Bangor - Strangers

In the period covered by this site, all train workings were diagrammed to be covered by four classes of locomotives - 24s, 25s, 40s or 47s. After 1975 the class 50s had all been transferred to the Western Region, and the transpennine through workings that later brought Peaks on a regular basis had not yet started. But occasionally, a stranger would appear...

45052 at Bangor 25/08/78 (s1773-28.jpg)

A very unusual visitor to Bangor on the 25th August 1978. 45052 leaves with the 1130 Bangor-Manchester Victoria, having arrived on the 0747 from Manchester. Probably because of lack of driver knowledge, the second half of the diagram, from Manchester back to Bangor and return, was worked by a Class 25.

Calder Valley dmu at Bangor 14/01/79 (s1838.jpg)

Arriving on a service from Manchester is a 3-car BRCW Calder Valley set, normally used, as the name implies on services between Manchester and Leeds via Bradford and the Calder Valley. Behind it, a pair of 2 car sets, make up the formation. 14th January 1979.

20153/20165 at Bangor 22/07/79 (s1954.jpg)

Unusual visitors (for 1979 anyway), were 20153 and 20165 on the Conwy Valley Centenary special on 22nd July 1979. 20s are now regular visitors on the nuclear flask trains, but this was possibly their first visit to Bangor. They are running round prior to working back to Llandudno Junction, Llandudno and then Blaenau Ffestiniog. Also visible is Bangor signal box, formerly Bangor No 2.

46001 at Bangor 17/08/79 (s1983.jpg)

Another stranger was Laira based peak 46001, arriving on the 0747 from Manchester Victoria on the 17th August 1979. In the yard, Tunnel Cement lorries wait to be loaded with cement brought by rail from Penyffordd near Wrexham