Andy Wyatt wrote:
Slightly off-topic, but I read the article in Metro today (pg3)
Branson. They mentioned that the Pendolinos running on the London -
North Wales route was cancelled on it's first day, so
"old-fashioned diesel" alternatives were used. This seems somewhat
misleading - isn't the Holyhead route non-electrified? Don't
Virgin plan to run diesels (ie Pendolino+Class 57) on this route
anyway?

Yes, you're right, and it was a fault on the 57+Pendolino combination
that led to the train being cancelled. Passengers had to get another
(conventional diesel) service to Chester, and another one to Crewe. I
read a similar report on BBC News Online, at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/3692886.stm.

The BBC site has a photo captioned "The Pendolino arriving at Llandudno
for the first time". Unfortunately, it's a photo of a (Super?) Voyager.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)