My first 7 Day “Mid” since the 80’s! No rancid overnights in Crewe buffet though, hotels booked in Crewe and Shrewsbury, advances booked, the sun was shining, it was looking good! Passenger loco haulage in the “Mid” area is now restricted to “skips” on the Cardiff – Manchester and “WAG” to Holyhead, plus a few Chiltern turns. Older units worth looking at included class 150, 153 and now also in the decline TfW 158’s. A few winning shacks were planned but the highlight was to be storming through the Marches in early Spring…superb!
Thursday March 5th 2026
A huge shock at Leighton’s booking office, they issued my Heart of England 7 Day ticket relatively painlessly complete with Grumpy Card discount at £99. In warm sun a 12 car 350 took me North passing recently arrived 08822 in Bletchley CS. 50050 looked good at the Keynes on an Oxford bound route learning trip. My first loco haulage came some time later in 67008 from Crewe to Ludlow passing Colas 37057, 37219 and 56113 on Coleham depot to the South of Shrewsbury. Leaping off 67017 Northbound at Crewe gave plenty time to leap off, check in at the nearby Premier Inn and back onto 67017 South for 67008 back to Crewe. The Mk 4 sets are in good condition, never a wedge and reasonable thrash can be heard from the front coach, no complaints!
350116}
350113} 0924 Euston – Birmingham NS LB 54.25 BY 00.08 LB-MK
350375}
08822 BY CS
50050 0Z80 Crewe – Oxford – phot
One of 3 class 50’s in the local area of late, in good weather 50050 passes the Keynes on a Crewe – Oxford (Via BY flyover) crew training run on March 5th 2026
730226} 0946 Euston – Crewe MK-CR
730208}
MK 1021.52, WO 24.17, HL 26.39 WEE 33.40 KILS S 37.51 KILS N 38.35 HIL 40.59
RU 42,56
86259 RU
197007} 1130 Manchester Picc – Milford H CR-NA
197021}
197009} 0700 Milford H – Manchester Picc NA-CR
197021}
57308 Gresty Rd
88004
57307
87002 89001 90002 CD
67008 1230 Manchester Picc – Cardiff 12222 H CR-LU
A loco hauled passenger train approaching you always raises the spirits! 67008 arrives at Crewe with the 1230 Manchester – Cardiff on March 5th 2026
20901} Crewe S yd
20905}
56113, 37219, 37057 Salop Coleham depot
67017 1254 Cardiff – Manchester Picc LU-CR
67017 1630 Manchester Picc – Cardiff CR-LU
67008 1653 Cardiff – Manchester Picc LU-CR
Friday March 6th 2026
67025 took me to the required shack of Craven Arms where 2 other hauled train passed before joining the C.Wales service. I had bailed at Craven Arms as a photo stop though back on March 3rd 1984 though with 40035 running round the epic “Welsh Central Liner” tour there! The 153’s took me to the required shack of Knighton, the hour plus fester largely spent in the “Mad Hatter” Cafe having a decent breakfast.
After that it was more 67’s down to Hereford then 158’s on a Chester – Birmingham Int’l mileage move, Llangollen castle looking good in the distance as the sun set.
67025 0627 Manchester Picc -Cardiff Craven Arms CR-CR A
67017 0543 Swansea – Manchester Picc – phot.
67017 leaves Craven Arms with the 0543 Swansea – Manchester on March 6th 2026
42 years earlier! 40035 arrives at Craven Arms on March 3rd 1984 with the return “Central Wales Liner” tour to Cardiff and beyond. A lot of similarities with the view above although sitting on the track is frowned upon these days!
