The Darlaston Family Web Pages

This Web Page is Railways50yr.htm (Last revised 20^th February 2009)

N.B. Photographs may take a while to download!

All photographs © Robert Darlaston

A. B.R. souvenir which cost me ten shillings in 1965!

Railways Fifty Years Ago

A memory of trains in the 1950s:

A Great Western Castle passes Pandy, north of Abergavenny, with a Manchester London Road – Cardiff General train.

In the 1950s, labour shortages meant that steam locomotives were often deplorably filthy, but several loco sheds, especially on the Western Region of British Railways, made a point of keeping a small stud of main line engines in “showroom condition” for principal expresses. Notice the burnished brass and copper and the sunlight reflected on the polished paintwork. Even the buffers have been polished, but having come into contact with other rolling stock, have lost most of their shine. This splendid appearance is a credit to the cleaners of Cardiff Canton depot, where the locomotive was allocated. It was a joy in those days to watch a Great Western express pass by: the locomotive and its train (especially when in the old G.W.R. chocolate and cream carriage livery) complemented the landscape which it traversed, quite unlike most modern trains which flaunt a garish colour scheme at variance from the countryside which they traverse.

Contents:

West Midlands, Wales and the South and Southwest; also the last Slip Coach

1953: 5900 and 6840 at Tyseley loco shed, Dean Goods 2474 at Hereford, 7 at Devils Bridge;

1955: 9022 at Hatton; Talyllyn and Ffestiniog

1956: Steam at Four Oaks, T9 at Hamble,”Terrier” at Hayling Island, Ventnor, 822 at Welshpool;

1957: Stechford, B1 at Castle Bromwich, 5036 and 4108 at Acocks Green, Birmingham Moor Street traverser, 7929 at Hatton North, Lickey Bank, Lyme Regis, Weymouth Quay, City of Truro at Birmingham Snow Hill, Swindon Works (incl 6017 and 4358);

1958: last train Abergavenny – Merthyr, 9004 at Dovey Junction, Blaenau Ffestiniog GWR, Ruabon, last train Longbridge – Halesowen, South Devon including 1463 at Brixham;

1959: Swindon Works (92202 under construction), 5048 on the Bristolian, ‘Super D’ 0-8-0 at Dudley Port, Jubilee, unrebuilt Patriot and Princess Royal at Stechford, New Street, 4573 at Cheltenham Spa St James, Slip coach at Bicester with 6001.

My other railway pages can be accessed by clicking on the links below:

Railways.htm (Birmingham Snow Hill in 1953, Three West Midlands GW branches and South Wales in the 1950s)

Railways2.htm (Brecon and Mid-Wales; Somerset & Dorset, GWR and LSWR lines in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall: 1957-62)

Railways3.htm (the Scottish Highlands, 1959 and 1961; also Isle of Man in 1965)

Railways4.htm (Birmingham area LMR; Boston, Peterborough, and Lincoln; GWR in North Wales; the Southern: 1961-63)

Railways5.htm (the decline of steam; Southampton, Birmingham GW, North Wales, Stroud Valley and Manchester: 1964-68)

Trams.htm (the last days of Birmingham’s tram system: scenes on the Erdington and Short Heath routes in June 1953)

Tyseley.htm (scenes at Tyseley and on the line between Tyseley and Birmingham Moor Street)

WHRamdLlangollen.htm (the revived Welsh Highland Railway, plus the Ffestiniog, Welshpool & Llanfair and Llangollen lines)

If our Home Page is not listed to the left of this page, it may be accessed here: www.robertdarlaston.co.uk

Fifty Years Ago

Railway Scenes from 1953 to 1959

First: a selection from 1953 to 1956:

My very first railway photograph: it’s 7^th July 1953 and GWR 5900 Hinderton Hall stands outside Tyseley shed, freshly cleaned,

prior to working and afternoon express from Snow Hill.

This photograph was taken with my brand new Kodak Brownie Box Camera on the occasion of a school tour of Tyseley shed.

Another photo taken at Tyseley on 7^th July 1953: 6840 Hazeley Grange at the rear of the shed, adjacent to Warwick Road.

I soon learned to tell a Grange from a Hall by the raised frame over the cylinders.

The same afternoon 4052 Princess Beatrice was outside the shed, prior to making its last journey to Swindon Works for breaking up: foolishly, I missed the chance of photographing it, deciding that, unlike 5900 and 6840, it looked rather scruffy.

