Crewe-Rail

Class 50,s At Crewe

2012-02-19T12:05:00.000-08:00

Going back to around 2003/4 theese two class 50,s arrived on route to Scotland on charter duties.This was a double day of treats with "7001 The Duke Of Gloucester" arriving only a few minutes later (pictures to be dug out and posted soon).
If only theese magnificant Locos were still on the scene daily today.............

86259 Stops off at Crewe

2012-02-18T08:44:00.000-08:00

This morning saw a hardy bunch of enthusiasts await the arrival of the fantastic looking 86259 (Les Ross),On charter duty and heading to Carlisle the engine looked fantasic in its blue livery.The weather was cold and wet but as you can see it was all worth it in the end...............

6201 Lizzy at CHOLMONDELSTON

2012-02-17T14:08:00.000-08:00

Only caught on mobile i'me afraid.

Crewe Station 2011

2012-02-17T12:21:00.000-08:00

Featured pictures are the fantastic 47237, class 57601 the recently re-modelled Alstom Pendolino.........Who says Crewe has had its day!

175 Of The Railways In Crewe

2012-02-16T22:40:00.001-08:00

Over to our friends at Crewe Heritage Centre...
2012 is an important year for us at Crewe Heritage Centre!

2012 marks 175 years since the railways first arrived, leading to the development of the town we now know as Crewe.

2012 also marks 25 years since Queen Elizabeth opened Crewe Heritage Centre.

The year kicks off on Saturday 5th May as the Mayor of Crewe will launch of the 'Crewe 175 : Celebrating Crewe's Heritage 1837-2012' exhibition in the main Exhibition Hall.

21st July sees a special exhibition to celebrate 25 Years of Crewe Heritage Centre.

The year will close on 7th October with a signalling gala organised by the Exeter West Group.

If you have any photos, documents or artefacts relating to the history of Crewe or the Heritage Centre and would be happy to see them on display, please get in contact with us.

In addition to the above celebrations, a number of further events are in the process of being organised so please watch this space for further details!

Crewe Sation December 2011

2012-02-16T10:52:00.000-08:00

Crewe Sataion And Heritage Centre Pictures Old 35mm Scans

2012-02-15T11:44:00.001-08:00

2012-02-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

Taken In 2007 at Crewe Heritage Centre.....An unusual type of Traction on site for the day.

All Things Crewe

2012-02-15T11:22:00.000-08:00

Crewe Still a Mecca for Steam Fans all these years after the last engine rolled of the production line, or after the last scheduled passenger service stopped at platform 5......Now home to the Era of Voyagers,Desiros but still home to the Fantastic47s (every now and again),57s,86s,90s,92s,87s and 60s.

61994 "The Great Marquess" At Crewe

2011-03-27T05:26:00.000-07:00

61994 THE GREAT MARQUESS AT CREWE HERITAGE CENTRE

2011-03-27T05:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend saw 61994 "The Great Marquess" On site at Crewe Heritage, as well as being the star attraction of the day giving brake van rides for a small donation (it was free entry this weekend) there was a railway auction taking place on site as well as "The Royal Scot" 6100,two class 37s a class 47,a class 87, and a number of work in progress steam locos and boilers including 6233 and 60019 click here for further information on forthcoming events at the Centre.

37510 D.R.S Departing Crewe south

2011-03-22T02:45:00.000-07:00

DRS 37510 Departing Crewe south (platform 12 run through),this short video was taken in Feb 2011.

Crewe Station 2011

2011-03-22T02:32:00.001-07:00

A small collection of photos taken on Crewe station during the early months of 2011,these include DRS 37510, Freightliner 90041,57316 (Blue),and the no longer Shropshire and Wrexham 67012 the Virgin Class 57 in the foreground is 57302 .Hopefully with a new pc to hand there will be a lot more to follow as well as updates of rail tours that are coming through Crewe and activities at the ever popular Crewe Heritage Centre.

Trains in strange places

2010-09-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

Virgin trains "Trainig academy" is situated on the Crewe Bussines park,on a recent walk round the park I discoverd a pendolino 390 033 at the back of the building.Placed on rails and fenced off the front few units of the train are obviously used for staff training purposes and show Virgins commitment to there training academy and to crewe(the units are not cheap working or not).You are free to walk round the back and have a look but beware on a weekday the unit will be in use and I am sure the staff would not apreciate anyone getting in the way,however at a weekend the academy is closed and it is an ideal opportunity for a closer look at Virgins flagship.

57306 "Jeff tracy" On the Crewe to holyhead drags 18/09/10

2010-09-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

92013,66171,66008 Departing Crewe north

2010-09-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

Lms British Legion project "The unknown warrior"

2010-09-17T11:22:00.000-07:00

The British Legion project to create a "Patriot class" steam engine that can not only be used on the mainline to generate revenue of the causes the legion support but also to raise awareness of all the great work the charity do.The project is a few years away from completion but like the completed "Tornado" project it is great to see enthusiasts bringing pieces of history back to life.Below is a brief overview of the Patriot class, for more information on the project or to make a donation to the british legion go to the website here

The 3 cylinder LMS Patriot class was introduced towards the end of Sir Henry Fowler's reign as CME of the LMS, a position he held from 1925 until 1932 when William Stanier was appointed in his stead.

Publicly the class was presented as a rebuild of Bowen-Cook’s large boilered Claughton 4-6-0 and the first two were produced from the remains of two Claughtons badly damaged in accidents. There is some dispute as to how much original material was re-used but it would not amounted to much more than driving wheels, bogies and some standard fittings.

In fact the Patriots as they were known after 1937 were a small boilered version of the Royal Scot, utilising a very similar chassis combined with the Derby designed G9 ½”S boiler utilised on the rebuilt Claughtons.

After the first two were produced the pretence that they were rebuilds disappeared (though they did replace an equivalent number of Claughtons) as only the 6’3” bogies were reused. The last ten to be built (nos 5542 to 5551) were regarded as new builds.

Technically the class had three 18” x 26” cylinders (identical to the Scots), 6’9” driving wheels mated to a boiler pressed to 200lbs. Originally intended to number 57 units the last five were built with Taper boilers and became the first of the Jubilees.

All the Patriots were painted out in LMS crimson lake livery with pale yellow and black lining when first built and carried 'LMS' lettering on the tenders. From 1946 most were painted out in LMS lined black with straw and maroon lining. Some Patriots kept this style of livery in very early BR days with the name British Railways written in full on the tender. All of the class were later painted out in British Railways standard Brunswick green with orange and black lining with the BR 'lion and wheel' logo or later BR crest on the tender.

The class, often referred to as 'Baby Scots', were an immediate success (unlike the Jubilees), displaying consistently good performance, marred only by the tendency of the wrapper smokebox to draw air after high mileages. With the exception of 45508 (hideous stovepipe chimney and the 18 rebuilt with the 2A boiler) no major alterations were attempted and the class was withdrawn over a two year period between 1960 and 1962 having all covered around 1.3 million miles each, unfortunately too early to be considered for preservation. The last two withdrawn (45543 and 45550) were in good condition on withdrawal.

