It’s been more than four years since my last visit – a lot has changed at the Staffordshire railway. Visit ‘Back to Statfold‘ on Geoff’s Rail Diaries for lots more pictures and a full(ish) account of yesterday’s enjoyable outing

Tuesday 26 July: we’re off on a fairly leisurely day out, by rail to Buxton (a pleasantly scenic journey), then to New Mills, where (as well as lunch) we’ll find, if we can, the Millennium Walkway. It’s rather spectacular! A hidden gem, which I suppose is inevitable, given that it’s in a gorge. The photos below may give a flavour of our day; for more rail photos, and more on the journey, visit ‘Buxton and New Mills‘ on Geoff’s Rail Diaries

New Mills Millennium Walkway

View OS map of New Mills on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=399597&Y=385020&A=Y&Z=115

An afternoon at Amerton, on the occasion of their annual steam gala. On this occasion, no fewer than seven steam locomotives were in action – two Bagnalls, four Wrens and a Sirdar – on the not-very circular 2ft gauge line. For more on the event – and lots of photos – visit ‘Small South Staffs Steamers‘ on Geoff’s Rail Diaries.

Not sure how 34027 Taw Valley earned this distinction (or deserved this fate, depending upon ones standpoint). Painted purple, and renumbered 70, it will be named Elizabeth II in early June to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee. We were at Bridgnorth station for an hour or so this afternoon (entertaining grandchild) and there it was. I’d better take a photo. Amongst others present: as-yet incomplete standard class 3 2-6-2T no. 82045, pannier tank 7714 ready with a southbound departure and the former D9551 growling happily (they were known as ‘teddy bears’, apparently) as it trundled back and forth.

In May 1996 I visited Ironbridge power station, where a replica of Trevithick’s 1802 steam locomotive was being demonstrated. The replica was built by apprentices at the GKN works at Hadley, in Telford, and was in action on plateway rails (steel angle) laid on the sleepers, between the rails of the power station’s oil siding. There is some uncertainty about the original – Trevithick’s 1804 Penydarren locomotive is generally acknowledged as being the world’s first steam railway locomotive. It seems that a locomotive was built in 1802, but whether it steamed successfully seems to be lost in the mists of time. The replica seemed to work OK, apart from needing to be bump-started if it was allowed to stop on top (or bottom) dead centre…

The power station has since closed and been demolished – all that remains is the 400kV switchgear house, and the railway tracks which brought the fuel.  Yesterday afternoon I visited the site to view, learn about, and have a ride on a rail vehicle at the very opposite end of the time scale – the ‘Revolution VLR’ (Very Light Rail), a new and very ‘green’ vehicle which could be in the vanguard of a revival in the fortunes of local rail services. The former oil siding is now in use as a demonstration track for this remarkable railcar. There will be more about this most interesting afternoon on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries”; in the meantime here are a couple of photos which bridge a 220-year span over powered rail transport.

18 May 2013: I’d forgotten about this little outing – an invite into Bewdley South signalbox, for a chat with the signalman. What a great place to be, watching the trains arriving and departing.

12 May 2011: a pair of Black 5s heading south-west, over the Central Wales line – we drove out to see them crossing Knucklas viaduct, on the climb to Llangunllo – and heard them long after they’d passed, until the sound was swallowed by the tunnel.
12 May 2012: three locomotives on two separate trains. 60163 “Tornado” would be coming north in the morning, and heading south again late afternoon. Meanwhile, another pair of Black 5s would be bringing a train north from the Central Wales line.
12 May 2018: Bulleid pacific 34052 “Lord Dowding” (it’s really 34046 “Braunton”) will be hauling a train southwards in the morning. After it’s passed, we’re off to visit a number of old watermills – it was “National Mills Weekend”. See “Watermills in border country“

11 May 2003: a visit to the Abbey Light Railway, near Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds. Visit “Abbey Light Railway” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries for more on this lovely little line, sadly now closed and gone.
11 May 2019: a Shropshire Railway Society 50th Anniversary special train on the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway. There’s an illustrated account of the trip at “SRS 50 on the W&L” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries.
11 May 2015: a fine May day on Wenlock Edge.