GWR 2474 at Hereford with a short freight on 23^rd July 1954. This loco was built in March 1896 and withdrawn in April 1955.

Another GWR survivor: 4-4-0 9022 at Hatton with a brick train from the east Midlands. 9022 was not an ideal choice for this heavy train: it would have taken the train over from the LMS at Leamington Spa, but then had the long pull up Hatton Bank. 9022 was built in 1938, mainly for light passenger trains in Mid-Wales, re-using the frames of a withdrawn locomotive which had been built in 1906. 9022 was withdrawn in 1957. Hatton station, being the junction for Stratford-upon-Avon had a refreshment room into the 1950s. Today the buildings and signal box have all gone and the footbridge has lost its roof, even though the station probably has more trains calling than at any time in the past.

Birmingham area tickets:

A GWR Weekly Season, a Platform Ticket and a Third Class Single

A few Welsh narrow gauge scenes 1953-56:

GWR 2-6-2T no 7 at Devil’s Bridge with an afternoon train to Aberystwyth in August 1953.

GWR 0-6-0T 822 at Welshpool with a train on the freight line to Llanfair Caereinion in June 1956. Welshpool main line station building is at the left.

Both these lines are now preserved.

Abergynolwyn station on the Talyllyn Railway which was the first line to be preserved, being taken over by an enthusiast organisation in 1951.

The loco is no 3 Sir Haydn which operated on the Corris Railway until that line closed in 1948. The photograph was taken on 15^th August 1955.

It is salutary to realise that the attractive young lady at the left, who seems to be taking a photo of the two young children by Sir Haydn, is now probably a silver-haired grannie.

The Ffestiniog Railway closed in 1946, but in 1955 enthusiasts started the long task of restoring the line. Here no 2 Prince (built in 1863) stands with a train at Portmadoc on 16^th August 1955, less than two weeks after the loco’s return to service.

Maespoeth Junction engine shed on the Corris Railway in August 1955, seven years after closure. The Forestry Commission has taken over and young Darlaston is vainly searching for any railway relics which might have been overlooked.

Two GWR 4-6-0s, shown up to advantage, with paint and metalwork suitably polished:

GWR 5050 Earl of St Germans lifts the heavy 8 am Plymouth – Manchester express out of Abergavenny in April 1956. The loco was allocated to Shrewsbury shed at the time and its spotless condition reflects credit on the staff there. Father stands by the family Morris Minor LEA117

One of the last GWR Stars, 4061 Glastonbury Abbey turns onto the North Warwickshire line at Tyseley with an excursion from Birmingham Snow Hill to Swindon in September 1955.

The start of steam’s decline:

The first service in the Birmingham area to switch from steam to diesel was that between New Street, Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield.

Ivatt 2-6-2T 41370 at Chester Road with a Four Oaks to Birmingham New Street rail motor train on 25^th February 1956,the last day on which services were steam operated.

41224 in the bay at Four Oaks with a train for Birmingham New Street.

A week later: a Lichfield – New Street dmu at Four Oaks on 3^rd March 1956.

A Southern Selection, taken on the family’s annual holiday in 1956:

Ex-LSWR T9 no. 30537 near Hamble with the 5.15 pm Bitterne to Fareham train on 5^th September 1956.

Ex-LBSCR “Terrier” no. 32650, built in 1876, at Hayling Island with a train for Havant on 31^st August 1956.

The loco is fitted with a spark arrester for the protection of the timber viaduct across Langstone Harbour.

Ex-LSWR no. 30377 near Marchwood with the 4.8 pm Southampton Central to Fawley train on 3^rd September 1956. Note the post-war ‘pre-fabs’ at the right.

O2 class 0-4-4T W17 Seaview arrives at Ventnor with an Isle of Wight Railway train from Ryde Pier on 4^th September 1956.

Next: a yearly selection beginning in 1957:

We begin sequence early in January at my local station, Stechford, on the old LNWR line from Birmingham New Street to Euston.

The up Midlander passes Stechford behind 45742 Connaught on its two-hour journey from New Street to Euston.

Note the gas light and the flower beds, the typical LNWR blue-brick platform, and also the LNWR water tank at the platform end.

Washing blows in a garden in Frederick Road and is about to be covered in smuts!

