Gerald is off to see the Rugby

[SprinterMan]

With the Rugby League World Cup Opening ceremony taking place in Cardiff this weekend, I was wondering if Gerald was going to come out to play, and so I had a look at RTT. Sure enough, without any form of advertisement (not even on this page!), Gerald is working a return service to Cardiff on Saturday:

1V41 0620 Holyhead to Cardiff Central
1W90 1934 Cardiff Central to Holyhead

1V41 is pretty pointless for passengers from North Wales as it is overtaken by 1V53 before Shrewsbury as it runs via Crewe and waits there for a while.

1W90 normally runs as on a Saturday as far as Llandudno Junction, where a bus is scheduled to continue to Holyhead because the Signalmen go home at 12. This Saturday however, the train is being run with Gerald and so will continue through to Holyhead, meaning signalmen will be required to work into the early hours of Sunday. Somewhat conversely, however, the bus is still shown as running despite leaving LLJ before Gerald will get there and Gerald will be running through to Holyhead. THis makes me think it is a clerical error and the bus will not run. Interesting to note, Gerald will be calling at all stations between Cardiff and LLJ on this service.

Adam

 

[craig87034]

Should also run

Saturday November 9th
Saturday November 16th
Saturday November 30th

but as always will not be known till nearer the time

 

[PHILIPE]

The return is a normal DMU worked service which it would appear to be covering to meet possible heavy passenger demand. It normally terminates at Llandudno Jn on a Saturday but extended to Holyhead and obviously no Engineering Work being undertaken beyond Llandudno Jn.

 

[Chester025]

Should also run

Saturday November 9th
Saturday November 16th
Saturday November 30th

but as always will not be known till nearer the time

On the 9th and 30th the KO is 1700 so the set may work down later.

On the 16th the KO is 1430 so the set should return earlier (and hopefully via Crewe!).

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

You'd think Warrington or Wigan would be more suitable starting points than Holyhead, given the type of rugby being played.

 

[sonic2009]

You'd think Warrington or Wigan would be more suitable starting points than Holyhead, given the type of rugby being played.

Agreed, but the stock stables at Holyhead if not used at the weekends. A better plan would of been to run it from Chester - Warrington (reverse) and down the WCML to Crewe.

 

[Welshman]

What surprises me is that Gerald's Saturday excursions never seem to be advertised on the ATW website.

They may be in the journey-planner [but not always], but if you already know the times of regular trains or have a printed pocket timetable, you're not likely to consult the journey-planner to see if there are any additional ones.

So how are people supposed to know of their existence?

 

[PHILIPE]

This has been a sore point on the Forum for a long time now. It seems that ATW require passengers to consult Journey Planner if they want to travel.

 

[Stonesourscotty]

I might do this but travel from Crewe as thats the most convenient stop for us League fans?

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

You'd think Warrington or Wigan would be more suitable starting points than Holyhead, given the type of rugby being played.

Union internationals those weekends.

 

[merlodlliw]

The return is a normal DMU worked service which it would appear to be covering to meet possible heavy passenger demand. It normally terminates at Llandudno Jn on a Saturday but extended to Holyhead and obviously no Engineering Work being undertaken beyond Llandudno Jn.

Correct via Wrexham on the return, Again Gerald is unadvertised as running to the general public.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Union internationals those weekends.

Not this Saturday though (RL opening ceremony).
There are also RL matches at Wrexham (3/16 Nov).

 

[Chester025]

More unsavoury relief workings -

Saturday 9th November

1V54 0807 Holyhead - Cardiff Central: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/V24245/2013/11/09/advanced

1W91 2120 Cardiff Central - Holyhead: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/V59902/2013/11/09/advanced

 

[Welshman]

All this extra exertion seems to have exhausted poor Gerald this morning.

He was substituted by a 2 car dmu, leaving Holyhead 43 minutes down, and with neither first class nor catering.

 

[G0ORC]

All this extra exertion seems to have exhausted poor Gerald this morning.

He was substituted by a 2 car dmu, leaving Holyhead 43 minutes down, and with neither first class nor catering.

erm.... for the terminally thick and naive... who (or what) is Gerald?


V

 

[Welshman]

"Gerald" is the Cl.67 and 4 coaches & dvt, sponsored by the Welsh Government for ATW's "Premier" 0533 ex Holyhead & return 1821 ex Cardiff services.

