1960s Steam Snow Hill To Shrewsbury 

Cheers John, Snow Hill was a superb place during my footplate days at Stafford Road and Oxley Sheds during the early 60s all manner of GWR loco's such as Kings/Castles/Halls/Granges/Manors were to be seen on a daily basis. A mecca for GWR fans. Thanks for looking/commenting, much appreciated. Regards...Bill

Beverley, thanks for taking the time to view and comment. It's nice to know that this video bought back some fond and happy memories for you. This was my era and it shows how things have changed over the last 50 odd years or so, take care....Bill

Cheers Philip, Thanks for taking the time to view and comment much appreciated. Unfortunately very little is left of the former GWR in Wolverhampton nowadays. Stafford Rd Shed became an industrial Park so did the site of the former Loco Works on Dunstall Hill. Herbert Street Goods Depot (Victoria Basin) became a builders Merchants site. Oxley Shed now services Pendolino's and the former Wolverhampton Low Level Station is now used as a Banqueting Suite, Conference Centre and various other things and has now been renamed as Grand Central Station. The downside of the station is where all this takes place. The rest of the Station area had a Premier Inn hotel built on it with a Pub as part of the Hotel called The Bluebricks along with numerous private flats. I don't think you would like many of the changes having been made. Regards....Bill

Thanks for all the information Bill. I visited Wolves in the late '80s and went for a walk to Low Level station. It was completely in disrepair, windows and doors boarded up etc. Broke my heart when I remember what that entrance hall used to be, with it's amazing models in glass cases. I wonder what happened to those? Whilst I am grateful that it has not been bulldozed, you are spot on. I don't think I would like the result as you described. Happy that Oxley shed still has some railway association, I would love a ride on a Pendolino, railways here in Australia are still in the dark ages, and I don't mean steam! Thanks again and Best Wishes, Philip.

Andy, Thanks for looking/commenting, a lot has gone from Wednesbury since steam days, but at least the Metro runs over part of the former GWR Mainline from Priestfield into Snow Hill and has kept part of the line still open. Cheers...Bill

Jaw dropping to see Swan Village

This video is 1 of 3 this being number 3 where I tried to recreate the route of The Cambrian Coast Express from Paddington to Shrewsbury during my footplate days in the early 1960s. It's nice to know that you enjoyed watching this video. Thanks for taking the time to view and comment, much appreciated, Cheers...Bill

Happy days, fond memories for you. Thanks for looking/commenting much appreciated. Regards...Bill

Steve, many thanks for looking/commenting, as you say this is part of our railway history, long since gone, it's great that these days were recorded by various people like Jim Clemens, glad you enjoyed watching, cheers...Bill

Richard, thanks for taking the time to view and your kind comment. Blowers Green Station in the 60s is featured in another video on my channel it shows W-ton Low Level to Stourbridge Jnc in 1962, you may wish to take a look. Regards...Bill

Jamie, thanks for looking/commenting, and yes they were fantastic days. I put this video together to remind me of my firing days at Stafford Rd and Oxley, and it's thanks to Michael Clemens I was able to do so, cheers...Bill

Thanks for taking the time to view and comment much appreciated nice to know you enjoyed watching the video. Regards...Bill

Ken, thanks for taking the time time to view and comment, so glad you enjoyed watching this little blast from the past, cheers...Bill

Many thanks for looking/commenting, there must have been many small stations like Upton Magna, that were way out from the small villages they served, unfortunately I would imagine not many survived into the modern railway era, cheers...Bill

Trevor, thanks for looking,I think it's great to look at videos from the past, what we have now is nothing like it was then in the 60s, so much has been lost, cheers...Bill

Cheers Steve, thanks for looking/commenting, glad you enjoyed watching. Did you notice the differences at Codsall that were there in the 60s, and are no longer there today. (The signal box and loop on the upside, and the refuge siding on the downside). I can still picture them now 50 odd years on, cheers...Bill

Moira, many thanks for looking, glad you found it and that it bought back some more happy memories for you of your childhood days in and around Priestfield etc, and I would imagine you love working as a volunteer on the Watercress Line I do have another video which I have not yet uploaded showing a local 2:10pm service from Low Level to Stourbridge which show all the stations en-route. I may get round to uploading it sometime in the near future, take care...Bill

Cheers Gaz, thanks for looking, I thought you would like the Swan Village clip etc from past comments of the area, glad you enjoyed watching, cheers...Bill

Steve, thanks for looking, glad you enjoyed watching this little blast from the past, cheers...Bill

Roy, thanks for taking the time to view and comment, much appreciated, and glad this bought back some great memories for you.regarding climbing the bank up to West Brom, very rarely had a problem, it always depended on the state the loco was in, and the load behind, my favourite loco was the Castle, they were superb loco's, cheers...Bill

Cheers Dave, many thanks for looking/commenting, for myself a look at the past of workings over this former mainline evokes so many great memories, glad you enjoyed watching, cheers...Bill

Cheers Dave, thanks for looking, glad you enjoyed watching a blast from the past...Bill

Hi Bill ,I did indeed,Thanks for reply..Dave

Cheers Judith, I totally agree with your comment. Thanks for looking/commenting. Regards...Bill

But if these lines were open we would have no heritage railways

I Know as I used to Trainspot there at the gates!!

Thanks for pointing out the error in the commentary in the video, and thanks for taking the time to view and comment. Regards...Bill

You are welcome.... you see for that pannier to be heading towards Dudley it would have to travel in an opposite direction & not only that, it would have to be on the middle rail crossing over Swan Lane actually!!!

Overall you are correct.It is a view of main line as factory buildings -above left-have only been demolished in 2017.The houses are in Cygnet Road and an old school friend lived in number 10 and had a bedroom at rear facing the main line. Shame he was only lukewarm to trainspotting. You are out regarding the opposite direction.Bearing in mind the signalbox at the branch line crossing is on the left then the film maker has the main line to his rear. My granddad was one of the signalmen on the main line crossing and I regularly spent happy times in there.I probably know you-I was born 1944. Also see my comments later on this post.Regards Roy Adlington

Hello Michael, yes some of the scenes are from the late Jim Clemens video Steaming Through Shropshire. As stated in the description of the video I did ask Michael Clemens for his permission to use various clips of his late fathers. This is video 3 of 3 as I tried to recreate the route of The Cambrian Coast Express from Paddington to Shrewsbury during my firing days in the early 60s. I hope this answers your question. Regards...Bill

Anthony, thanks for pointing out the error in the commentary regarding the wrong name being given to the Britannia Class loco passing through Wellington. Cheers...Bill