Unfortunately all were scrapped.
Pictured in crewe works in the 1950,s.

LNWR Class 158 Refurbishment Announced

2010-09-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

LNWR Class 158 Refurbishment Announced

Trains used on Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) mainline service are to be upgraded thanks to Welsh Assembly Government and ATW funding. Ministers are providing £7.5 million to the improvement programme which will take place over the next 18 months, with trains in Arriva’s fleet undergoing a complete upgrade at LNWR Crewe. This will include new seating, a state of the art Passenger Information System and improved luggage storage facilities, additional space for wheelchairs, as well as a full refurbishment of toilets. Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said: “This Assembly Government investment in Arriva Trains will see a much better travelling environment for passengers with trains upgraded and modernised. Our aim is to make the travelling experience more appealing. There is strong growth in the number of people travelling on train services in Wales and we are investing in these improvements to make people’s journeys more comfortable and more enjoyable. We hope these refurbishments, as well as our significant investment in improving Welsh train stations, will get more people out of their cars and on to our trains.” Arriva Trains Wales Commercial Director Mike Bagshaw said: “This extensive programme of improvements to Arriva Trains Wales’ fleet marks a major milestone for the franchise. Arriva Train Wales is now one of the most punctual train companies in the UK with passenger numbers growing all the time. Our focus now is very much on improving the quality of our trains and stations, together with reducing journey travel times. This joint program of investment between Arriva and the Welsh Assembly Government will deliver a step change in quality and will benefit the millions of passengers every year travelling on our main line routes. “Arriva Trains Wales in conjunction with Angel Trains and ALSTOM has committed to significant investment in its Class 175 fleet, which serves routes between North and South Wales and Manchester. Work on the fleet has already begun with the first completed unit already in service. All 27 units are expected to be completed by May of next year with new carpets, seat covers and a refresh of the vestibule area. The Welsh Assembly Government funded refurbishment of the Class 158 fleet will be one of the most extensive of its kind the industry has seen to date, delivering an “as new” train interior designed around the needs of today’s traveller. Work on the Class 158 fleet is scheduled to begin in December 2010 with the programme for all 24 units expected to be completed by summer 2012. Passengers will start seeing the refurbished trains come into operation from January 2011, when the first units will be released into service. The funding agreed by the Welsh Assembly Government also enables the refresh of the Arriva Trains Wales Class 153 fleet. Eight units are due to undergo considerable improvement work including a full repaint of the passenger saloon, the replacement all flooring and fabrics, as well as a refresh to the toilet facilities. The 153 programme also includes work to increase the height of seating in relation to windows, to improve visibility and comfort during journeys. Work on the Class 153 units has commenced at Arriva Trains Wales’ Canton Traincare depot and the first unit has now been completed.

A few shots at crewe on a rainy day!

2010-09-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

Northwales explorer steam tour passing through crewe

2010-08-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday the 21st of august sees an exciting steam tour pass through and pick up from crewe,after travelling through the midlands and stopping at crewe 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe will head down the North wales coast line to llandudno junction leaving enough time to take in the local attractions before heading back to crewe and beyond.This Is a reat chance to see an engine which Isnt as familiar a site passing through crewe as other locos.Times at crewe to be announced shortly......(click on the picture for tour information and prices and look at vintage trains railtour website).

Crewe heritage centre August 2010

2010-08-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

A quick update of whats on site at Crewe heritage centre at the moment.......

Crewe station(saturday morning visit)

2010-08-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

A quick stop off at crewe station to see a class 57 thunderbird (57311) and a network rail dmu test train.In the bays to the south of the station I found west coast railway 57601.

6233 DUCHESS OF SUTHERLAND AT CREWE

2010-06-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

The Duchess of sutherland In her new colours departing from Crewe station.

Stobart rail at Crewe

2010-04-30T10:51:00.001-07:00

A few pictures of the loco 92017 "Bart the Engine" (taken in crewe today)Its a great class 92 loco to see on Its journey each morning through Crewe on Its way to Scottish supermarkets(Tescos).Visualy the loco is one of the brightest and most colourful locos you will see on the rail network.It passes through crewe usually on the underpass(although it can be seen well at coppenhall moss and just off earle street where theese pictures were taken) Between 7.50am and 8.20am each weekday morning always northbound and with a long haul of containers behind................While waitng this morning frieghtliner "66501" came past with a long line of empty flat beds.

A few More Heritage centre pictures

2010-04-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

A1 Tornado at Crewe heritage centre

2010-04-13T23:51:00.000-07:00

A few pictures of the fantastic A1 Tornado locomotive taken on a slightly dull tuesday evening at the heritage centre.The loco drew a good amount of people to the centre and to have the loco In steam was an added bonus.

Direct Rail Services open day at Gresty Bridge

2010-04-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

Click on the Title to fill out an aplication form for your chance of attending the now annual Drs gresty bridge open day.Taking place on july the 10th this will be a must for anyone who likes there modern Traction and a chance to see one of the most poular frieght companies headquaters.Admission will be by a small charitable donation.Get the form filled out quick as demad has been huge in previous years.More news nearer the time.........

TORNADO AT THE HERITAGE CENTRE THIS WEEKEND

2010-04-09T22:44:00.000-07:00

Crewe Heritage Centre will play host to the countries newest steam engine "A1 Tornado",built by the A1 preservation group over many years Tornado is the only British steam train to be built in the last 50 years(so this is a unique opportunity to see a very rare loco).The loco will be there saturday and sunday(10-4) and from monday and tuesday night from 4pm(In steam tuesday and a A1 preservation film showing on the monday.Admission Is 5 pounds for adults on sat/sun and a reduced rate monday and tuesday 3pnds.

April photos.Arriva train wales 57313 and wrexham and shropshire 67012

2010-04-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

Another few photos taken at a very wet Crewe station,The now familiar site of 57313 arriving with the 7.34 service to cardiff.Also a bonus of seeing 67012 shropshire and wrexham railway pull into platform 10 and holding for a few minutes befor heading off down the chester line.

Crewe 2010

2010-03-28T10:46:00.001-07:00

Crewe to rhyl behind the Duchess of sutherland....

2010-03-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

One for the 37 fans

2010-01-16T10:55:00.001-08:00

Cheshire Railway Modellers Exhibition/Crewe heritage centre

2010-01-16T10:42:00.000-08:00

Cheshire Railway Modellers Exhibition(At Crewe Heritage Centre)
24th January 2010

The 3rd Cheshire Railway Modellers Exhibition takes place in the Exhibition Hall between 10am and 4pm.

The exhibition - which is always well attended - will raise money for St Luke's Hospice at Winsford as well as The Crewe Heritage Centre.

