Never having cycled in Cheshire, I took a day off work
and Rowan and I left home early to catch the 8:07 from Bangor as far as Chester.
We'd have preferred to have caught a loco-hauled service but there were none
at a suitable time so we slummed it in a unit. We were a bit worried when
we saw there were three other cyclists waiting at Bangor as this service is
sometimes a 158, which can carry only two bikes in a cramped little cupboard.
Luckily it was a 156, which can comfortably manage five, even though their official
capacity is four. We were hoping to see the nuclear flask train on its way to
Valley before we boarded but we passed it at 8:24 near Penmaenmawr.
We arrived at Chester just in time to see 56 032 waiting for the signal
with the Arpley to Chirk enterprise service, composed exclusively of loaded
timber wagons.
The freight waited for 37 415 to leave with the 08:10 Birmingham New
Street to Holyhead before heading off on the single track line to Wrexham,
once part of the Great Western Railway's key Paddington to Birkenhead route.
Before heading off on our bikes we had a quick look round
the station. 37 408 Loch Rannoch was sitting patiently as standby engine
but the lighting was unfavourable.
