Shrewsbury to Holyhead | Riding the Gerald of Wales in 1st Class

I finally get to ride 1st Class on the morning Northbound "Gerald of Wales" flagship Transport for Wales service. The service runs from Cardiff to Holyhead and I pick it up at Shrewsbury.

I have ridden the train once before, but on that occasion my camera failed. So this will be the first time I can bring you along with me.

We get to taste a little of the Shropshire countryside, before swinging westbound on the North Wales Main Line past a host of holiday towns before we cross two of the UK railways' most iconic bridges at Conwy and the Menai Straits.

...and me talking isn't the only waffle you'll get on this journey...

Departure: Shrewsbury, England, UK
Destination: Holyhead, Wales, UK
Distance: 220 km / 137 miles
Duration: 2 hrs 28 mins
Cost: First class advance single, with 1/3 railcard discount: £42.60 / €48,30
Date of Travel: March 2023
Operator: Transport for Wales
Motive power: Class 67 diesel locomotive. Built: Alstom (1999-2000)

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[drearyplane]

There is a chance the Oswestry line could reopen - The Cambrian Railway has been talking about it for a few years, but apparently they got funding from the DfT to make a business case. Hopefully it reopens, Oswestry could really do with a rail connection.

[Andrewjg_]

The TfW Mk4 coaches and DVT do look really nice as they were once used on the East Coast Main Line.

[MervynPartin]

If the DfT was involved, they would rip out those comfortable seats and put in their patent ironing boards. Well done TfW for getting hold of the Mk4 coaches with real locos to pull them.
Nice coverage of the journey. Regrettably, it is the wrong side of the country for me to try.

[paulwheeler]

I've done this journey on the Gerald in second class and I found it so very comfortable and pleasant journey

[otisreed]

Great video, I would love to use that on a trip to Ireland… beats a Ryanair 737 for sure! Although I do wish those MK4s were still plying their trade on the east coast mainline 😭

[nuinmarnuinmar]

"Gerald" looks very nice indeed! Great video as always, thanks for sharing.

[scrsucks]

love the ex grand central mk4s, they did a good job on the refurbishment on those

[Timstravels]

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this. That’s another railway journey added to my to do list.

[mercilessmage]

“The Gerald of Wales” is a lesser known gem on the national network. It definitely deserves more exposure and patronage. Would you consider doing further journeys/videos on “The Gerald of Wales” in order to sample the other breakfast menu options?! Thanks for posting such an informative video.

[ampersand.]

Engaging as always, thank you. It`s particularly fun to have trains running right along the shore :)
Gerald of Wales was a clergyman and writer back in the middle ages - went yomping all over Wales recording his travels. Bet he could`ve done with a train or two instead of a horsey!

[sknzsknz]

Thanks, great video! I've put this trip on my list of trips now I've got my senior railcard...yay.

[cryzcryz]

Another great journey! I'm going to Llandudno in a few days. This will be my first trip to Wales. I can't wait!
Thank you for this video!

[RoddyJenkins]

Thanks for another brilliantly enjoyable video, Johnny 👍Very apt that you chose to travel to Holyhead for this week’s video, as I’ve just had a ten day holiday on Anglesey walking part of the coastal path which included picking up members of our party from that long named station on the island, which the walking guides give the English translation as “Saint Mary’s church in the hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the church of Saint Tysilio near the Red cave”
Personally I didn’t think £42 was too bad a price to pay for first class travel, given the railcard discount - I’d certainly look at booking that ticket in the future with my DPRC!

[KingStar-fstu]

I really like the 67 and 82 set, it just feels like I should go on it myself

[jimcrawford]

I worked on the Duke of Lancaster when it was new in 1958. Another enjoyable video! Cheers from Oz.

[fmcb]

"Old, familiar, far-off places..." Happy reminders of pre-covid North Wales travelcard outings!
Having half an hour to kill at Holyhead between trains on one occasion and no book to read, I tried to teach my phone's predictive to offer me Llanfair thingy whatsit. No luck at all. Repeated entries just sent it into a sulk, ran the battery down, and left me phoneless until I could recharge it on my home-bound train.
Ah, the wonders of modern technology!

[garrytuohy]

Great tease for the Welsh Breakfast ... I can resist everything except a tease.

[colinriley]

Really enjoyed this; a lovely journey in a proper train ---I have just spent the day in class 800s. I had been to see March station thanks to an earlier video of yours.
As always the video was beautifully made; I appreciated the faded glory shots. Just look at those bricks made to resemble stone moulding!
I always comment on the visual appeal of the videos, but thanks also for the information. The commentary is well researched and full of the detail sadly missing from my own trips..
Something made me a little uneasy about a train named Gerald, and then it dawned on me ; Gerald the mole!

[colinbrooks]

triangle at valley is not disused it is still used for Turning of steam locomotves on charter trains which often run to holyhead especially during the summer months

[garybroadhurst]

The contrast between this train and the others that operate the route is striking. These are arguably the best First Class AND Standard offerings in the UK yet the route is operated, for the most part with 150s and 197s. Imagine 5 hours on a 150! The 197s are shiny and new and look very nice but are even less comfortable with their cramped 'ironing board' seats. Maybe that's why this service is under-used. As a "regular" traveller, if I ever just happened to do that on the DMU stock I'd never even THINK of doing it again - just straight in the car.