Approximately 20 layouts expected, with a selection of British and overseas prototypes plus trade support and the Heritage Centre's full size exhibits. Light refreshments will also be available.

Admission is £4 for an adult and £3 for children and seniors. There is also a bargain family ticket at £10 which will admit two adults and up to three children.

contact Bob Hughes at bob@cheshirerailwaymodellers.org or on 01270 759837.for further details about the event.

Bad weather continues...Travel updates

2009-12-21T21:23:00.000-08:00

Click here for some of the latest travel updates on the rails and on the roads,The cold and snowy weather looks here to stay fot a couple of days so please plan your journeys carefully and be careful

Crewe Heritage centre

2009-12-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

The friends of Crewe heritage Centre blog is run for the sole purpose of promoting the good work and events that take place at what is surely one of Crewes best tourist attractions.The blog here Is gearing up for a busy 2010 with the centre ever changing and new events In the pipeline(as well as some changes on the Board),so If youve never visited the centre or you just want to keep updated with all the events planned for 2010 take a look at the blog and plan an early visit to the centre in 2010.The next special event is the cheshire model railway exhibition at the end of January(more details to follow).

Hitachi looking to build a new Carriage site in the uk

2009-11-29T09:30:00.000-08:00

The story below highlights hitachi's intentions to expand their interest in the uk rail market,They are reportedly looking for a new site to build carriages for the uk market along with the creation of over 500 new jobs subject to completion of contract talks currently taking place.....
Tuesday, 24th November 2009
In Business In Japan,

Hitachi announces UK plans
Japanese firm Hitachi has announced it is to move into the UK train building market.

Under plans revealed today (November 24th), the firm will manufacturer railway carriages to be used on British tracks. The trains will replace existing high-speed models and are expected to be completed by 2018, a spokesperson for the group told AFP.

In total, Hitachi plans to build 1,400 hybrid carriages which will be run on lithium-ion batteries and will have diesel engines.

The deal is set to be finalised by March next year, reports suggest.

Hitachi manufactures a wide range of products and makes the famous high-speed bullet trains in Japan.

It is also involved with a deal involving making trains which run on the Great Western and East Coast main lines, as well as the manufacture of around 170 train carriages to be used in the Channel Tunnel linking the UK with France.

Following the announcement, shares in Hitachi rose on the Japanese stock exchange.

Written by Kimberley Homer

North Shropshire forgotten station may re-open...........

2009-09-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

A short journey down to a forgotten North shropshire railway station may soon be possible from crewe,serving Baschurch and its surrounding villages The station originaly closed during doctor Beechings spell of closures and now all theese years later there are calls for the station to reopen and to serve North shropshire and beyond.As you will see from the report here there would not just be benefits to the surrounding villaes but towns like shrewsbury and telford would also gain important links.......If only we could get the same sort of response for the one time proposal of reopening Beeston station.

Crewe heritage centre final weekend

2009-09-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

Next week will see another excellent season at Crewe Heritage centre draw to a close(other than special weekends during the winter),so If you havnt visited already this year why not take the opportunity and go along next saturday or sunday beetween 10am and 4pm.Below is a few pictures taken at the centre taken earlier today, they show the wide range of engines/locos on display as well as plenty of other Crewe and rail related exhibits in the hall(Bentley motors and a travelling post office to name but a few).Featured are 6233 The Duchess of Sutherland,6201 Princess Elizabeth,6009 The union of south africa......remember pop along and enjoy.For more information click here to see the heritage centre website.

Inside Crewe works(paint shop)

2009-09-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

I found this old 35mm image of the Inside of what was known as the paint shop at Crewe works,I cannot recall when the picture was taken but have a feeling It would of been In the early 90s at one of the open days or when as a youngster fences were for hopping over to get a closer look at engines under repair at the Works.I find the whole scale of what the works once was fascinating and find it hard to visualise what the place must of been like at Its peak, that is now such a long way in the past.

MORE CHESHIRE RAIL DAYS

2009-09-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

Crewe Station A tour (part one)..........................

2009-09-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

A set of photos that are the start of a more detailed set which will highlight as many areas of Crewe station as I can(Including some of the stations hidden gems).The photos below are all of the station platforms and bays on the main lines of the station,there are a number of other platforms and bays that are both used and unused which I will show in more detail soon............CREWE SOUTH,SERVING THE MIDLANDS,LONDON,SHREWSBURY,STOKE ON TRENT AND DERBY

ON THE RIGHT IS PLATFORM 12(NORTH WALES) WITH 11 IN THE MIDDLE SERVING LIVERPOOL AND EDINBOROUGHPLATFORM 5 AND 6 SRVING ALL NORTH AND SOUTH DESINATIONS WITH THE HIGH SPEED THROUH LINES IN THE MIDDLE/AND FRIEGHT LINES,
AS YOU CAN SEE IT WAS ANOTHER RAINY DAY IN CREWE.......................

North Wales coast rover ticket..............

2009-09-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

Arriva train wales offer a whole range of rover tickets covering a few or all of the counties in North wales(its your choice choosing from two to all counties/Varying prices).Rovers are an excellent way to discover the stunning scenery of Wales or even for a few trips to the sea side with the family.They arnet always advertised very well and restrictions on tickets can sometimes be complicated but not with this excellent service,with a excellent chester service in place the welsh border is less than 30 minutes away by train just click here to see all details of the service.

Crewe days...............They can be brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-08-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

Disapointing short spell at Crewe

2009-08-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

A quick stop off on the way home from work at Crewe station provided little in terms of results,However the three excellent class 47s sit proudly(and gleaming) awaiting there next charter duties on the old Crewe diesel depot sidings and as ever the class 350 london midland livery(Euston/Birmingham) bound trains were in abundance.

Mid cheshire line re-opening campaign gathers pace

2009-08-23T09:16:00.000-07:00

Below is an interesting article from the mid cheshire chronicle which is an interesting read for all those who work and travel to both Northwich and middlewich,your thoughts on the below proposals are always welcome.
Campaigners get platform for restoration of Northwich-Crewe rail link
Jul 29 2009 by Dave Goodban, Mid Cheshire Chronicle

A LONG-RUNNING battle to restore rail links from Northwich to Crewe is back on track.

Council chiefs have given their backing to a project to upgrade the obsolete line and reopen Middlewich Station for the first time in 50 years.

Supporters of the scheme say it is now ‘full steam ahead’ and rail users have welcomed the news, which follows a report by Railway Consultancy Ltd on behalf of the Middlewich Railway Steering Group (MRSG).

The dossier said upgrading the Northwich-Crewe line for passenger services and reopening Middlewich Station is viable and talks between project leaders, Network Rail and Northern Trains are imminent.

MRSG chairman Vernon Perkins said: “The option which provides a service from Northwich to Crewe via Middlewich far exceeded our expectations, providing a benefit-cost ratio which is substantially higher than the threshold required to take the project further.”

It is understood the cost of implementing the scheme could be as little as £1.5m – and rail bosses could rake in up to five times that amount in increased revenue.

