6G LLANDUDNO JUNCTION

GALLERIES... [ONE] [TWO]    [THREE]      [FOUR]     [FIVE]


NORMAN KNEALE
GALLERY 6
MORE CLASSIC MEMORIES
FROM THE LENS OF THE
RESPECTED PHOTOGRAPHER

STEAM ON
THE COAST

Looking across from Ffordd 6G, in 1999, at the sad site of the neglected carriage shed . The site was cleared only a few months after this photo was taken and the whole story became just a memory.

The shed was opened in 1899 by the L.N.W.R. The original code 7A, was changed in 1952 to 6G and remained until closure 3rd October 1966. The carriage shed remained until 2000 and became the "new" shed for diesel locos and re-coded LJ.

Photo [Norman Kneale] click thumbnail

Britannia class 70026 "Polar Star"
undergoes cylinder maintenance
at 6G in the early sixties.

Today a multiplex cinema complex stands on the site of the carriage shed and the new "Ffordd 6G (Road 6G) has swallowed up the site of the steam shed and sidings.


                                        [Geoff Poole]

Waiting for the "off", Jubilee class
45561 Saskatchewan at Llandudno
Junction with a train for Holyhead
on July 27th 1963.

PHOTO RAILWAY MAGAZINE

A summer Saturday Newcastle to
Llandudno (1N82) on the approach to
Llandudno Junction hauled by 70009
"Alfred the Great" on July 30th 1966

Here is a great video of authentic
black and white cine film.......
showing engines on the Cambrian
Coast during the last days of steam.
CLICK TO SEE VIDEO

This is how the site looks today. This photo was taken from a similar position to the one opposite

This is a view of the entrance to the carriage shed just before demolition. At this stage the keep out and danger signs were apparent due to the dangerous state of the glass roof.



                                [Norman Kneale]

EX GWR Collett medium freight
and passenger 0-6-0 3208
6G's "Snow Engine" , still with
plough attached , Condemned
and stored at the depot in 1965.

This is Standard Class 2-10-0 No 92116 with a Summer Saturday train from Sheffield to Llandudno, passing a Stanier Class 5 approaching Llandudno Junction. 11 / 6 /1960. (PHOTO : DEREK CROSS)

    44800 passing the Junction with
            a special on 31 / 7 / 1965

MAIN LINE STEAM
AROUND THE JUNCTION

JUNCTION MEN

NORMAN KNEALE GALLERY SEVEN
MORE MEMORIES FROM THE GLORIOUS DAYS

STEAM LOCO
DEPOT LAYOUTS

LATEST
LOCAL
RAILWAY NEWS (2)
UPDATED

6G
NEWS
(archive)

LOCAL
RAILWAY
NEWS (1) (archive)

MORE MEMORIES
FROM HARRY...

STAFF RECORDS

6G REUNION 2003

STATION STAFF

LLANDUDNO
STEAM SHED 6G
LINE DRAWING

SIGNALLING AROUND THE JUNCTION

SIGNALLING
OVER WALES

TOM EDWARDS GALLERY

PHIL SEYMOUR DATA PAGE

JOHN
POWELL DATA PAGE

NOSTALGIA
AT CHESTER

WELSH
METALS

MORE STEAM
MEMORIES
(1)

MORE STEAM
MEMORIES
(2)

MORE STEAM
MEMORIES
(3)

MORE STEAM MEMORIES
(4)

MORE STEAM
MEMORIES
(5)

KEN WOOD
PHOTO PAGES

JOHN HOBBS
PHOTO PAGE

ALLAN JUDD
PHOTO PAGES

ALAN
HAYWARD
PHOTO PAGES

MICHAEL
HENNEY
PHOTO PAGES

CLASS 33 ON THE COAST

PENMAENMAWR
STONE TRAINS

CHRIS EVANS
PAGE

RHYL SHED STAFF

ANTHONY
ASHLEY PAGE

click thumbnail for larger view

[Dave Plimmer]

A 1964 view by Harold Bowtell
(click thumb)

Rebuilt Patriot 45523 BANGOR, beside the coaling stage in July 1960. [Photo M.J.Jackson]
(click thumb)

BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 73070, from Chester shed, at the coaling stage. [A.J.Tyson]
(click thumb)

Patriot class No. 45547 with 6G
shed plate attached.

