve timekeeping over the route and this also meant that the bulk of the
hourly service could be covered by just three Sprinter diagrams.  However, at the last minute,
due to the on-going shortage of available units, two of those diagrams, would be turned
over to loco (4 diagrams) and stock (2 sets)!  So, for just over two weeks, the Crewe - Derby service
 was Loco-hauled between May 15th - May 29th with 31/4's doing the honours more often than not.
From the Tuesday 30th May both sets of stock were combined and used to form 2D59 0815 Derby - Llandudno
and diagram, releasing two 'Heritage' sets to cover the two Crewe - Derby diagrams.  Other loco haulage
between Crewe - Derby did still occur, most notably the two weeks July 31 - August 13th when the route
was famously worked by pairs of Class 20's!  There were two more famous Class 20 hauled turns that summer
and these were also through Stoke, the additional trains from Blythe Bridge to Blackpool and Llandudno 
both turns ran for the three local "Potters Week" holidays.
1991.  2D64 0811 Derby - Llandudno & 2P90 1644 Llandudno - Derby rtn workings produced regular 2xClass 20's.
1992.  There was the 0840 Stafford - Llandudno & 1635 Llandudno - Stafford & both ran via Stoke... listing to follow.
1993.  There was the 1D61 Birmingham I - Llandudno & 1K67 1600 Holyhead - Stafford  via Stoke... again listing to follow.