Mid Cheshire Rail Users’ Association chairman John Oates told the Chronicle: “This is a great opportunity to do something really important for Northwich at relatively little cost – the infrastructure is already there.”

He said the project would mean passengers travelling from Northwich would be able to change at Crewe and go straight to major cities including Birmingham and London.

And, he claimed, the plans could be realised ‘in less than five years’.

Cheshire West and Chester council’s environment portfolio holder, Neil Ritchie, added: “A new direct rail service between Northwich and Crewe via Middlewich would be of great benefit to all the county’s residents.”

The report also said the project would reduce the volume of people commuting by car and the local impact of climate change, and will help stem the growth of fuel costs over the next 20 years.

With a population of 13,600, Middlewich is currently the largest town in Cheshire without a railway station.

Stakeholders have been calling for the return of a passenger service in the town for more than 15 years.

The Holmes Chapel Road station has not been used since 1959.

Cllr Ritchie said: “This paves the way for taking the scheme to the next stage, including getting the all-important backing from the rail industry.”

Steam tours through crewe.........

2009-08-23T02:56:00.000-07:00

Over the next week there are two uk steam railtours coming through or departing from Crewe,1st up is the scarborough flyer which is scheduled to depart from Crewe at 07:10 on friday the 28th of august heading off to scarborough and then returning to Crewe at approx 21:49.The tour is to be hauled by LNER A4 Class 4-6-2 no 60009 Union of South Africa (Courtesy of the railway touring company) the train is listed as fully booked.Next up is the Cumbrian mountain express which is to be hauled by one of three engines either 60009 as above/46201 princess Elizabeth/46233 Duchess of sutherland due to depart Crewe at 06:08 and returning at approx 22:08, The locos will be calling at carsile in beetween and the tour is courtesy of the railway touring company again.

Very sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-08-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

Just to say how sorry I am that the blog has been missing/not updated over the past few months.Thanks to a certain internet provider I have been without a connection for nearly three months,now finally with a new supplier and a great internet speed blogging just got a lot easier.............sorry again but hopefully there will be no future problems and the blog will go back to being updated on a regular basis.If you have any stories or pictures you would like to see included on the blog please feel free to leave a comment/e.mail and I will do my best to get them on to the blog page.Many thanks scott.

Crewe station DRS class 66 photos(july 29/09)

2009-08-22T03:59:00.000-07:00

Class 66425 and 66433 awaiting a signal to head south from Crewe station,on there way to the gresty road depot..........................66428 takes the lead.

Old Crewe videos..........

2009-02-02T10:31:00.000-08:00

Model railways for charity,this sunday!!!!!

2009-01-20T08:35:00.000-08:00

The latest Cheshire Railway Modellers exhibition takes place on Sunday 25th January at the Heritage Centre off Vernon Way (by Tescos). The enthusiasts held a similar event at this time last year to raise money for charity and are repeating the exhibition in aid of the same two charities - St Luke's Hospice at Winsford and the Heritage Centre in Crewe. It all starts at 10am and runs until 4pm in the afternoon. Admission is £4 for an adult and £3 for children and OAPs. There is also a bargain family ticket at £10 which will admit two adults and up to three children. Proceeds after expenses will be donated to the two charities.

BBC NEWS | England | North Yorkshire | Public unveiling for steam train

2009-01-06T02:40:00.000-08:00

BBC NEWS | England | North Yorkshire | Public unveiling for steam train

West coast overheads damaged again!!!!!

2009-01-04T09:52:00.001-08:00

Click on the west coast mainline title(above image)for news of yet more west coast mainline disruption.....

Merry Xmas From the Blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-12-24T00:11:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a very happy and safe xmas for 2008,and a happy new year.I hope you all get what you asked for and that 2009 brings you all everything you would like.Ive featured a nice xmas day image from the welsh highland railway to set the scene,I don't suppose we will have a white xmas but if anyone gets any local snaps that they would like featured on the blog please e.mail them me or feel free to post a link on the comments section.Merry xmas again.............................

New Timetable comes into effect....14th December

2008-12-16T01:44:00.000-08:00

With Network rails major upgrade of the west coast mainline now complete new timetables have come into effect as of 14th december 2008 for local and national services affecting Crewe,There will be services which cover North/south/mid Wales all coming through to Crewe to head onto destinations such as Manchester.There will be the Manchester to london train calling at crewe and stoke as well as Northern rails standard Crewe to manchester/Airport services.Chester services remain unaffected as do Shrewsbury services...The major change comes with virgin announcing there will be on service from Crewe to Glasgow direct(london to glasgow service).For those who are affected by local services head over to the Manchester Community Rail Partnership website(link at the side of the page) to view most of the local service timetables as published by the relavant Train operating company

The good old days(click here for link)

2008-12-16T01:05:00.000-08:00

Here is a link i have been sent that shows just how much crewe station/traction has changed over the past ten to fifteen years,This excellent fotopic site is the work of Dave rowlands who has a collection of over 125 photos dedicated to Crewe in the early 1990s especially.

Class 52 westerns to visit crewe......

2008-12-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

The class 52 western diesel locomotives will make an appearance at Crewe over the festive period,On the 29th of December at around 10:15am on its way North to carlsile.The class52s may be double headed and should make an excellent site on what will probably be a cold and chilly winter morning.For more information follow the link for uk rail tours at the side of this page or go to pathfinder tours website :for times and prices:www.pathfindertours.co.uk

*******Update***********
Pathfinder tours have now announced that there will now be class 56s pulling this charter,not the "Westerns" as planned above..Timings are now departing Crewe at 10:40am.

You Tube channels

2008-12-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

Over on you tube is a small band of people dedicated to bringing you a good selection of Crewes rail movements at its best and sometimes its worse,Todays featured is from a young lady who goes by the you tube tag of puffernutterlou,she has a large selection of videos covering all major steam and diesel events in and around Crewe....this one features one of Crewes finest steam engines"6233 The Duchess of Sutherland" on charter duties earlier this year,enjoy!

Steam Workings at Crewe(Black five locos)

2008-12-06T04:19:00.001-08:00

The 13th of December is the next steam run through planned for a stop at Crewe station ,that is the xmas"Cathedrals express going to Chester,with a Crewe built "Black five loco"...due in crewe roughly around 11:00-11:30am will pause and fill up with water on platform 12 before departing for Chester,as yet i have no return times and i am unsure if the loco will need to fill up again on the return journey...The black fives were probably one of the least glamorous classes of locos during there working life,known for there strength and versatility rather than speed and distance records.Now restored a selection of the locos are available to travel on at preserved railways such as the Severn Valley railway,and the East lancs railway..However its not very often we get to see one on a mainline working.I hope to get out and see the loco and will post any pics/videos over next weekend.

