Once we Shropshire folk had a very scenic Great Western Railway line that ran along the banks of the River Severn, including passing along the wooded slopes of the Ironbridge Gorge, now a World Heritage site. Just north of Ironbridge there was a branch line to Much Wenlock and South Wales far beyond. Much of the Severn Valley line has gone now, and that also goes for our Much Wenlock branch that once served the limestone quarries and livestock farmers. Mostly all that remains are stretches of track bed that have been overhauled to create walking and cycling routes. But we do still have a working section – the Severn Valley Railway, which is run as a heritage attraction from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster in Worcester where you can also connect with the mainline system. As their strap line claims ‘it’s a great day out.’ And for someone who still remembers travelling in steam trains as a matter of course (visions of Crewe Station where family outings to North Wales began) I still have pangs of nostalgia whenever I’m around a steam locomotive stoking up.
Tish Farrell 
I have travelled on the Severn Valley Railway very nostalgic
It’s a great trip. We did it a couple of autumns ago, plus fish and chips in the old Kidderminster station caf.
It must be about a decade ago for me
Some tracks here have been converted too ..I love the sound of a steam train moving through the area of N. Ala. USA….One has to wonder how much longer they will be around.
That is is a good point as to how much longer they’ll be around.
We really could do with some of these routes back – though I have to concede that make excellent walking tracks too. I’ll leave the steam train journeys to you. A bit smutty and dirty and smelly fo me!
Agree wholeheartedly on return of many routes. They don’t need to be smutty either 🙂
Tish, this is a perfect photo for the week. I adore it 😀 😀
Thank you, Cee, for such a very nice comment. Happy weekend!
What fun! Love the photo.
Can’t beat a steam up.
Reblogged this on Hutts Ultra Blogging World.
Crikey I’ve not been on this one for 30ish years – do recall it being a great day out though. Wonderful portrait
Thanks, Becky.
Very nice. I too remember the steam trains going to Brittany to visit my gradfather… Early sixties. If you put your head out the window you could get a peck of coal in your eye or face. Or maybe that was a legend my parents used so we kids would not stick our heads outside…
Hello, Brian. I don’t think your parents were telling you tales. Steam trains can be pretty smutty 🙂
Still, it was sooo much fun to put your head outside the window… (Ask any dog in a car)
Absolutely!