Wednesday 24 June: It’s early evening, just before 7pm, and though the sun is much lower in the sky, the air’s still warm (27°) and it’s much more pleasant in the shade. There’s plenty of that along Shirlett Lane, and there are one or two more open stretches with views to the Wrekin and the Clee hills. The forest fringe at Ned’s Lane, where we’ll pause a while before heading back, is especially pleasant – I’m tempted to bring beer, a book and a deckchair next time!

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…there’s some bright sunshine, and blue skies. We’ll risk a short walk – not too far from home, in case it rains. Happily, it waits until we’re taking our boots off, minutes after arriving home again.

19 May 2012: the beginning of a most-enjoyable week in France, staying near St Valery sur Somme. “There seems to be an interesting steam railway nearby – we’d better go and have a look”. See “A week in France” for more on this trip
19 May 2013: A very brief visit to the Abbey station in Shrewsbury. It was the terminus of the grand-sounding but ill-fated Potteries, Shrewsbury and North Wales Railway – which never got close to the Potteries than Shrewsbury, and only made it into Wales by the skin of its teeth. Given that it has been out of use as a passenger station since the 1930s, the station is a most remarkable survivor.

Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme
Shrewsbury Railway Heritage Trust

We’re enjoying a fine afternoon, walking from the riverside at Bedlam, up and over to the Coke Hearth at Coalbrookdale, down to the old station, and back through some of Ironbridge’s quieter ways.

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We’re just back from the Isle of Man! An early departure from home last Monday, to catch the ferry from Liverpool to Douglas; home again yesterday evening – six full days, with never a dull moment. There’s the steam railway to Port Erin, the electric railway to Laxey and Ramsey, the mountain railway to the top of Snaefell, the Douglas horse tramway (just a very short section in use at present), the Groudle Glen railway – and last – and least! – the 19″ gauge mines railway at Laxey. Lots of non-railway interest too. There will be more over the coming days – in the meantime, here are a few tasters

Jackfield tile museum – for colour on a rainy afternoon…

Jacfiled tile museum – Ironbridge Gorge Museums

…at Buildwas Abbey – a quiet spot for a brief Sunday afternoon outing.

Buildwas Abbey EH

What a contrast there is in the styles of these buildings, in this very quiet (and very cold – we’re not hanging around!) Welsh border town, formerly county town of Radnorshire.