I seem to remember the origin of the name was debated a little while ago on these forums, and I'm loathe to repeat all that, as my Welsh was shamefully inadequate!!

However, if you type "Gerald" into the Search feature at the top of these columns, all will be revealed.

 

[krus_aragon]

Or you can have a brief read here about the train's namesake, Gerald of Wales.

(The headboard that the service carried on it's first few outings used the Welsh name Gerallt Gymro, but many here refer to the train as Gerald.)

 

[6Gman]

Or you can have a brief read here about the train's namesake, Gerald of Wales.

(The headboard that the service carried on it's first few outings used the Welsh name Gerallt Gymro, but many here refer to the train as Gerald.)

Or you could use his original name of Giraldus Cambrensis!

Is this Saturday's return working terminating at Salop?

 

[Chester025]

Is this Saturday's return working terminating at Salop?

Well spotted that man! It did have times through to Holyhead when I first posted but it looks like it will terminate at Shrewsbury and run ECS to Crewe C.S. straight after before running ECS to Holyhead on the Sunday -

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/V64207/2013/11/10/advanced

 

[SprinterMan]

Again, the morning southbound running of Gerald is useless to all people from North Wales, as 1V55 0822 Holyhead to Cardiff Central (the train I am booked on :P) overtakes it by Shrewsbury. I would have loved a ride on Gerald, but no advance tickets were sold for this service and it misses my already tight connection at Hereford :P

Adam

 

[Llanigraham]

The "Gerald" doesn't stop at Hereford!
It's only stop in Englandshire is Salop, and that is only so that the AM's from the Cambrian area can get on.

 

[Welshman]

But it stopped in Hereford last time I was on it!

Here's the running for today:-

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P41106/2013/11/08/advanced

And on its return:-

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P41225/2013/11/08/advanced

It also stops in Chester, which is also in England!


And it's due to stop in Hereford tomorrow:-

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P41106/2013/11/08/advanced
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The "Gerald" doesn't stop at Hereford!
It's only stop in Englandshire is Salop, and that is only so that the AM's from the Cambrian area can get on.

 

[Rhydgaled]

The "Gerald" doesn't stop at Hereford!

It does now I think, it didn't to start with.

 

[Tracky]

Hereford was added in on one of the recent timetable changes.

The train calls at Gobowen on the return, also in England.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

erm.... for the terminally thick and naive... who (or what) is Gerald?
V

When the Holyhead-Cardiff Premier loco-hauled service was launched, the Welsh Government gave it the name of Gerald of Wales/Gerallt o Gymro.
He was a medieval cleric who travelled all over Wales and effectively wrote the first Rough Guide to Wales.
The name stuck, even though the headboard was only used at the beginning.
It doesn't appear in timetables as such, but it is readily identifiable as the one ATW train with First Class and a restaurant car.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_of_Wales

 

[Llanigraham]

It does now I think, it didn't to start with.

They don't bother to tell the workers!!

 

[SeanG]

The "Gerald" doesn't stop at Hereford!
It's only stop in Englandshire is Salop, and that is only so that the AM's from the Cambrian area can get on.

Salop is Shrewsbury for us non Welsh nationalists

 

[Hyphen]

Salop is Shrewsbury for us non Welsh nationalists

???

Salop isn't a Welsh name for the place...

Salop is an old abbreviation for Shropshire, sometimes used on envelopes or telegrams, and comes from the Anglo-French "Salopesberia". It is normally replaced by the more contemporary "Shrops" although Shropshire residents are still referred to as "Salopians". Salop however is also used as an alternative name for the county town, Shrewsbury, which also shares the motto of Floreat Salopia.

The Welsh name for Shrewsbury is Amwythig.

 

[EltonRoad]

Gerald came through Shrewsbury this morning on time at 1124, pretty empty by the look of it. I did wonder what was about to come through as it was only 7 minutes after the previous Holyhead - Cardiff!

 

[Welshman]

Gerald came through Shrewsbury this morning on time at 1124, pretty empty by the look of it. I did wonder what was about to come through as it was only 7 minutes after the previous Holyhead - Cardiff!

It is understandable that it was poorly-loaded as it was not advertised on the ATW public website.

Realising that ATW is not a charity, who sponsors these occasional trips to Cardiff on a Saturday?

And what is their strategy for selling seats on the train, as ATW obviously does not see the responsibility as theirs?