A " new build " Patriot class engine is
taking shape at Llangollen works and the
hope is that it will be ready for returning
this much missed class to the main line
in time for the 100th Anniversary
of the Armistice in 2018.
The engine is to be numbered 45551
and named "The Unknown Warrior".

45551 will become
the National Memorial engine and will be
endorsed by The Royal British Legion.
Have a look at the progress of this eagerly
awaited engine on the

LMS PATRIOT PROJECT WEBSITE

It's an exciting thought that a Patriot could
possibly once again run along the
North Wales Coast main line, and pass 6G
as so many classmates of 45551 did
during those 'Glorious Years'.

The view opposite is from 1963 showing the modern structure , with a selection of British Railways Standard Class 2 tanks ready for service. The carriage shed roof , then in good condition , can be seen in the background. [Norman Kneale]

It's 1989 and Class 155 units are stored at LJ. They were out of service with door faults. This was when they were fairly new and before they were converted to single car 153's. The exact date is unknown, but it is interesting to see the carriage shed in 1989, still in relatively good condition. It's sad when we consider what took place over the next ten years.

(Thanks to Dave Plimmer for this interesting shot)
*******************************************

LMSR lines in North Wales 1935-58

*******************************

(CLICK THUMB)

LMS poster showing excursion tickets available in 1925
(by kind permission of the Betws-y-Coed Railway Museum)

At £1.50 entrance fee the Betws-y-Coed Railway museum must be the best value for money, for any Welsh tourist attraction. If you are interested in railway models or nostalgia, I would recommend you pay a visit to this attraction, which has plenty of detail and photo's of the Llandudno area.

*****************

Patriot class No. 45506
'The Royal Pioneer Corps' looking
resplendent ready to leave
Crewe Works
after a major overhaul.

This was the quality Crewe Works
turned engines back into service during
those "Glorious Years".

Have a look at more great photos
of engines undergoing maintenance
at the works, by Mike Henney
on his Spotters Notebook page and
John Powell's Data page

Below is a sample of the
quality photos on the new
CHRIS EVANS PAGE.

January 1st 2004. To date 6G has recorded 9347 visits in less than eight months. I published the site on May 15th 2003 and I am staggered by the interest and support you , the site visitors , have shown. I would like to thank everyone who has viewed the site and especially the people who have taken the trouble to contact me with information or support which has kept the site fresh and up to date. Please keep the suggestions and information coming. Many Thanks Geoff.

May 15th 2004..... 6G is now one year old and has recorded 17,455 site visitors since inception. When I published the site on May 15th 2003, I thought it would attract a few hundred visitors, so I am amazed at the response I have received. I would like to thank all of you who have shown an interest and I hope you have enjoyed the content. I hope to keep the site going, and with your help keep it interesting and fresh. So I appeal again to anyone who has any information or detail I could use, please contact me on the link below. (Geoff)

MAY 15th 2005........ 6G is now two years old, and has attracted 43,355 visitors in that two years. There are links to the site from websites all over the world which have increased the visitor numbers, but the bulk of interest is still from the North Wales area. Thanks again to all contributors for helping to keep me on my toes as hopefully, together, we have helped to keep the 6G story fresh and interesting as the many emails I receive would seem to indicate. So if you enjoy your visit around the depot drop me a line ........ (Geoff) 15/05/2005

MAY 15th 2006........       Another year has flown by with another big increase in visitor figures to 6G.
                                                   78930 a really impressive increase again. This last year has seen the
                                                   launch of several new pages, which is the reason for the increased interest
                                                   in the site. The new North Wales Coast Steam page has proved very popular
                                                   and has given the platform to publish photo's of the steam specials on the day
                                                   they run on the main line. The pending "Tom Slaven Page " will, I think, provide
                                                   great interest for all visitors. Tom is going to put his memories, on this page, of
                                                   a typical day driving the " Manchester Club " which I'm sure will prove
                                                   very interesting. Many thanks once again to all contributors for your support
                                                   and thanks to all visitors for your interest and the many emails which keep
                                                   the site fresh and , I hope , interesting.    .............    (Geoff) 15/05/2006

MAY 15th 2007.......      6G is four years old today and the site is still growing. Submissions have still
                                                    been steadily arriving and ideas for new pages have been welcome in order to
                                                    keep the website and the 6G story fresh and interesting. New pages like the
                                                    "ENGINE ALLOCATION" page and "NORTH WALES STATIONS" page
                                                    were developed through suggestions from contributors like John Powell and
                                                    Alan Roberts. Any suggestions would be welcome in the future and please keep
                                                    your emails coming as this gives me great satisfaction to know the site is still
                                                    of interest. Several new pages are planned for 2007 so let me know what you
                                                    think of them when they are published. Visitor numbers are still increasing and
                                                    88,870 have been recorded to date.    ............ (Geoff) 15/05/2007.

