The Severn Valley Railway

As Benno and I were sat on the banks of the River Severn, there was a lot of activity along the adjacent railway line. As it turns out, this is a heritage railway - a sixteen mile stretch of track which operates as a viable transport link and a huge tourist attraction.
I know even less about steam locomotives than I do about planes, so all the info I have has been gleaned from the Internet. The sight of a steam train conjours memories of my youngest days when, sitting at the window of my Grandparents, I watched the steam locos coming and going from Clapham Junction (the busiest station in the world at that time). They lived in a four storey "town house" on Strathblane Road, Battersea and looked down into the cutting where, many years later, the Clapham rail crash occurred. The sounds and unique smell of these magnificent machines is capable of giving each locomotive an individual personality - so unlike the efficient, but soulless, engines which work the mainline routes today.



5164 - a 2 - 6 - 2T 51xx Class built in 1930



5643 - a 0 - 6 - 2T 56xx Class built in 1925

7812 Erlestoke Manor - a 4 - 6 - 0 78xx Manor Class built in 1939

The magnificent 34053 "Sir Keith Park" -  a 4 - 6 - 2 Battle of Britain Class built in 1947


                                                                                                                                                                         I apologise for the images being very samey - I only had one gap in the trees which allowed me to get my photos. Not why we travelled all the way to Bridgenorth, but a very pleasant distraction from the rods.