Keywords:covhops, EWS, Anglesey Aluminium, RTZ Anglesey, 56105, class 56, Grid, Anglesey, Maltraeth, railfreight, Cefni, viaduct, CLASS 56's, Covhops
56105-MF1248-56105-Maltaeth-220899_Gordon-Edgar
EWS 56105 in less than ideal conventional lighting conditions crosses the Cefni viaduct near Maltraeth working the Holyhead (Anglesey Aluminium) to Humber empty coke covered hopper wagons ( 'Covhops') on 22 August 1999. This was not an easy working to capture in the age of pre-real time information on train movements, but a light loco heading towards Holyhead during the early afternoon on a Sunday indicated that a working would take place later that afternoon, but timings varied. Rail traffic ceased in Autumn 2008, by that time a class 66 and 'cargo wagons' carrying finished product. The plant closed in 2009 with the loss of over 500 jobs. Anglesey Alumium started production in 1971 and was one of the largest employers on Anglesey. Happily, the class 56 'Grid' survived after a period of storage to be reinstated for use by Colas Rail Freight.