That’s Coalbrookdale – and Ironbridge – a good place for a pleasant walk on a sunny afternoon, after a couple of rainy days. There’s no shortage of visitors in the vicinity of the bridge (it is half-term week, after all), but away from the bridge it’s quiet. The leaves are coming down rapidly now – the trees will soon lose their colour.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367255&Y=304041&A=Y&Z=120
On our way to the arboretum, we called in on the Severn Valley Railway, for a last look at Royal Scot, and perhaps Tornado too. It wasn’t an entirely successful trip… This is the best photo; there are three others on “Royal Scot” (I’d never make a salesman, would I?) on Geoff’s Rail Diaries.
Where have all the toadstools gone? Arley arboretum is a pleasant spot in autumn – the trees are very colourful at present, and on previous occasions, there have been all kinds of fungi everywhere. Today there were hardly any – apart from several large clumps, almost in a ring, amongst the tallest trees.
Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries – an account of Saturday’s visit to three of Shrewsbury’s wonderful mechanical signalboxes – and 30 pictures. Visit “Salop’s boxes” now!
…looking down on the trains running in and out of Shrewsbury station, from three of its now-famous signal boxes. Shrewsbury is an island of mechanical signalling, a survivor because of its complexity, among other things. It came within a hair’s breadth of resignalling perhaps 30 years ago (what would we have been left with? Fewer platforms and less track, I suspect – and insufficient capacity for today’s intensive services). Its fame? Primarily because, for the last few years, Severn Bridge Junction, with its 180-lever frame, has been the biggest mechanical signalbox in the world. Wow! More photos will follow in a day or two, on Geoff’s Rail Diaries; in the meantime, a taster…
One we’ve done many times – park at Aston Munslow, then follow field tracks and, in places, sunken and/or hidden ways, along the second of the Wenlock Edges. It’s higher here than the generally more obvious first edge, to the north-west, topping out at 324m – about 1063ft. There are autumn leaves, toadstools, blackberries (still), crazy pheasants, and fine views to the Clee hills and Mortimer Forest. The last downhill stretch into Munslow is particularly deep and well hidden; the surface is, in places, the rock of the Wenlock Edge.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=351160&Y=287706&A=Y&Z=120
Walking from Broseley to the Willey estates, via the quaintly-named “Honeypot” (a short row of houses). Another fine afternoon (we’ve been spoilt recently! – though it is getting cooler) with autumn colours and atmosphere.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367785&Y=300131&A=Y&Z=120
That’s the Wenlock Edge, of course. It’s a dry, bright and still afternoon, with just a “very small chance of a shower”. There are one or two possible candidates, but nothing near enough to worry us. Once again, there are all kinds of autumnal things in the hedgerows, and it’s always fun to find fungi…
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=361535&Y=300526&A=Y&Z=120
We’re in Shrewsbury: a quick lunch at the café in St Mary’s church before visiting “Brick City” – Warren Elsmore’s Lego exhibition in the Museum and Art Gallery. St Mary’s may have one of the tallest spires in England, but it’s redundant, under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The plastic (ABS) Lego-brick buildings in the museum are in complete contrast to the stone, stained glass and tiles of the church – or are they? The centrepiece is St Pancras station – it’s huge! Like a well-designed model railway, the detail rewards closer examination. We liked the chap with the camera, leaning back to get everything in (not, in this case, St Pancras) – but there are some very strange characters milling around the railway station. The exhibition closes on Friday 11 October
St Mary’s church, Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery
Warren Elsmore
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