D1015 Aberystwyth

1st September 2007

Whilst working as Account Manager for EWS, we formed an Alliance with Riviera trains.

The first trains run under the Alliance banner were four 'Footex's' to Cardiff for the Johnsons Paint trophy from both Doncaster and Bristol. We had headboards made for the Doncaster trains and pictures of these can be seen elsewhere on this website.
I was then tasked with the job of arranging the first Charter train for the Alliance aimed at the enthusiast market which would hopefully turn up something special.
So what about the prospects of a Western to Aberystwyth?

EWS work very closely with Network Rail and has a good working relationship and my proposal was duly presented to Mr Stephen Cornish head of Network Rails Charters.
The following people were instrumental in enabling this to happen:
Geoff Griffiths EWS
Stephen Cornish Network Rail
Bob Dewhurst Network Rail
Charles Paget Riviera trains
Barry Cordell Riviera trains
Peter Watts Pathfinder
Nick Gibbons EWS
Nick Edwards EWS
John Rogers Network Rail
DTG

I believe that this was the first and probably the last time a Western will ever visit Aberystwyth .

1015 'Western Champion' runs along side the Dovey estuary on 1st Seprember 2007 with Warrington driver J Wilson at the controls	1015 approaches Aber, photo by Pam Griffiths	D1015	D1015 Aberystwyth September 1st 2007
D1015 at Aberystwyth	D1015 makes a noisy exit from Aberystwyth as it climbs Fronfraith bank	D1015 runs along side the Dovey estuary on the last lap of its journey to Aberystwyth	D1015 runs up to the buffer stops
D1015 stands at Aberystwyth on the ECS	Journey's end, photo by Pam Griffiths	Me in the cab, photo by Pam Grifiths	Me. photo by Gareth Griffiths