HOLYHEAD port ferry & steam train spotting 1961

Not a journey this time but watching the action as train and ferry services connect at the Port of Holyhead, in the north-west extremity of Wales.
Back in 1961 the ferry across to Dun Laoghaire took passengers and items of cargo loaded by cranes. This was well before the extensive alterations to accommodate roll-on roll-off vehicle ferries.
Please view my other transport films via / alansnowdon
Kindly like, comment, share and subscribe to support my channel & videos © A Snowdon 2016-21.
See my Llandudno - Blaenau Ffestiniog rail ride film • Llandudno - Blaenau Ff...
See my Skye ferry films • MALLAIG to KYLE OF LOC... & • KYLE of LOCHALSH to KY...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Camb...)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harland...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holyhea...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_loc...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomot...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Roy...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Cor...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London,...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avanti_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transpo...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_F...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stena_Line

[@ianburnett7333]

These films really tug at the heartstrings, so valuable to watch.

[@stuartbroome1258]

Excellent film.

[@popelinebockmann5434]

Dear Heather, your Voice is beautiful. So did the films. Thanks for showing and commenting!

[@tomwalsh2244]

These films are simply so lovely. Just beautiful. Such forward thinking people to record these gorgeous films.

[@HeadofSails]

My grandfather Alan (Cheyenne) Hodgson was a dock worker. Would love to see again the footage of the dock closure. They had a short farewell documentary done.

[@bianchikat]

ah..my family travelled to Ireland and back in about 1961 on the Irish Mail. I remembered seeing the new blue electrics at Crewe. I was 9 years old..lovely to see scenes I cant remember..

[@flippop101]

Fantastic images! Very grateful to you!

[@russefrance4869]

Thank you for posting this. I know that at the age of 7 (1962), I travelled with my mother from Euston to Holyhead (via Crewe) to take the boat train to Dun Laoghaire (Dublin). The only vague memory I have is of the seats in our train carriage so this adds an enormous amount of information!

[@tedobrian1364]

Did the Irish mail journey from Rugby, many times, when I was a kid, sailed,on the Hibernia,Cambra, and princess Maud,

[@ExpressAphrodite]

Thank you for this. I've been searching for film of the Holyhead mailboats for ages. Some lovely images of the unmodernised Cambria.

[@Simonize41]

Thank you for the latest series of videos you have released Alan and Heather, I have enjoyed them very much.🙂

[@grumpyoldman47]

I wonder if I was at Holyhead on the same day as you? I have a photo of a very dirty 46256 taken on Holyhead shed, with 1961 written on the reverse! It had probably arrived on the 09.25 off Crewe; it was one of the few workings along the North Wales coast which was regularly worked by a class 8 pacific, and it was used as a 'running-in' turn for ex works locos. When there wasn't an ex works loco available, it was often worked by 71000. The Britannia pacific is unusual; it isn't one of Holyhead's own - it has the wrong sort of tender - and 'strangers' were unusual at that time. I noted it still has the old BR crest on the tender. Regarding the ferry, Holyhead's inner harbour was (is?) 'V' shaped; the north side was usually used for arrivals, the south side for departures. This is why passengers are getting off one side of the ferry, then getting on the other side on the film. Between arrival and departure, the ferry was winched across the harbour; and it was possible to have afternoon tea on the ship whilst this was happening! Holyhead station was built around the 'V'; the platforms on the north side were usually used for departures, those on the south side for arrivals, but this didn't always happen - on the film, the Birmingham train hauled by the 'Royal Scot' is leaving from one of the platforms typically used for arrivals. BR used two ferries on the passenger services from Holyhead when this film was shot - the MV Cambria (shown on the film) and the MV Hibernia; round about that time the TSS Princess Maud was the relief ship. There were also a number of cattle boats which operated out of Holyhead; these were all named after Irish mountains. Happy times!

[@jimbegin6554]

Wonderful! Just wonder if you’ve film of the British Railway steamers on Windermere?

[@AlanSnowdonArchive]

No, sorry I haven't.

[@jimbegin6554]

Alan Snowdon. Thank you anyway. Grateful for the films you and Heather have put on KZbin.