45 JOBS TO GO AT RAIL COMPANY

2008-12-04T01:58:00.000-08:00

Following on from the news that LNWR Crewe are being taken over by Arriva transport,Bombardier train maintenance company has announced plans for 45 job cuts of which 38 are office based staff and 7 in manufacturing.The company is "allegedly" going through a consultation period and have asked staff for voluntary redundancies first before any other action is taken.It seems it is just as tough times for the rail industry as with any other business sector at the moment and we can only hope that things don't get any worse over the next six months or so as the economic downturn continues..

From HST,S TO A NEW 125 FLEET

2008-11-30T06:34:00.000-08:00

BREL BUILT CLASS43S AT CREWE:1970S
Remembering the now old class 43 hst/hst2s its ironic that these old units are being used as the base for new plans to introduce a new fleet of intercity 125s on the East Coast(gives a general idea of what they are looking for)Under current plans, the trains will be available in electric, ‘self-powered’ (e.g. diesel) and dual-mode versions. According to the DfT’s specifications, it is ‘essential’ that the trains be capable of speeds of at least 125 mph, and ‘desirable’ that they be capable of higher speeds such as 140/155mph when under electric power, in order to allow for future line upgrades.

As part of their franchise commitments, National Express East Coast are to introduce the first ‘pre-series’ trains from the Intercity Express Programme on the East Coast Main Line in 2012.

On 16 November 2007 the Department for Transport issued its Invitation to Tender for the Intercity Express programme to three consortium's which have been short-listed to bid for the project:

Alstom-Barclays Rail Group
Express Rail Alliance (a consortium between train-builders Bombardier and Siemens with financial support from Angel Trains and Babcock & Brown)
Hitachi Europe
In late 2007, Network Rail suggested that the DfT should abandon the diesel version of the Intercity Express for cost reasons. They argue that because of new emissions regulations and the minimal demand for diesel-powered high-speed trains abroad, it would be cheaper to electrify the lines on which the IEP would operate (the Great Western and Midland main lines, and infill electrification on the Cross Country Route) than to buy new diesel trains.

On 12 February 2008, Alstom announced that they had withdrawn from the bidding process, preferring to focus on needs that can be met with existing technology. On 26 June 2008, four days before the end of the bidding process, it was announced that their partner, Barclays, had re-entered the project by joining forces with Hitachi Europe to form Agility Trains Ltd.
Timeline
16th November 2007 - Government hands out Invitation to Tender
Summer 2008 - Proposals to be received from bidders
April 2009 - Contracts Signed[8]
2013 - Start of pre-series train running
2014 - Fleet introduction
Even after all theese years of not producing built locos/engines "the works" is still setting the standard of future builds all over europe.

Thankyou All ..............................

2008-11-28T07:35:00.000-08:00

A big thankyou to all those people who have visited the Blog over the past two/three months,I only added a hit counter about four weeks ago and the site has has over 1,000 hits since then (averaging 20-45 hits a day)....So a big thankyou to all those who visit the site and especially those people who take the time to e.mail me Train times/special events and other usefull information,thankyou.
Hopefully the Blog will continue to grow and I am now looking at ways of developing what is published on the site further and a little more depth to a few of the stories......Again many thanks.

7100 THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

2008-11-28T01:09:00.000-08:00

This is a video taken a few years ago,The Loco had just come out of Crewe works after a paint Job and service.......its probably my favourite steam engine and certainly is a loco that when in steam could easily transport you back in time to that Golden era of Steam......If you have any 7100 pics/videos you would like to share please feel free....

Crewe steam runnings.....................this week!

2008-11-25T04:30:00.001-08:00

A few things happening this week.

From the Heritage Centre:

Tomorrow (Wednesday), 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley is due off site at 10:54, and departs from the station at 11:03 via Sandbach on its journey to Scarborough.

Saturday, The Cathedrals Express is due through at 12:41 from London on its way to Chester, it will be pulled by a class 50 diesel. The return trip will be pulled by 34067 Tangmere which is due through at 16:46. Obviously Tangmere will run from Crewe to Chester light engine sometime during Saturday but we aren't certain of the times yet.****UPDATE****The class 50s have now been replaced by a class 47 diesel******

Proposed station news

2008-11-22T07:44:00.000-08:00

For those that are interested in an alternative view on the proposed station move please follow this link and have a look at railnews.co.uks article taken from Aug,the article itself states there are four proposed options for the station and that public consultation/roadshows will take place before any decision is made(that is in a network rail statement).Also have a look at the comments from other readers towards the bottom of the page, this gives you a great indication of what people outside the area think of what is being proposed:http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/general/2008/08/05-crewe-cream-re-siting.html
Copy and paste the link into your web browser to go straight to the relavent page.

60007 SIR NIGEL GRESLEY (VIDEO)

2008-11-22T06:45:00.000-08:00

Finally been able to upload the video (more to follow) of the visit of 60007 sir nigel gresley heading for the heritage centre after arriving at Crewe on charter duties......The class 47 47854 then took over duties:

Old Crewe junction

2008-11-22T04:14:00.000-08:00

This is an old image of "Crewe Junction" looking northbound...The chester and north wales lines are pulling away on the left of the picture,and on the right is the Manchester lines with what is now the West coast mainline heading straight northbound.The midge bridge is in full view heading into the old Crewe works site(This picture gives you a good idea of the scale of the works,you are looking at crewe station end and the works carried onto the far end of west street..about 1.5 to 2 miles long).The 1st bit of building you see is the site taht is now occupied by the crewe heritage centre and beyond that Tesco................The grand structure of the General offices(on the old chester line) is clearly visable in the background as is the towering chimmneys of the steel works,a fantastic picture which i have no date for but gives a great reminder of why Crewe works was and still is so important to the people of crewe and the way crewe has developed over the years....

Tangmere Arriving at Crewe "Today"

2008-11-20T03:05:00.000-08:00

Locomotive 34067 Tangmere will be arriving in crewe this afternoon,times are very kindly provided by glyn at the Heritage centre(the locos destination) times are as follows:
UTTOXETER 11:17 12:07
CAVERSWLL PASS 12:32
LONGTON PASS 12:40 2
STOKEOTJN PASS 12:47
STOKE PASS 12:52
KIDSGROVE PASS 12:58
ALSAGER PASS 13:07
BRTMLEYJN PASS 13:16
CREWE N S PASS 13:25
CREWE 13:28 13:36
CREWE HC 13:41 13:45
CREWE HC 13:50
Unfortunatly i will be stuck at work,but if anyone does manage to get any snaps/videos they would like to share please feel free to e.mail them me........

Crewe rail:A small collestion of pics.........

