A brief history of the SX dated Stoke - Llandudno & return.
The Stoke-on-Trent – Llandudno as a loco hauled
turn started operating for the Summer Season in 1979 replacing a dated through
service to Holyhead formed of DMU stock in previous years. The service was usually formed of Mk I stock
based at Crewe CS. The service ran from late June to mid September and was
coded 2D52 outward and 2K52 return in the first year, amended to 1D32 and 1K38
in 1980. The loco and stock would first
work ECS from Crewe CS to Viaduct siding, just South of Stoke-on-Trent station and
run around there, although, if the stock arrived late a run around in one of
the platforms, usually, but not always platform number two. Departing Stoke-on-Trent at 08:40 and
calling at most stations to Llandudno with a corresponding return working early evening with an
arrival back at Stoke-on-Trent just after 20:00. The
Stock would then be returned empty to Crewe CS. During the Stoke
Area 'Potter's ' holiday weeks the outward service would often start
back at local stations such as Longton, or more usually Blythe Bridge
and the return would be extended to Blythe on some dates too.
The diagram started out as a simple SX out and back working to the
seaside, and was booked for Class 40 haulage for the first four seasons
of operation although Class 47's would make increasing numbers of
appearances on this turn. A taste of things to come occurred
on the 19th August 1982. 40131, which had earlier worked
1D32, was called upon to
work a couple of round trips to Blaenau Ffestiniog and back using the
stock off 1D32 vice the booked DMU. This was the LMR
conducting timing trials with a view to
this becoming a regular thing. Obviously, the timing trials were
deemed a success, as for the Summer of 1983, the diagram was duly
amended so
that the loco, by this time
a booked Class 47, would also
work two round trips between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog before returning to the 'Potteries'.
In 1983 the diagram was therefore now as follows:
1D32 08:40 Stoke-on-Trent – Llandudno
2D64 11:05 Llandudno – Blaenau Ffestiniog
2D81 13:30 Blaenau Ffestiniog – Llandudno
2D65 14:53 Llandudno – Blaenau Ffestiniog
2D86 16:25 Blaenau Ffestiniog – Llandudno
1K38 18:00 Llandudno – Stoke-on-Trent
The same pattern of operation continued through to the end of the 1984
season, but in 1985 the diagram was again amended so that only a single
Llandudno
and Blaenau Ffestiniog round trip was included. A second hauled round trip to Blaenau Ffestiniog was now covered by a loco and stock on a Birmingham Diagram. It
should also be
noted, that during the period of the Crewe Station Remodelling, 1D32
& 1K38 were not only diverted out and back via the Manchester area,
but
also, the stock was serviced and motive power provided by Derby,
resulting in a more varied selection of locos being used than
the standard EH fitted 47/4 that had become the norm, at least for
those few weeks. The return working
was also extended through to Derby on a handful of evenings during this
same period. 1986 saw the final season of this working with the
turn
now booked to run for an extra week during late May and it was also
retimed when compared to other years too.
By 1986 the diagram was as follows:
1D32 08:20 Stoke-on-Trent – Llandudno
2D11 14:40 Llandudno – Blaenau Ffestiniog
2D18 16:05 Blaenau Ffestiniog – Llandudno
1K38 18:15 Llandudno – Stoke-on-Trent
1986 in more detail. D200
made no less than 15 visits (out of an expected 20) on the diagram during 1986. D200 was expected to work the above diagram for
four complete weeks vice the by then usual 47/4, all dates were known about
well in advance amongst the enthusiast community. These dates were Monday-Friday 26/5-30/5, all of which D200 did
work without fault. The second week was
Monday-Friday 4/8-8/8, where D200 worked as booked on the 4th, but
47616 was an unpopular substitute in the eyes of many when turned out to work
the turn on both the 5th and again on the 6th. D200 was back on the 7th, but
further disappointment again followed on the 8th when 47538 was
turned out. D200 was next expected ‘out
to play’ on this turn for the final two weeks of the season on what we already
knew to be the last year of operation for this diagram. This, it was hoped by
many, would be something of a grand finale for the Class 40 on the
Stoke-on-Trent – Llandudno service that had started operating as a simple out
and back, booked loco-hauled diagram some 8 years previously then with a Class
40 the regular booked motive power. The
third and penultimate week with D200 went well, working each day, Monday-Friday
1/9-5/9 with a noisy but good-natured crowd of followers in attendance
throughout. The final week of operation
for this diagram, Monday-Friday 8/9-12/9 was off to a promising start with D200
again in attendance, but at Llandudno after working 2D18, a derailment resulted
in the cancellation of 1K38 on the 8th and the appearance of 47453
on the 9th. Thankfully, D200
was back on the 10th and in top form once more, but it was already
known by this point that everyone's favourite ‘Green Machine’ would not be
available for the last ever Stoke-on-Trent – Llandudno which was to be Friday
the 12th. So it was, on
Thursday 11th September 1986, that D200 became the last ever Class
40 to work the Stoke-on-Trent – Llandudno service (and also the last Class 40
passenger turn at Blaenau Ffestiniog
prior to CFPS owned 40145 on the Railtour of the 11th June
2005). For the record, it was 47459
that worked the last ever Stoke-on-Trent – Llandudno. For more memories of D200's last run on 1K38 follow this link .
The years that this train ran, with links to Service listings where available...
1979 , 1980 , 1981 , 1982 , 1983 , 1984 , 1985 , 1986 .
All known workings for all of the above years may be found by looking at the Diary Pages on this site.
If you have any memories of this turn or can add any details or 'Gen'
re these services then please contact us via the usual email addresses.
This page last amended : 28/12/2008.
Site © and maintained by Clayhead
& UD