For railway enthusiasts in the Birmingham area, the daily train from Cleethorpes (extended on summer Saturdays to Sidmouth and Exmouth) brought the treat of an ex-LNER locomotive. Here B1 no. 61284 approaches Castle Bromwich in January 1957.

= = = = = =

Next, views on the old Great Western Birmingham line. In June 1957 most suburban trains out of Birmingham Snow Hill and Moor Street stations were switched to diesel operation, so earlier in the year I made a few trips with friends, including one to Hatton, to observe steam workings.

At Acocks Green we see 5036 Lyonshall Castle (without a smokebox numberplate) emerge from a January mist with the 9.18 Margate to Birkenhead train

On 25^th May 1957 GWR 2-6-2T 4108 pauses at Acocks Green with a local from Moor Street to Leamington Spa.

At Moor Street, 3101 is seen on the loco traverser on platform 3.

The traverser has long gone, but otherwise the view here today is little changed.

Left: En route to Hatton, the view near Solihull from a brand new diesel multiple unit on 2^nd August 1957 shows 4148 on the 9.30 Knowle & Dorridge to Moor Street. Note the driver’s cup, alongside his leather satchel!

Right: The view inside Hatton North Junction signal box with a down express approaching. Note the GWR First Aid box mounted on the door.

7929 Wyke Hall is about to diverge to the Stratford-upon-Avon line at Hatton North Junction with the West Midlands Holiday Express from Snow Hill to Porthcawl, also on 2^nd August 1957. 7929 was the last of 330 Halls to be built and was then only six years old.

= = = = = =

There were also trips locally on the London Midland Region lines from New Street, and here are a couple of pictures on a Summer Saturday on the Lickey Bank. Returning holiday trains from the West Country queued south of Bromsgrove and were admitted to the bank in turn. As each one cleared the summit, so the next would leave Bromsgrove. Each train took about seven minutes for the two-mile climb at 1 in 37. The train engine would often take a rest for the climb, leaving the work to the former G.W.R. pannier tank locos which by then banked most of the trains.

LMS 4F 0-6-0 44424 struggles with a long train of holiday-makers returning from Bournemouth West to Nottingham via the Somerset and Dorset line.

The fireman has piled coal onto the fire in an attempt to build up steam so that this freight loco can keep its heavy train moving – but they will be lucky to exceed 40 m.p.h., which won’t please the Devonian express following close behind!

45663 Kempenfelt brings the northbound Devonian (Paignton to Bradford Forster Square) up the bank towards Birmingham. The fireman is taking a rest and looking out of the window while the banking engines do the work. In the distance more banking locos can be seen returning to Bromsgrove for their next trip up the bank, while further away one can make out the Malvern Hills.

Both photos were taken on Saturday, 17^th August.1957.

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The family summer holiday early in June 1957 was spent in Dorset, giving me chance to see the elderly London & South Western Railway 4-4-2T locomotives still working the Axminster – Lyme Regis branch, as well as having my first encounter with the Southern Railway’s “air-smoothed” Pacifics. We also visited Weymouth, watching the Channel Islands boat train leave the Quay at the start of its journey to Paddington.

30583, built in 1885, arrives at Lyme Regis with the branch train from Axminster on 10^th June 1957.

The branch line closed long ago, but 30583 lives on at the Bluebell Railway in Sussex.

34016 Bodmin waits at Axminster with a Salisbury – Exeter train, also on 10^th June 1957..

This engine was subsequently rebuilt without the streamlined casing and is now preserved on the Mid-Hants Railway

My mother watches as 1367 starts the Paddington boat train away from Weymouth Quay on 12^th June 1957 with the former GWR ship St Julien alongside

= = = = = =

Early in 1957 the Western Region of British Railways removed from the York Railway Museum the locomotive City of Truro (credited with having achieved 100 mph in 1904) and returned it to service. In June it headed a train from Birmingham Snow Hill to Swindon railway works and the following photographs were taken on that occasion, plus one on a school group visit to Oswestry.

3440 City of Truro approaches Birmingham Snow Hill with an excursion to Swindon on 16^th June 1957

6017 King Edward IV, built in 1928, newly-overhauled outside Swindon Works on 16^th June 1957.

The loco had just been fitted with a double chimney to improve its performance.

Left: veteran GWR 2-6-0 4358 (built 1914) at Swindon on 16^th June 1957.

