Steam Dreams offers ‘Shrewsbury in Springtime’

STEAM Dreams is to run a trip on Saturday, April 27 under the title of ‘Shrewsbury in Springtime’, with a variety of off-train options.

Starting from Paddington, the tour will head west along the Great Western Main Line to pick up passengers at Slough and Reading, before heading north to Didcot Parkway and Oxford. From here, the train plans to take the Cotswold Line to Shrewsbury.

It is hoped that the outward journey will feature some rare metals, such as the Royal Oak carriage loop, Hinksey Yard reception road, and the Down Bescot goods loop, but these are ALL subject to Network Rail approval. At Shrewsbury, there is the option of just exploring the town or taking one of the off-train options. The first of these is a cruise of the River Severn, or passengers may wish to visit Ironbridge and Blists Hill Museum.

Road coaches will be provided to the first stop of Ironbridge, where there is the chance to walk across the legendary bridge, and then customers will be transported to the Victorian world of Blists Hill Museum for about two hours to look around. The third off-train option is the chance to visit the National Trust’s 18th-century mansion of Attingham Park.

For those who choose to remain on board the train, Steam Dreams is offering a circular tour of Cheshire and Lancashire featuring some rare track in the capable hands of a Class 66 from GB Railfreight.

First heading into Wales, the train will pass through Gobowen and Wrexham to Rossett Junction. Crossing back into England, the next destination is Chester, where the train will pass through the Down and Up goods loops and take the line to Warrington.

Turning east at Mickle Trafford Junction, the tour is planned to head towards Manchester but will divert onto the freight-only line at Northwich before turning back toward Crewe on the main line.

Before reaching Crewe, the train will again take a freight line to avoid the busy station before heading back to Shrewsbury.

After picking up passengers at Shrewsbury, the return journey is planned to take the Welsh Marches line through Hereford and

Abergavenny. The train will then take the Maindee Curve to avoid Newport and set down passengers at Bristol Parkway before returning to London.

Again, the return journey will hopefully feature some rare metals, including Hereford Down relief, Maindee Hereford loop, East Usk Up and Down branch to Up relief at 156.74, Up relief to Up main at 156.03, Swindon Up main to Up Swindon reception at 77.00, and Up relief at Steventon, subject to approval.

Tickets are available in first class dining and non-dining, and standard class, with a discount for juniors.

There are supplements for the various additional offerings.

For more information and to book onto the tour, visit steamdreams. co.uk