5. Leg 5, Shrewsbury-Crewe (33mi)

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2021 > 32. West Midlands Day Ranger-08.06.21 > 5. Leg 5, Shrewsbury-Crewe (33mi)
In order to get to Crewe quickly rather than return to Wolverhampton and head north again using our Day Ranger validity, we opted to go off-piste. We bought a pair of off-peak tickets from Shrewsbury to Crewe travelling directly via the delightfully rural route through Whitchurch. Prior to departure Andy and I wallowed in a sea of GWR nostalgia at Shrewsbury with its mass of mechanical semaphore signalling!
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170514, LN 12.41 Shrewsbury-Birmingham New Street (2G17, RT), Shrewsbury station When freshly applied the rather striking livery carried by West Midlands Trains' stock looked quite smart. However, as time has gone on it does not look quite so good looking as if it's become tricky to keep it smart. 170514 makes ready to leave Shrewsbury with the 2G17 12.41 service to Birmingham New Sreet. Keywords: 170514 12.41 Shrewsbury-Birmingham New Street 2G17 Shrewsbury station London Northwestern West Midlands Trains
175109, AW 11.31 Manchester Piccadilly-Carmarthen (cancelled from Swansea) (1V40, 15L), Shrewsbury station Shrewsbury remains a mecca for fans of mechanical signalling nearly a quarter of the way through the twentieth century! 175109 arrives at the station on a beautiful early summer's day working the 1V40 11.31 Manchester Piccadilly to Carmarthen train. Unfortunately, things went wrong later for the Transport for Wales Service working with a late arrival at Swansea precipitating its cancellation. Presumably, any onward bound passengers transferred to a slightly later 'local' service? Standing proud in the sunshine, starter signal CJ53 allows for reverse departures from the otherwise designated up platform towards Crewe when required. Keywords: 175109 11.31 Manchester Piccadilly-Carmarthen cancelled from Swansea 1V40 Shrewsbury station
175109, AW 11.31 Manchester Piccadilly-Carmarthen (cancelled from Swansea) (1V40, 15L), Shrewsbury station Forgive this scene looking into the summer sun but I could not resist a second photograph of the 11.31 Manchester to Carmarthen service this time leaving Shrewsbury station to the south. The background is dominated by the incredible Severn Bridge Junction signal box the future of which has just been assured by Network Rail (soon to become GBR) as they have just completed a £250,000 refurbishment of the structure in anticipation of it being in use for another thirty years! The train is passing the up starter bracket that supports two centre pivoted wooden arms. These are unique now by virtue of their spectacles being located to the left of the pivot points. Until the mid-1970s there was also a couple of calling on arms with describers behind the spectacles mounted just below the present arms. Notice the SBJ5 signal that is the up main home for Severn Bridge Junction. Keywords: 175109 11.31 Manchester Piccadilly-Carmarthen cancelled from Swansea 1V40 Shrewsbury station Transport for Wales Rail Services
175102, AW 09.00 Carmarthen-Manchester Piccadilly (1W56, 9L), Shrewsbury station For so many reasons Shrewsbury ranks highly in my top ten of stations. It's constructed in a delightful mock Tudor style that was completed at the start of the twentieth century expanding the size of the original 1848 structure. The next train of our tour of the West Midlands arrives at platform four that will take Andy and me to Crewe. Our journey on 175102 was taken on a pair of Two Together discounted off-peak singles as this route was not part of our West Midlands Ranger route. The journey was through delightful Cheshire countryside on board a comfortable and roomy train, the only criticism that I have of which was that it was over-air-conditioned! Interestingly, these units are due for withdrawal from this route and coming off-lease next year as new stock is introduced. One wonders if and where they have a future? Journey score 8/10 Keywords: 175102 09.00 Carmarthen-Manchester Piccadilly 1W56 Shrewsbury station Transport for Wales Rail Services
365523, 319441 & 365527, stored, Crewe New Middle sidings On the approach to Crewe, the view to the southeast is dominated by lines of stored units in the New Middle sidings. Of those in view here, only three could be identified. Former Great Northern 365523 faces an uncertain future with scrapping to be its most likely path. 319411 wearing its London Midland colours may well become one of the flex converted sets, this particular unit was last seen very close to home back in 2017, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/25006954404/x319411-13-32-watford-northampton The final identified unit is another former Great Northern unit 365527 that I also saw back in the summer of 2017 when Andy and I spent a few hours on the ECML close to our respective home locations, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/24908397404/x365527-365516-1p51-arlesey-footbridge Keywords: 365523 319441 365527 Crewe New Middle sidings
82139, stabled, LSL Crewe Jeremy Hosking's LSL (Locomotive Services Ltd) TOC have taken a confident, enviable and commanding lead amongst heritage operators. They have an impressive portfolio of stock and motive power much of which is in use around the country in many cases leased by other operators. Throughout the COVID pandemic rather than slowing things down LSL kept on purchasing and then refurbishing more stock including this former Greater Anglia DVT, 82139, last seen at Colchester, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/25606769604/x82139-10-00-london-liverpool-street It has been in receipt of a particularly good retro InterCity swallow paint scheme and will be used on various charters throughout the country. Keywords: 82139 stabled LSL Crewe Locomotive Services Ltd
43055 & 08483, stabled, LSL Crewe Always eager to move in on a niche market LSL have purchased a number of HST sets from Porterbrook following the ending of their contract with East Midlands Trains. Last summer they painted a complete set into a very impressive retro Nankang blue Pullman livery. Unfortunately, COVID put paid to their use on charters but now that restrictions have been partially lifted this set, seen at LSL's Crewe headquarters, are due out in just three days time working the Bristol to Carlisle Settle and Carlisle Pullman. Indeed on passing this facility at the other end of the train staff were observed cleaning the side of the stock with long brushes. This power car is 43055 that I last saw in July 2020 heading to Eastleigh for its repainting, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/29301193004/x43055-43046-37521-07-14-crewe-hs Keywords: 43055 08483 stabled LSL Crewe HST Pullman
90002, stabled, LSL Crewe With Crewe Alexandra's Gresty Road main stand dominating the background 90002 'Wolf of Badenoch' is somewhat dwarfed sitting stabled on one of LSL's sidings. The former Greater Anglia Class 90 came off lease last year following replacement by the Class 745 FLIRT units. Whilst LSL has procured some, others have gone to Freightliner to replace the ageing Class 86s. Keywords: 90002 stabled LSL Crewe Locomotive Services LTD Wolf of Badenoch
Tickets, Shrewsbury-Crewe Andy and I enjoyed a pleasant train journey from Shrewsbury to Crewe, a distance of some thirty-three miles. We had to purchase a couple of off-peak single tickets as our West Midland Ranger tickets were out of zone on this route. It was a fairly costly trip at 27p/mile but route expediency overcame this issue! Keywords: Tickets Shrewsbury-Crewe

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