Right: 0-6-0 ‘Dean Goods’ 2538 (built 1897) at Oswestry on 1^st March 1957. 2538 was withdrawn only a few weeks later. With 2516 (now preserved) they were the last survivors of their class and had been retained principally for working the Abermule – Kerry branch line which had recently closed. In the early 1950s Oswestry shed was home to a fascinating collection of locos, including also the last Duke 4-4-0s, Cambrian Railways 0-6-0s and 2-4-0Ts, the latter retained for the Tanat Valley line which closed in 1951. I was just too late to see such delights, but must be grateful that I was in time to catch the last ‘Dean Goods’ and the last years of the 90xx Earl 4-4-0s (see 9004 at Dovey Junction in 1958, below).

= = = = = =

Most of my photographs in South Wales are on the page Railways1, but here is a 1957 scene from Llantrisant on the main Cardiff – Swansea line:

With its brass and copper-work shining nicely, 4988 Bulwell Hall approaches Llantrisant with the 9.30 Manchester - Swansea on 9^th September 1957

= = = = =

We move on to 1958: a year when the retrenchment of the steam locomotive and of branch lines sadly moved up a gear. The first weekend of the year saw the closure of a Welsh outpost of the old London and North Western Railway, the line across the heads of the South Wales valleys from Abergavenny to Merthyr Tydfil. This was marked by a special train, hauled by two L&NWR locos: the last “Coal Tank” 58926 and one of the still numerous 0-8-0 freight engines, 49121.

Here are some photos taken on that day, 5^th January 1958.

An all-female audience turns out at Clydach to watch the last train climbing steadily up the 1 in 38 towards Brynmawr on its way to Merthyr.

Two children look in fascination at the ceremonial wreath on the smokebox of 58926 during a pause at Dowlais High Street station.

I wonder where those two are now, and do they remember gazing in awe at an LNWR Coal Tank?

58926 and 49121 at Ebbw Vale High Level with the last passenger train.

A lady climbs a wall to secure a good photo and men in hats, fresh out of Chapel, look on with suitably solemn expressions.

As evening falls in Merthyr Tydfil, 58926 and 49121 get ready for the final journey back to Abergavenny Junction.

The sketch map shows the curious railway geography of Merthyr and Dowlais, omitting certain freight-only lines.

Dowlais had four stations: Central (‘C’ on the map), High Street, (‘H’), Cae Harris (‘CH’), and Dowlais Top (‘T’).

Dowlais lies near the 1250’ contour, whereas Merthyr is about 500’ above sea level, giving rise to the circuitous route taken by the railway.

The lines had been built principally to serve the coal and iron industries, but the elimination of those activities has largely been followed by the railways.

All the lines shewn on the map were open for passenger services in 1950, but by 1965 all had closed except the Merthyr – Cardiff line which still retains a full passenger service.

There are no longer any rail freight services to Merthyr and district.

and further north in Wales …

4-4-0 no.9004 at Dovey Junction with the 12.15 Barmouth to Machynlleth train on 11^th September 1958

Blaenau Ffestiniog in the rain: GWR 0-6-0PT no 9669 arrives with the 11.50 from Bala on 15^th September 1958

GWR 4912 Berrington Hall arrives at Ruabon with the 4.30 pm Birkenhead to Paddington on 15^th September 1958

Another branch line closure of 1958 was an attractive route on the western outskirts of Birmingham:

This line from Longbridge, on the Midland Railway’s line to Bristol, wound its way through unspoilt country on Birmingham’s western fringes to Halesowen and Old Hill, where it joined the GWR’s Stourbridge line. Public passenger services had been withdrawn in 1927, but two daily trains survived to take workers to and from the Austin Motor Company’s works. But these too succumbed on 29^th August 1958. The authorities never seemed to mind school boys joining the workers on the train, so the line formed an occasional detour on the way home from school in the evening. In the first picture, taken from Longbridge signal box, 7448 is setting off for Old Hill with the penultimate train on 29^th August 1958, the 5.9 from Longbridge. The second photo is taken from the last train half an hour later, as it crosses Dowery Dell viaduct. The M5 motorway now traverses this stretch of country.

Some long-gone scenes from Devonshire:

Colour photography was very expensive in the 1950s, but here are two taken in August 1958:

A view from the carriage window of a 70xx Castle climbing Hemerdon bank with the 1.20 Penzance – Paddington train.