2008-11-19T03:26:00.000-08:00

Crewe2Manchester community Rail

2008-11-17T02:48:00.000-08:00

The Crewe 2 manchester community rail website http://www.crewe2manchesterrail.org.uk/ is a site and organisation dedicated to maintaining,promoting and providing information for all things related to the train journey from Crewe 2 Manchester (and all stations in between).They are currently running a on line survey through there website which when completed gives you the chance to win one of five pairs of Train tickets(courtesy of Northern rail),it Will take only five minutes of your time.So why not visit the site using the link above and find all the latest price and ticket information you may need for planning a journey and a guide to events on the line,or alternatively follow this link to complete the survey....http://snaponline.snapsurveys.com/siam/surveylanding/interviewer.asp

E.mail the blog and comments

2008-11-15T09:53:00.000-08:00

Please feel free to e.mail or comment on any issues/stories or memories you would like to be covered or investigated further by Crewe rail....e.mail to : cityspottermus@yahoo.co.uk or alternativley feel free to comment on any of the stories or photos you see posted on the blog.Your comments good bad or indifferent are always apreciated and give a good indication of the type of person is viewing the blog and what information(if any) they are looking for..
Many thanks for those who keep making reular trips to the blog...Crewe Rail.

SANTA SPECIALS AT FOXFIELD RAILWAY

2008-11-15T09:26:00.000-08:00

Please click on the above image to make it bigger,and easier to read.

6007 SIR NIGEL GRESLEY AT CREWE

2008-11-08T06:51:00.000-08:00

A quick stop off at Crewe station at around 1 o,clock today saw 6007 sir nigel gresley arrive and depart to the Heritage Centre in some style..........More pics and video footage to follow.

1985 a year of change.....................2008 maybe the same

2008-11-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

23 years ago the whole of Crewes rail network was reshaped to cope with a vast increase in rail traffic,and to cope with the vast amount of high speed trains(Intercity 125s/Class 87s) that were about to take command of the West coast mainline.Now just over 20 years on Network rail have decided that the millions of pounds spent then were not enough and more must be done to give the West coast traffic and Crewe a chance of coping with faster trains a massive increase in volume and stiff competition to achieve faster times between north and south.That brings us round the the station (proposed) move or regeneration......All the signals are that Crewe station as it stands is not going to be able to cope with the amount of trains in use in 15/20 years time so they plan to either change the layout and signal network completely (including major station overhaul including shops and car parking) or move the station 1.5 miles down the road to the second option of a brand new parkway station that would probably be not directly linked to the Mainline and would struggle to serve locations such as Manchester and stoke on trent as well as the present station does now.Protests are already well underway to stop the move(if it was to happen) and any decision is probably going to be years away but the station is a focal point of the town and something local people are very very proud of,so should it stay or is it time for change all round...........your thoughts?

Steam arivals (update)

2008-11-05T23:58:00.000-08:00

A small update to the arrival of Sir Nigel Gresley on Saturday, theres been some sort of pathing problem between Warrington and Chester, so the train will now come to Crewe direct from Warrington, arriving in Crewe at 12:58. The 60007 will then come onto the centre and the train will continue to Chester behind a diesel.I will hopefully be goin along to try and grab a few snaps,however if you have any you would like to share please e.mail the blog.Scott
**UPDATE**
Stockport 12.09
Cheadle Hulme 12.22
Wilmslow 12.30
Sandbach 12.48
Crewe a 12.58
Thanks to glynn for the above update on times.(Arriving on the manchester line/not warrington as first stated).

Steam activity in Crewe this week

2008-11-02T13:08:00.000-08:00

Ive been sent some really usefull information regarding steam activity in Crewe this week(Many thanks glyn,from Crewe heritage centre):There are two steam locos due through Crewe, first is on Wednesday a Black 5 No 45231, The times are as follows Sandbach 19.00
Crewe UML a 19.17
d 19.33
Basford Hall a 19.45
d 19.49
Gresty Lane a 19.57
d 20.01
Crewe IEMD a 20.15
Its (obviously) coming down the Manchester line, through the station, turning at Gresty, back through the station and onto the Electric Depot to have its tyres turned. It should then be departing on Friday and running up to the East Lancs Railway at Bury. We also have 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley coming on Saturday. Its pulling a train from Scarbourgh to Chester returning via Crewe. It arrives in Chester at 12:30 and is there until it departs at 17:30. We've not got the official times yet but should be in Crewe around 18:00. It comes off the train at Crewe and will then come onto the Heritage Centre for two weeks.

Winsford station

2008-10-21T03:14:00.000-07:00

If your looking for a place to see north bound freight activity(southbound is Basford of course) then there are a few places you can go and get good views or photos:
1.Winsford station as featured in a clip of mine you can see all sorts of locos coming through the station at full speed heading for Allerton and widnes(Class 86 featured).
2. There is a good footbridge just slightly down the line from Parkers road bridge(leighton to warmingham area of the town),if you walk down the footpath provided you can get excellent views of both north and southbound frieght and as many pendalinos as you can shake a stick at..............
3.The mucky bridge (situated at the back of crewe cemetry,cut throught o the sherbourne estate................
4.The heritage centre bridge,just befor Tescos on vernon way crewe is a great place to see rolling stock just before it enters the station or the underpass(station bypass for most frieght locos).................................

Princess Elizabeth (6201)

2008-10-21T03:00:00.000-07:00

6201 Princess Elizabeth is the loco i have probably seen/photographed and filmed the most over the years....Here is a small clip of the locomotive doing the runaround at crewe south(to brake van),taken in 2006 it just gives a taste of the sounds sights and well you can imagen the smells locos like this make when they are steaming so close to you.There are some fantastic preserved locos that all have a Crewe history which i have a film archive of and will try and find a way of uploading them on here(they are big files)...especialy footage of 7100 The Duke of Gloucester on its first run for a few years after a overhaul and paint job had been completed at crewe works 2005.That will hopefully be on here soon......................

Festival of transport this weekend

2008-10-14T02:28:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, 19th October There's a Festival of Transport being held between 10am and 4pm at Crewe Heritage Centre. It's a gathering of classic vehicles - buses, military stuff, Bentley cars, classic Minis, Capri Club, the MG Club and much more. It's all in aid of the "Changing Places" fundraising effort which will provide a specialist toilet facility for people with special needs and disabilities over at Christ Church. The cost of a family ticket is £5, adults £2.50 and children just £1. Please contact Nicky Gallimore via email here or call 01270-661812 after 5pm for more details... Cheers to glyn for the above information,well worth a visit especialy in aid of a good cause.see you there...

A signal box you rarely see....................

2008-10-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

Another picture of a Crewe signal box,situated on the other side of town(Crewe south) you only see this box if traveling by train south of the station to places like,stoke,london ect.Another fine example of war time building,the signal boxes are now only partly used(with signals being controlled my manchester central unit).

Crewe Coal yard

2008-10-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has travelled along Vernon way or underneath the Cumberland bridge may of noticed a few engines and wagons stationery(or near enough) for days at a time.Alternatively you could of tried to travel north on the west coast mainline(and found major disruption),either way it is all because of the stretch of track along side Crewe coal yard(just in front the Cumberland track) being re layed and re-ballasted .....There has been a constant flow of frieghtliner class 66s visiting the area for over a week now.But rather than show the engines i thouht a shot of the Crewe coal yard signal box would be more appropriate.....................I will try and get some shots of the night workings if possible very soon.

