April 18th 2018.

Having finished my meeting at 1040 I have time to make my way down to Birmingham Moor St station in time to catch the Intercity Express from London Marylebone to Shrewsbury (one train per hour with some extensions to Chester). Moor St is vastly different to today, the notion that one main line station could serve a city the size of Birmingham has long since been dispelled. Moor St serves not only its current markets but a revived Intercity Route and services to the East Midlands and the Cotswolds. Past a regenerated Snow Hill station which is the major interchange with the many Midland Metro lines as well as being a stop for the Birmingham Underground (as is Moor St & New St) my sleek diesel Intercity unit developed from the current Class 180 Adelante accesses the Soho to Bescot line via a new built curve and traverses to Wolverhampton avoiding the Stour Valley. A slight delay is encountered as the four through platforms at Wolverhampton are struggling to cope with the traffic (there is talk of how to reuse the abandoned Low Level station). Once past Wolves our train which is one of the two off peak trains direct between Birmingham and Shrewsbury (more run in the peak plus the odd through service to other destinations including the Cambrian) speeds across the countryside at 100mph. Telford is soon reached and at Wellington an old fiend- 158852 is sitting in the bay with a service to Bridgnorth via Madeley & Ironbridge (there has been some dissent that the reopened line is having to put up with old stock). The sprint past the reduced traffic on the A5 is somewhat dissipated by the need to stop at Shrewsbury Parkway, we reach Shrewsbury on time some 52 minutes from Moor St.

Pulling into Platform 3 there are plenty of staff in evidence and a constant stream of good information, many people cross over the footbridge to the Island platform where soon Manchester to Cardiff and Cardiff to Manchester Intercity Express's formed with Class 220 Voyagers soon pass each other using Platforms 4 & 7. There is clearly a form of Tarfarkaplan in operation; once these trains pull away local services to Chester & Crewe soon appear as well as an all stations service to Birmingham on Platform 5. My destination is Platform 2 where a three coach modern DMU sits its livery proclaiming "The Cambrian Railway gateway to Southern Snowdonia" logos clearly tell us its run by the Mid Wales Passenger Transport Authority. The unit has a dedicated senior conductors area with room for bicycles, parcels and the catering trolley. Seating is well arranged with plenty of tables, good views out of the windows and luggage space. In Platform 1 a similar unit waits to depart over the Heart of Wales line but is only two coaches in length. We depart on time just past 1200 and pass the now World Heritage site of the old signalbox and past the new power signalbox for Shrewsbury area occupying where the sidings opposite the now defunct Gay Meadow Football ground were. Past Sutton Bridge Junction we enter a double track section past the outskirts of Shrewsbury a freight passes us on the way and we flash past Hookagate Freight Terminal at our maximum permitted speed of 90mph.

We don't stop at Hanwood station as the timetable has been devised to allow a departure every hour to Aberystwyth (not clock face) but only stopping at the village stations in the off peak every two hours plus peak services and first and last trains. Our train is one a few off peak services that only stop at Welshpool, Newtown, Machynlleth and Dovey Junction. The single-track section to Buttington Junction is entered fast running soon eats this up. The line from Oswestry curves in and we are now on a double track section as far as Welshpool. Reopenings have been prioritised by ease of them happening and ability to infill and the missing miles being only 9 or so between Llynclys and Buttington Junction helped the case compared with other routes. An UP service to Shrewsbury passes us at the level crossing over the A458. A rejuvenated Welshpool is reached the station is now back on its original alignment and has three platforms -the bypass has been moved to make way for the railway! A modern single car unit waits in Welshpool for departure to Gobowen. Where once the roundabout stood Welshpool freight siding and the Welshpool & Llanfair Railway now stand once more. In the station forecourt there are several buses of differing sizes all waiting to connect with the trains. These too are run by the Mid Wales Passenger Transport Authority who also ensure the station is staffed as a transport interchange, staff not only deal with railway passengers but bus ones and parcels.

Newtown is reached within 35 minutes of departure from Shrewsbury, a freight multiple unit is in the freight terminal on the site of the old Smithfield market loading containers belonging to a well known supermarket. The same routine with the buses happens, including a connecting bus to Brecon where the railway is reached again - progress has been slow on reinstating this route. The station is staffed 0700 to 1900 Monday to Saturday and for a few hours on a Sunday. I get off and catch my bus using my fully interchangeable through ticket. I am soon home just on 1300.

The train departs passing the timber freight yard at Moat Lane Junction, missing out Caersws and Carno stations, the crossing at Talerddig with another UP service is familiar and the train arrives at Machynlleth with a coast departure awaiting in the Coast loop and the usual buses. Another UP service is passed at a busy Dovey Junction and the final few miles flash by missing Borth and Bow St stations. Aberystwyth is reached some 93 minutes from Shrewsbury and travellers have the opportunity to continue on to Carmarthen by train as well as good interconnecting buses.

IS IT POSSIBLE?

See Route Map to 2018