Steam hangs in the evening air as a Kingswear to Exeter St David’s train sets off alongside the Dart estuary behind a GWR 4-6-0.

The classic lines of GWR 2-6-2T 4178 near Churston with the Kingswear portion of the Royal Duchy from Paddington on 3^rd September 1958.

This line is now a preserved steam railway.

Two South Devon branches now closed:

4150 at Moretonhampstead with the 5.10 pm train for Newton Abbot on 4^th September 1958. Note the typical Brunel-style overall roof in the background.

0-6-0PT 3606 near Cove Halt with the 9.30 Exeter St David’s – Dulverton Exe Valley line train on 6^th September 1958.

Children talk to the driver and my parents look on at Brixham as 1463 waits with the auto train for Churston on 5^th September 1958.

1959 began with a school trip on 13^th January to Swindon Works and Bristol:

Inside Swindon’s ‘A’ shop: new BR Standard 9F 2-10-0 no. 92202 nears completion: one of the last steam locomotives built for British Railways.

The pioneer Hall class loco, 4900 Saint Martin waits outside in the snow for attention in the works. This locomotive had been built as a Saint in 1907 and rebuilt as the first of the Halls in December 1924. It was withdrawn later in 1959.

It is a murky winter’s evening as GWR Castle class 4-6-0 no. 5048 Earl of Devon waits at Bristol Temple Meads with the up Bristolian, 4.15 pm to London Paddington. Notice that the firebox door is open as the fireman ensures plenty of steam is available for the journey ahead.

The Bristolian was the world’s fastest steam train, running non-stop to Paddington in 105 minutes at an average speed of 67 mph. Fifty years on and trains are only four minutes faster, although they do now stop three or four times en route to London.

Scenes on the London Midland Region around Birmingham:

LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 45742 Connaught passes Stechford with the 8.50 from Euston to Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton on 21^st April 1959.

The coaling plant at Saltley depot (21A) with 4-6-0 75009 at the left and a 3F 0-6-0 at the plant. A wagon can be seen on the hoist.

LNW 0-8-0 49099 approaches Dudley Port with an up freight on the Stour Valley line.

45111 sets off from Birmingham New Street with the 3.53 pm to Norwich

Engineering work on the Trent Valley line resulted in diversion of Sunday trains via Coventry, Stechford, Aston, Bescot and Bushbury; here are two examples:

Unrebuilt Patriot class 4-6-0 45533 Lord Rathmore passes Stechford with a diverted parcels train.

4-6-2 no. 46200 The Princess Royal, looking very grubby and clearly in poor mechanical condition, lethargically approaches Stechford with the diverted up Ulster Express

Tickets from LMR Birmingham area stations

Evening in Cheltenham:

GWR 2-6-2T no. 4573 waits at Cheltenham Spa St James with the 7.15 pm to Kingham on 25^th September 1959.

The last slip coach service

Slip coaches were a nineteenth century development whereby a carriage was uncoupled from the rear of an express train at speed as it approached an intermediate station, enabling such destinations to enjoy the benefits of ‘fast’ arrivals. They were widely used throughout the country until the First World War, but on a reduced scale thereafter. Suspended once more during the Second World War, only the Great Western Railway revived them afterwards. In the early 1950s there were about a dozen slip coach services each day on former GWR lines, serving such destinations as Didcot and Reading (from up trains) and Westbury, Taunton, Princes Risborough and Bicester (from down trains). Gradually, they were replaced by additional calls by expresses, until, by 1959, only one such working survived, shewn below, which was discontinued in September 1960. Disadvantages of the slip coach were the need for specially equipped carriages, a pool of guards trained to operate the braking mechanism, and the need for special arrangements to return the carriage to the starting point for its next working. Bicester was the location of the last slip coach service. Two trains left Paddington for Birmingham and Wolverhampton in the late afternoon, at 4.34 and 5.10 pm; the latter conveyed the slip coach. The 4.34 made several calls, including High Wycombe and Princes Risborough before reaching Bicester at 6.3 where it waited in the platform loop until 6.25 when it resumed its journey to Banbury and (in 1960) principal stations to Birmingham Snow Hill. The 5.10 ran fast to Leamington Spa, passing non-stop through Bicester on the through line at 6.15. The slip carriage was uncoupled by the guard from the 5.10 about half a mile or so before Bicester and brought to a stand on the through line, alongside the waiting 4.34. The engine of the 4.34 would then pull forward onto the main line, set back to the slip coach and couple up, before drawing forward and setting back once more to attach it to the front of its train before continuing on its way. This was a somewhat complex performance and it is only surprising that it survived so long. At some stations, e.g. Reading, the slip coach was brought to a stand on the platform line, minimising shunting movements. One wonders what the safety authorities would say if there were a suggestion to reintroduce the practice!

