Hello all, it was a really enjoyable day with brilliant weather. The ticket guy on our local couldn't find the Ffestiniog Round Robin ticket even with the code you supplied.
Bought our tickets from the ticket office at Piccadilly station and after buying a bacon barm and coffee we made our way to platform 11 for a 7.30 departure. Knowing we didn't have a lot of time between connections we also bought a Meal Deal to have enroute from Shrewsbury. There were a lot of people waiting for the 7.30 so when I saw 2 car 150 I feared the worst. Fortunately we got adjacent forward facing seats and although there were many standing more got off at Stockport than got on and then after Wilmslow nobody needed to stand.
The train was a TfW 150, one of whose engines was obviously struggling. The engine cut out each time the train stopped and at Wilmslow the guard announced we were only running on one engine and losing time so we would change trains at Crewe. Only a short (15 minute) wait at Crewe and a 175 turned up already half full. My mate and I managed to get forward facing adjacent seats and nobody seemed to be standing, so all was well.
Even with the delay we still had 30 minutes at Shrewsbuy. Our train to Porthmadog was scheduled to leave platform 5 at 9.30. I knew that the train originated from Birmingham International so was surprised to see a two car 158 already in the platform with its engines running but doors closed. A few minutes before 9.30 another two car 158 pulled in and I realised it was going to join up to the one already there. We didn't know which part would be going to Porthmadog but decided to get on the empty rear train as soon as the doors opened. It turned out to be the correct decision as our carriage soon filled up with people from the front part of the train, which was going to Aberystwyth. The journey to Machynleth is very scenic and we really enjoyed it. At Machynleth the front section went off and after a 10 minute wait we headed off for Dovey Junction.
The run up the Cambrian Coast is superb with the sea on one side and lovely, hilly country on the other. The train takes its time, which adds to the pleasure, stopping at many stations and request halts along the way.
We were running on time so decided to stay on to Porthmadog, as Belperpete recommended, rather than change at Minffordd. He was right as I doubt if we would have got two adjacent forward facing seats at Minffordd. I managed the walk in 20 minutes so we had time for a pint in the station bar. It's many years since I rode on the Ffestiniog and that was a return from Tan-y-Bwlch to Porthmadog as the line wasn't fully open in those days.
I really enjoyed the ride to Blaenau, but to be honest the journey from Dovey Junction to Porthmadog was the highlight for me.
The only part of the bus journey to Llandudno junction I enjoyed was the few glimpses of the railway running nearby including one section they were working on.
Couldn't see the fish and chip restaurant at Llandudno Junction so went in the Old Station Hotel across the road. Had a couple of pints, which tasted fine, and fish and chips. Strolled across from the pub at 17.20 to catch the 17.35 back to Manchester via Chester. As luck would have it the 17.17 (direct) was running a few minutes late so we jumped on that. The journey along the North Wales coast and up the Dee Estuary is quite pleasant but by the time we got to Warrington we were beginning to flag. I brightened up when I spotted 3 x 66s just before Warrington.
As we passed Deansgate on the run in to Manchster Oxford Road we passed a late running train that was headed for our home station. At Oxford Road I had a (temporary) hopeful moment when a 195 pulled into the bay (Platform 5) where our train would normally leave from. My hopes were dashed when they announced it was for Barrow in Furness. Our train finally pulled into another platform and was then held for 10 minutes to allow a late runner non-stopper to leave before us. Very tired as I was (I'm 74 and it was a long day, leaving home at 6.00am) I brightened up again as while waiting at Oxford Rd two freights passed, both pulled by 70s.
Thank you all again for your advice, it really helped to make our day more enjoyable.
The only regret (apart from the bus bit) was that this morning my brother sent me a text asking if I had seen any of the TfW 97s - which we hadn't. I Googled to see if I could find where they would be stabled and got a link to the visitmidwales website, which I wish I had found before we went. It gives a really good breakdown of the journey from Shrewsbury to Pwllheli, including sites of old stations, details of the present stations and halts en route and historical facts about lines which at one time had joined onto the Mid Wales Line - and it also says where the 97s are stabled at Shrewsbury.
cheers
Roy