Crewe to Crewe (BBC FOUR)

2008-10-03T07:49:00.000-07:00

Last night(2nd of October) saw BBC 4 show a fantastic little program all about rail journeys out of Crewe,entitled Crewe to Crewe and with Victoria Wood presenting the program it follows Victoria on a journey from Crewe to Scotland and back again.Filmed in the early nineties it gives a great view of how times have changed in such a short space of time.If look closely in the first few minutes shot on Crewe station you may well see some well known Crewe "characters" and staff what are still at the station all these years later.I did hope to bring you a link to the BBC i player so we could all watch it again in full,but it seems they are not re showing the episode today,so instead trusty old you tube gives us 7 great minutes of the 30min programme.enjoy....................

Blog Building slowly

2008-10-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

As most of you who have been redirected by other sites/Blogs know this blog hasn't been up and running for very long,therefor all stories and pics covered have been brief and good tasters of what the blog is all about.But what would you like to see on the blog? Stories/specific locations/Historical events/Special trains or locos.........Drop me a comment or email and let me know.I want to the blog to be a small platform for people who are interested in Crewes railways to have there say, let others know of present rail/heritage events or just to get things off there chest.Let me know your thoughts and please comment as often as you like ...........................................

Thunderbird Drags

2008-10-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

If you like your Thunderbirds (class 57 virgin owned diesel locos) then Crewe is the place to see them.Last weekend every other mainline train which passed through Crewe was pulled by a thunderbird due to track work taking place,they are regular visitors to Holyhead pulling the London train from Crewe down to north wales and back.There are 13 locos in all with thunderbird related names and name plates,Usually around two or three locos are situated in and around the crewe area(as they are sometimes needed for "rescue duties") with other locos being placed from rugby through to liverpool(where there is usually one) and Glasgow.
The Image is of a Thunderbird loco at Crewe on a late night drag south to stoke on trent and beyond!

Crewe Works yard

2008-09-30T23:41:00.000-07:00

This is one of them images which summarises where i got my love of the railways from,pictured from the Chester line side of the yard(which was situated behind flag lane and adjacent to the end of Holt street/richamoon street) is loco 47282 awaiting scraping.When i used to visit my grans as a small boy in Holt street all you could here was the sound of diesel locos being shunted around the yard,as time went by the yard saw less activity and most of the locos stored there were left to fall into total disrepair.Eventually he site was cleared and is now home(many years later) to the sidings housing estate.To the tp left of the picture you can see the old Technical college and top of the picture is the shelterd housin on flag lane.Picture taken early/mid eighties.(other image of unknown locos on the Crewe scrap lines)

The A.P.T

2008-09-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

Crewe is now home to the A.P.T (Advanced passenger train) which was built to be the first tilting passenger train to achieve ground breaking journey times(And speeds).There was only one problem, it didnt work........Everyone was ill because the tilt was never quit mastered,The reliability factor of the train was appaling....Theese and a few other reasons are why the APT was never a success and now resides at the Crewe Heritage Centre.The snap below is a superb shot of the APT aparantly in the mid/late 80s (On the Crewe works scrap lines i think) all boarded up and ready for scraping????? maybe.
Would this shot of been taken in and around Crewe works,ime not so sure.Is this the line side view of the E.M.D on wistaston road? either way its a great shot but one ime not so sure where it appeared from(I didnt take this one ime sure).

The old Duchess back home

2008-09-28T02:18:00.000-07:00

The Duchess of sutherland 6233 and princess elizabeth 6201 are both currently residing at the Heritage centre,pictured here is 6233 The Duchess of sutherland.A photo which wouldnt of been out of place being taken over 60 years ago(But was taken yesterday).The team from princess elizabeth were on hand to ive expert knowledge about the working of the engines and also its history.

Heritage centre weekend update

2008-09-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

I had a trip down to the heritage centre with the family this afternoon,and what a good day to pick,steam engines 6201 princess elizabeth and 6233 Duchess of sutherland(Lms Crewe built of course) were both on show in the lorious sunshine.As well as the minature railway gala which kept the children amused for a good while.The gala continues tomorrow and if the weather is the same as today you can expect a very busy minature railway.The above picture features one of the engines and drivers on show today.

Early morning start at crewe

2008-09-26T03:22:00.000-07:00

Well with a little bit more time on my hands over the next few weeks hopefully i will be able to bring you uptodate shots of "Days out at Crewe",the above shot is a recent shot taken after a very early start(Awaitng a journey to liverpool).....The shot shows 66139 on route to scotland with a mixture of frieght,most of which is destined for scotlands supermarkets.

Crewe Heritage Centre Event

2008-09-26T03:04:00.000-07:00

This weekend sees the minature railway gala taking place at Crewe heritage Centre,with steam,diesel and electric engines all taking part in what should be a great weekend.With 1 ride included in the entrance price(family ticket £10) and then additional rides at 50p each its a very good way of passing a few hours and keeping the family entertained.All the usual exhibits will be available to view this weekend(the heritage centres last weekend of the season,other than for special events)so why not take the time to pay a visit...................(more to follow on the special events coming up at the heritage centre soon)>

The Great Gathering rememberd

2008-09-24T03:14:00.000-07:00

Held at the Crewe works site in 2005 the "Great Gathering" was a weekend full of everything a train enthusiast could ever wish for.Starting with a photography evening on the Friday night(yes i had the whole weekend of work for this one) followed by Saturday and Sunday general viewing days.A collection of all diffrent types of steam and modern traction was on display the whole weekend.With fragonset,virgin,frieghtliner,DRS,LNWR, and a host of preserved railways and national collections contributing the likes of The flying scotsman,The duchess of sutherland,The union of south africs,Thunderbird class 57s,class 47s,class 40s,class 37s,class 08s,class 86/87S.Will there ever be an event like this in Crewe ever again,sadly i think not.Maybe on a smaller scale(maybe they will give Basford Hall a ood send off if that time comes) but certainly i do not think we will ever see a collection like that in one place all at the same time.

Crewe Rail Gateway

2008-09-22T00:08:00.000-07:00

Back in 2006/early 2007 the media was full of information about a new gateway project for crewe,a brand new station top would be built along with platform transformations and shops ect being added.Then came along network rail with there predictions on rail growth,apparently crewe stations signaling and platform layout will not be able to cope with the amount of trains which are going to be using the station in around 10/15 years so an alternative solution was sort.The idea of a parkway station out at basford(about 1.5miles from the stations current location) a became favourite with network rail and other leading partners....
So is it all done and dusted,are we just waiting to be told by network rail that they have already decided they are going ahead with the basford project,or what of the original plans that people spent thousands of pounds developing only 2 years ago.....your thoughts please.(notice the last update date on the gateway original image above).