A GWR King approaches Bicester North at speed with the 5.10 pm Paddington to Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

The slip coach has already been dropped from the rear of the express and can be seen some way behind as it coasts to a halt in the station. The rear vehicle of the 4.34 Paddington – Wolverhampton can be seen at the extreme right as it waits at the down platform.

A closer view of the slip coach rolling gently to a stop on the through line.

A few moments later 6001 King Edward VII backs onto the now stationary slip coach before attaching it to the front of the 4.34 Paddington – Wolverhampton semi fast train which was already waiting in the platform alongside.

Note in the last picture the special slip coach tail lights at the left of the carriage and also the large warning bell at both ends. The vehicle is number W7374, built in 1948. It has a guard’s slip compartment at each end and is shown carrying the late 1950s Western Region chocolate and cream livery with the BR crest on the side. There was one first-class compartment (seating six) and four second- (originally third-) class compartments each seating eight passengers. Note that in the few seconds which elapsed between taking the first and second photos, the up platform to main line signal has been lowered, ready for the 6.0 pm Banbury to Princes Risborough stopping train.

Bicester station is still quite smart today, but there have been many changes. The through lines have been removed, the footbridge has lost its roof, the goods shed has gone, and the semaphore signals have been replaced by colour lights. The GWR Kings and Castles which thundered through at over 80 mph have been largely replaced by diesel multiple units which mostly stop at the station which is now busier than at any time in its history. But in the autumn of 2011 Chiltern Railways introduced their Main Line service from Birmingham Snow Hill and Moor Street to London Marylebone and loco-hauled expresses once more dash through Bicester at speed, though the motive power is now diesel.

My itinerary on this trip appears below. I used a pre-booked Circular Tour Ticket, which offered a discount of 10% off the ordinary single fare. Apart from witnessing the arrival of the slip coach at Bicester, the tour included a delightful trip from Worcester to Oxford by way of what is nowadays called the Cotswold line, and a journey on the Oxford – Princes Risborough line via Thame which closed a few years later.

B’ham New Street dep 10.27 (LMS Black 5 loco)

Worcester Shrub Hill arr 11.26 dep 12.00 (GWR Castle)

Oxford arr 1.47 dep 2.42 (GWR 2-6-2T 4147)

Princes Risborough arr 3.41 dep 4.10 (GWR 0-6-0PT 64xx)

Bicester arr 4.46 dep 6.25 (GWR King 6001)

B’ham Snow Hill arr 7.57

A most satisfactory day’s travelling!

My other railway pages can be accessed by clicking on the links below:

Railways.htm (Birmingham Snow Hill in 1953, Three West Midlands GW branches and South Wales in the 1950s)

Railways2.htm (Brecon and -Mid-Wales; the Somerset & Dorset line, GWR and LSWR lines in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall: all 1957-1962)

Railways3.htm (the Scottish Highlands, 1959 and 1961; plus the Isle of Man in 1965)

Railways4.htm (Birmingham area LMR; glimpses of Boston, Peterborough, and Lincoln; GWR lines in North Wales; a few shots on the Southern: all 1961-1963)

Railways5.htm (the decline of steam, including the Southampton line, Birmingham GW, North Wales, Stroud Valley and Manchester Victoria: 1964 -1968)

Trams.htm (the last days of Birmingham’s narrow gauge tram system: scenes on the Erdington and Short Heath routes in June 1953)

Tyseley.htm (scenes at Tyseley and on the line between Tyseley and Birmingham Moor Street)

WHRamdLlangollen.htm (the revived Welsh Highland Railway, plus the Ffestiniog, Welshpool & Llanfair and Llangollen lines)

If our Home Page is not listed to the left of this page, it may be accessed here: www.robertdarlaston.co.uk

Could this be a cry of nostalgia by a railway enthusiast?

O how I long to travel back

And tread again that ancient track!

That I might once more reach that plain

Where first I left my glorious train

It is, in fact, from The Retreat by Henry Vaughan, who was born in Breconshire in 1622 and died there in 1695.