Passengers through Coalbrookdale
The Shropshire Union
© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2015
Geoff’s Rail Diaries
10 January 2015
An early start to the year’s amusement: “There’s a railtour
down Coalbrookdale next Saturday - I might go and see it”,
my friend announced on the phone. Plenty of others had the
same idea (though curiously my friend was conspicuous by his
absence*).
But for that phone call, I probably would have let this one slip
past. It’s only a mile or so down the road, and the weather
looked promising (even if the sun struggled to make up its mind),
so I thought I’d better go and have a look.
“The Shropshire Union” would be coming up from Euston behind
a class 67 diesel, picking up a class 60 “tail” at Bescot, before
heading for Madeley Junction and the branch to Ironbridge
power station (now in its last year of operation). It would have
to go back up the dale the way it had come - two shots for the
price of one. And there’s a bonus - a late-running fuel train had
delayed the special, but provided an extra subject for the
camera.
Later in the day, after following a circuitous route via Crewe, it
would be visiting the reinstated Donnington branch - the last
remnant of the line from Wellington to Stafford (hence the
“Shropshire Union”). In the meantime,
after lunch, we’d be taking a walk on
Haughmond hill, near Shrewsbury. The
special was due through Shrewsbury
around 3pm - might we see it from the
hill? We did! (good timing or what?)
*He assures me he was there...
