The famous Irish Mail express train, which ran from Holyhead to London Euston for over 150 years, will return to North Wales this August for a special excursion.
The first Irish Mail was operated by the London & North Western Railway on 1 August 1848. It was subsequently operated by the London, Midland & Scottish Railway, British Rail, InterCity and Virgin Trains.
Because the Britannia Bridge had yet to be completed, the first services terminated at Bangor and recommenced at Llanfairpwllgwyngyll. It operated twice daily in each direction, although this was reduced to daily during World War II.
Although the service continued to operate, the name was dropped in June 2002 as part of a policy by Virgin Trains to not operate named trains.
The excursion will take place on 3 August 2019 and follow the West Coast Main Line from London to Crewe with diesel or electric motive power.
From here to Holyhead the train will be hauled by one of the superbly restored main line steam locos, likely to be 70000 ‘Britannia’, 34046 ‘Braunton’ or 46100 ‘Royal Scot’.
The train is planned to run non-stop from Chester to Llandudno Junction where the loco will take water. The train will stop at Bangor station where some passengers will alight for a bus tour to Beaumaris castle.
The train will then cross the Menai Strait on the Britannia Bridge before arriving at Holyhead, passengers will then have a three hour stopover while the steam locomotive is turned and takes coal and water for the return journey.
Photo: Britannia class no.70004 William Shakespeare travelling through Bangor station with the Euston bound Irish Mail, in the 1950s or 1960s