MAY 15th 2008........      6G is now five years old today. The site has kept going due to the continued
                                                   contributions of detail and photographs from enthusiasts who are glad to share
                                                   their recollections in order to enhance the 6G story.
                                                   Jim Fenton's TRAINSPOTTING OBSERVATIONS pages were published in
                                                   June 2007 and have been a great success, which must be rewarding to Jim in
                                                   view of the amount of work he put into the detail.   The new Alan Roberts page
                                                   SIGNALLING OVER WALES was published in November in order to give
                                                   a wider area to cover this interesting and often neglected aspect of our railways.
                                                   Photographs of main line steam on the North Wales Coast line are always
                                                   welcome and should be sent to the email address below.
                                                   Visitor numbers are still increasing and I still get many emails from new visitors
                                                   who have just found the site. 98,383 visitors have now been recorded.
                                                   Many thanks to you all for your continued interest. (Geoff) 15/05/2008.

MAY 15th 2009........            6G is six years old today. 109,518 visitors have now been recorded.
                                                    A fantastic increase considering the site was off-line for several
                                                    weeks during the period of changing servers so it is safe to assume
                                                    the increased visitor total would be even greater without this gap.
                                                    Many thanks must go to Charlie Hulme for all his expertise in
                                                    rescuing files and in helping me launch the new site.
                                                    Through all the upheaval it has still been possible to open several
                                                    new pages. Thanks to all visitors for your support. (Geoff) 15/05/09.

MAY 15TH 2010......         6G is seven years old today and 122,347 visitors have been recorded to date.
                                                    Two new pages have been added over the last twelve months. "WELSH METALS",
                                                     which included the interesting article on the Land Cruise trains by John Powell
                                                     and "MORE STEAM MEMORIES" which features the classic collection of archive
                                                     photos of working steam by Jim Fenton plus a small selection of my early photos.
                                                     Great articles and detail by Dave Wood, Richard W Roberts and Selwyn, Trefor
   and Dilys Price have all been well received.
                                                     Regular contributor Alan Roberts has added much detail to his signalling pages
                                                     and special thanks must go to Stéphanie Durrant for supplying many great photographs.
                                                     Many thanks also to all site visitors for your continued interest and support.
   (Geoff 15/05/2010)

MAY 15th 2011......          6G is eight years old today and   132,432 visitors have been recorded to date.
                                                   Several new pages have been added over the past 12 months.
                                                     A new news page titled "Local Railway News"
   has been added as the original Newspage was becoming so full that download
                                                     speeds were slowing down, as was the "More Steam Memories" page so
                                                     a "More Steam memories (2)" page was published.
   Another tribute to the late Ken Wood was published along with a well received
                                                     John Hobbs photo page.
   The Allan Judd and Alan Hayward photo pages have created much interest.
   Once again I must thank all contributors and site visitors for your continued
                                                     interest and support.    (Geoff 15/05/2011)

MAY 15th 2012......          6G is nine years old today and 149,203 visitors have been recorded to date.
                                                     New pages over the last year include Holyhead Brits and the J.M. Dunn page by John Powell
                                                     plus an extension to the "More Steam memories" series and an interesting page by Ken Mumford.
   Most of the preservation steam specials on the coast have been recorded on the site but more photos
   of these tours would be welcome. Thanks again for all the interest and support from site visitors
                                                     and contributors over the past year. (Geoff 15/05/2012)

MAY 15TH 2013.....           6G is ten years old today. Visitor numbers now stand at 167,406 New pages this year include
three pages by John Powell. 6G Caprotti 5's - Class 33 on the Coast and Penmaenmawr stone trains.
Two modelling pages by Chris Evans and Anthony Ashley and an interesting page showing an authentic
motive power staff records book saved from the skip by Derek Williams showing original workers names and
shifts worked at Rhyl sheds during the "glorious years".
                                                      A great article by John Hobbs explaining the use of Observation trains and an addition to
the Alan Hayward photo pages. (Geoff 15/05/2013)