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European Railroad Discussion > Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in JanuaryDate: 02/01/25 09:48 Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: 86235 The Marches Line is a double track secondary mainline that connects Newport in South Wales with Shrewsbury in Shropshire in the English West Midlands, a distance of 95 miles, through a series of small and medium sized towns and cities along the border. Apart from the rural scenery one of the best features of the Marches Line is that it remains an outpost of Absolute Block signalling, complete with traditional signal boxes controlling a mixture of semaphore and colour light signals. Thankfully there are no plans to change that for at least another 10 years.
January in the borderlands has been a cold and somewhat stormy month, but with enough sunny days to tempt me out. 1: On January 2nd 67029 Royal Diamond on the 1W57 10:53 Cardiff to Manchester, passing Llanvihangel. Transport for Wales (TfW) acquired a number of ex-East Coast Mainline Mk4s (powered by DB class 67s) to upgrade the quality of the long distance South Wales to Manchester services. Five sets operate on weekdays alternating with new class 197 DMUs on the hourly service between Cardiff and Manchester. 2: A couple of days later the Monmouthshire countryside was still frozen at mid day for the passage of the daily southbound 6V75 Dee Marsh to Margam Yard empty steel (the loaded train northbound runs overnight). 3: On January 7th there was a bonus, a move of an ex-TfW class 175 DMU (175 103) from Landore Depot, Swansea to Ely in Eastern England, for storage. Running as 7Q46 it was topped by 37901 Mirrlees Pioneer, restored to its 1986 appearance in Railfreight Metals sub-sector livery, and tailed by 37218. ![]() ![]() ![]() Date: 02/01/25 09:59 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: 86235 4: On January 10th a pair of 197s (a two car 197/0 and a three car 197/1) forming the 1W16 09:01 Milford Haven to Manchester approaching Abergavenny. These alternate with the Mk 4 sets between Cardiff & Manchester. Milford Haven is in the far west of West Wales, the end to end journey taking some six and a quarter hours.
5: Just a couple of miles from Newport the 6V75 from Dee Marsh passing Ponthir on the same day 6: January 15th was both misty and cold. Again it's the 6V75, but here passing Pontrilas signal box just before it crosses from Herefordshire into Monmouthshire and from England to Wales. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/25 13:26 by 86235. ![]() ![]() ![]() Date: 02/01/25 10:08 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: 86235 7: January 16th was also very cold, and in places foggy. Emerging from a bank of fog near Tram Inn (the block post north of Pontrilas) is the 1V92 from Holyhead in North Wales to Cardiff, a pair of 197/1s
8: Further north still at Bromfield ( between Ludlow and Craven Arms) 6V75 behind regeared 66652. 9: The block post south of Bromfield is Woofferton. Once a junction with a sizeable yard it is now much reduced, but still with a full set of semaphores in both direction and an Up Goods Loop. This pair of 197/0s is northbound on 1W18 Milford Haven to Manchester. In the background is Clee Hill. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/25 13:29 by 86235. ![]() ![]() ![]() Date: 02/01/25 10:16 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: 86235 10: On January 17th I caught the train from Abergavenny to Craven Arms (four stops). The 6V75 recesses in the down goods loop at Craven Arms for about 25 minutes (to be overtaken by the 1V94 Holyhead to Cardiff). Here it is pulling in to the DGL...
11...and being passed by the 1W16 07:01 Milford Haven to Manchester. 12: The next Manchester service was 1W57, with 67016. Signalling at Craven Arms is a mixture of lower quadrant semaphores and modern LED signals, following a partial resignalling in 2018. ![]() ![]() ![]() Date: 02/01/25 10:26 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: swaool Excellent images! Nice to catch the Class 37s on the 7Q46. Do the TfW services from South Wales to Manchester go into Victoria or Picadilly?
mike woodruff north platte ne Date: 02/01/25 10:31 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: 86235 13: Freightliner Heavy Haul also operate freight trains on the Marches Line but mostly after dark at this time of year. An exception is on Sunday morning, when a 6B33 empty stone train from Stoke Gifford (near Bristol) or East Usk (Newport) to Moreton on Lugg (north of Hereford) is scheduled. It's often cancelled, but not on January 19th. 66618 had 22 ex-coal hoppers in tow. Once loaded it formed 6M39 MoL to Crewe later in the day.
14: On Jan 21st the 1V39 10:30 Manchester to Cardiff approaching Tram Inn under the Coedmoor bridge. 15: Once a month Network Rail send their test train down the Marches Line running as 1Q36 Derby to Derby via Newport. This month it was on Jan 24th when we were picking ourselves up from the strong winds and overnight dump of rain from Storm Éowyn. Here it is passing Pandy between Abergavenny and Pontrilas. Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/25 02:07 by 86235. ![]() ![]() ![]() Date: 02/01/25 10:32 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: 86235 swaool Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Excellent images! Nice to catch the Class 37s on > the 7Q46. Do the TfW services from South Wales > to Manchester go into Victoria or Picadilly? > > mike woodruff > north platte ne Piccadilly Date: 02/01/25 10:43 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: 86235 16: From Pandy I drove north through Hereford and past Leominster to Woofferton for the 1V38 Manchester to Fishguard Harbour. In the event it terminated short at Carmarthen, high winds further west were blowing debris onto the track
17: At Bromfield (between Ludlow and Craven Arms), the next block post north from Woofferton 1W57 Cardiff to Manchester with 67015. 18: Just south of Craven Arms, in the valley of the River Onny is Stokesay Castle, a 14th century fortified manor house. The 1V40 Manchester to Milford Haven passing Stokesay. By the time it reached West Wales the winds had abated and it reached its final destination. ![]() ![]() ![]() Date: 02/01/25 10:46 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: NMlurker Really nice coverage. I love the semaphore signals.
Date: 02/01/25 10:50 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: RNinRVR Very nice set of photos. Wonder if Ben Ellis is signe for this line, would be nice to get a cab ride video over it.
Sharon Evans Glen Allen, VA Date: 02/01/25 12:37 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: SOO6617 Very nice set of photos, Nick.
Date: 02/01/25 12:54 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: 86235 NMlurker Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Really nice coverage. I love the semaphore > signals. RNinRVR Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Very nice set of photos. SOO6617 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Very nice set of photos, Nick. Thanks everyone Date: 02/01/25 12:58 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: train1275 Amazingly beautiful images.
Good catch on that 37 Class ! Date: 02/01/25 15:50 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: dwatry Nick - nice to see you've got some loco-hauled passenger trains back on your line with the Class 67s!
Date: 02/01/25 20:58 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: krm152 All are super excellent photography. Like all the Class 66 action. Above all, like the Class 37 scene.
ALLEN Date: 02/02/25 02:48 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: bobwilcox Date: 02/04/25 00:36 Re: Out and about on the Welsh Marches Line in January Author: 55002 Great collection Nick. Good to see the Welsh Marches so busy. Chris uk.
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