Foxfield steam railway

2008-09-21T08:47:00.000-07:00

Situated just off the A50 at Blythe Bridge (Stoke on Trent) Foxfield railway is a fine example of what volunteers and enthusiasts can achieve.With one of the steepest climbs on any preserved railway in the country you get not only the smells of the steam era,but the sounds are amazing........(The little saddle tank engines have to work very hard to navigate the climb).With a reasonable admission price and a very short journey to get there foxfield is well worth a visit.The video below is made by BBC midlands and gives a good example of what foxfield is all about.

Crewe Station/works rememberd

2008-09-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

Sent in by e.mail this is part one of a gentlmens journey around the 1940.This is part one of around three:(From london)Crewe—the "Clapham Junction of the North"—is perhaps the most famous railway junction in the world. Situated 158 miles from London on the historic West Coast main line to the North, it is the natural radiating-point at which the north line is intersected by others connecting Liverpool, Manchester, Chester and North Wales (the route of the Irish Mail), Stoke-on-Trent and the Potteries, Shrewsbury, Hereford, South and Central Wales, and even Bristol and the West of England via the Severn Tunnel.
A century ago Crewe consisted of a farmhouse standing in lush fields—for this is a famous "dairy" country. Then came the pioneer Grand Junction Railway that passed through Crewe on its route from Birmingham to Liverpool, forming ultimate connexion with Manchester, Chester, and so on—and the metamorphosis of Crewe had begun. Here, 95 years ago, was established a building for "the clerk of the station," as the station-master was called by a contemporary writer of the period. Here, too, was an engine-house with one spare engine. Evidently Crewe did not suggest itself to the writer of those early days as the potentially enormous railway nerve-centre which it has since become, with a station covering twenty-three acres.
Where once stood the farmhouse now spreads a busy industrial town. It has a population of 46,000 people, 5,600 of whom are employed at the London Midland and Scottish Railway's great locomotive works. These works cover no less than 160 acres, but they and their wonders are a story in themselves. We are concerned now with the traffic that filters through this immensely important strategic centre.
Assuming that we are travelling down to Crewe from London in winter, when the "Royal Scot" stops at Crewe, the first indication that we are approaching this great centre is a slackening of the train's speed as it descends the Whitmore "bank," and the appearance on the "down" or left-hand side of the train of an enormous expanse of goods sidings, known as the Basford Hall Yard. Here the various freight trains are broken up, sorted and re-assembled for dispatch to all parts of the system. Here also there is a big Tranship Depot, for transferring individual consignments, not sufficiently numerous to make up complete wagon-loads, from one wagon to another that is bound for the same ultimate destination.
Running slowly past the Crewe South Junction signal box, where a gleaming array of electric levers controls all movements at the south end of the station, we notice lines coming in on the left and right from the Shrewsbury and Potteries lines respectively. Our train passes under the great Crewe south gantry with its forest of semaphores, and draws up in the station.
If it were summer time, when the "Royal Scot" does not call at Crewe Station, we should run through on one of the middle tracks, independent of platform ; as it is, we use one of the six platforms that give through access from north to south, or vice versa. Four of these six platforms are arranged with a cross-over track about half-way down their great length, so that if necessary two trains can use one platform at the same time.
The longest platform is over 1,500 ft. in length. In addition, there are ten "bays," or short terminal platforms ; these are used by trains of a more or less local character, which start or finish their journeys at Crewe. The aggregate length of Crewe's sixteen platforms is 11,394 ft.
For the moment we shall not concern ourselves with the operations within the station itself ; let us walk to the north end of the platform, where, from the vantage-point of the great over-bridge that leads to the locomotive works (the longest overland suspension bridge in the country), we see that the main line forks three ways immediately beyond the station. The left-hand line goes to Chester and North Wales ; that immediately in front to Preston and Scotland (the Liverpool line leaving it at Weaver Junction, 16 miles or so to the North) ; while the right-hand line leads to Manchester.
Part two to follow next week.

Crewe Heritage centre update

2008-09-18T23:51:00.000-07:00

A slight alteration th the arrival of 6233,The duchess is due into Crewe at 23:36 on staurday night,due to works at warrington the engine will come via stockport.The enine will come straight into the station before heading for the heritage centre

Storage locations

2008-09-18T04:48:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of wnxx listed below is all the diesel locomotives placed in storage in and around the Crewe area and there specific location at this present time.Crewe Heritage Centre
47575

Crewe EMD
08824
09203
56007
86233
90017 90022 90023 90025 90027 90030 90031 90032 90033 90034 90037 90038 90040 90050
92006 92008 92013 92014 92018 92023 92024 92025 92027 92031 92033 92035

Crewe DMD
37294 37426
56077
58022

Crewe LNWR
20906
47747
57001 57004
86424 86602 86623 86633
87010 87022 87028

Crewe Gresty Bridge
47829
57003

Crewe Basford Hall
47150 47289 47816 47830
86635

Duchess of sutherland update

2008-09-17T00:25:00.000-07:00

An update from the Heritage centre regarding the arrival of 6233 the duchess of sutherland steam locomotive.6233 will be arriving on site this Saturday, but late on, still not got a definate time but it will probably after 22:00, so it will be on site for two and a half weeks before its run on the 9th Oct (Thursday). If anybody wants some night shots of it, it will run in from Hellifield through the station, turn at Gresty before passing through the station again and onto the centre.Many thanks for the above information(given to me by the centre),A rare opportunity for the photographers out there of seeing the duchess in full steam at night.Any one who has any photo contributions to make regarding the arrival please feel free to e.mail them to me and i will publish a few.

Class 20 s at Crewe 2006

2008-09-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

Pictured at Crewe two DRS class 20,s,after finishing sandite duties on the nantwich-shrewsbury train line theese two reversed into platform 8 before heading southwards(Picure taken winter 2006)

Class 59005 on the runaround

2008-09-14T01:41:00.000-07:00

Following on from the short video clip posted yesterday,this is 59005 at crewe station.On the chester express (pathfinder tour) along with 59014.

Crewe works

2008-09-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

Crewe is famous in railway terms for two things the station(all change at crewe) and of course crewe works,the weekends on the blog are going to be dedicated to memories of works life(and the ways it affected normal life) in days gone by.So if you have any memorys or stories you would like to share please e mail me or drop a comment and i will publish as many as possible.It fascinates me hearing tales of workng conditions,and all the locos that were worked on over the years.As well as the way familys through the ages spent there whole lives dedicated to the progress of the british railways.

Pathfinder Class 59 tour arrives at Crewe

2008-09-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

Double headed with two class 59s ,The pathfinder tour day excursion arrived in crewe today at 13:40.Captured is locomotine 59104/59005 (Kenneth j painter) on the entrance to the platform at crewe south.There was a huge number of people on board and plenty of viewers on the platforms edge.I wil post some pictures tomrrow after a bit of fine tuning.(The tour arrived from south wales).