67022 0527 Holyhead – Cardiff – phot
153507} 0451 Swansea – Shrewsbury – phot
153362}
153528} 0835 Shrewsbury – Swansea Knighton CR A – KN
153353}
At the pleasant wayside shack of Knighton on the Central Wales line, The English border sign is by the coach! 153528 and 153353 are working the 0835 Shrewsbury – Swansea on March 6th 2026
153568} 0729 Swansea – Shrewsbury KN – SH
153327}
67017 1030 Manchester – Cardiff SH-HF
SH 1144.08 SU BR N 46.45 5 51.19 Dorr 52.29 8 53.53 10 55.27 12 56.58 CH ST 57.36
14 58.37 16 00.06 18.25 CR A 03.43 22.5 05.43 24.5 07.16 25 07.39 26 08.21 26.75 09.01
27 09.18 LU 10.50 12.42 28.5 14.34 29 15.01 31.5 16.46 33.25 17.58 34 18.28 35 19.08
36 19.49 37.5 20.59 LEO 22.49 24.20 39 25.37 40 26.36 42 28.09 44.5 30.13 48 32.54
49.5 34.11 50.25 35.09 HF 37.16
197027} 0900 Milford H – Manchester P HF-LE
197103}
197118} 1130 Manchester P – Milford H LE-HF
197011}
67012 1254 Cardiff – Manchester P HF-CR
Shiny new 93006 on a nationwide tour at Crewe on March 6th 2026
805004 1402 Euston – Chester Rancid unit! CR-CH
197121 1428 Holyhead – Cardiff CH-WR G
197017} 1508 Birmingham Int’l – Holyhead WR G – CH
197015}
158819} 1536 Holyhead – Birmingham Int’l -2 CH-INT
158832}
Llangollen castle view
350103} 2006 Birmingham NS – M.Keynes INT-MK
350104}
350405}
350377} 2036 Birmingham – Euston MK-LB
350376}
Monday March 9th 2026
Rested after a normal weekend the 730’s again took me North with plenty room aboard. Tutbury and Hatton shack was duly scratched, the crossing box looking good. then a track circuit farce saw the fester here extended to over an hour, at least this allowed a short fester at Longport.
197 units are to me, pretty good inside for modern units and a pair took me to Shrewsbury for another Premier Inn (5 mins from station) check in. 67015 once of Chiltern fame in failing light then took me South to a damp Hereford. An hour plus fester here was pretty dull and cold and it was good when 67017 rolled in for the thrash back to Shrewsbury.
730045} 0839 Euston – M.Keynes LB 48.50 BY 54.18 LB-MK
730043}
08822 BY CS – phot
730209} 0946 Euston – Crewe MK-CR
730229}
MK 1020.02 WO 22.3 Han 25.08 Wee 32.14 Kil T S 36.29 Kil T N37.14 Hil 39.00 RU 40.54
66750 6V84 Clitheroe – Avonmouth Cem e’s – Staff
170508 1226 Crewe – Lincoln C Tutbury n Hatton CR-TU
170534 arrives at Tutbury n Hatton with the late running 1142 Lincoln – Crewe which was terminated at Stoke due the late running on March 9th 2026
170534 1142 Lincoln C – Stoke 45L! Longton TU-LO
170271 1242 Lincoln C – Crewe LO-CR
56303 stripped – Longport
Festers at Crewe are enlivened by loco moves and shunts from the adjacent LSL loco depot, 37401 and 37409 look good with Crewe FC’s stand roof adding to the grey scene on March 9th 2026
37401} LSL -phot
37409}
197006} 1530 Manchester Picc – Fishguard H CR-SH
197044}
67015 1630 Manchester Picc – Cardiff SH-HE
12210, 12316, 10301, 11322, 12452, 82230
67017 1853 Cardiff – Manchester Picc HE-SH
12219, 12304, 10328, 11316, 12526, 82220
Tuesday March 10th 2026
An unlikely parallel loco hauled arrival at Shrewsbury started the day, 67025 on a late running 0627 MP-CF on platform 7 and 67012 on platform 4! The Manchester was then amended to “skip” various stops to Hereford, giving me time here to buy a piece to Abergavenny, another required shack. Nice station cafe here too!
Later my final Marches shack in Church Stretton on a nervy plus 3 between 197’s was raked in. A Gobowen bail for the first time since WSMR days then 67008 and 67015 finished off the evening.
67025 0627 Manchester P – Cardiff (25L in, 35L out) r/a Ludlow SH-HE
12224, 12326, 10321, 11320, 12477, 82220
67012 0527 Holyhead – Carfdiff (addit stops) 24L Abergavenny HE-AB
67012 makes an additional stop at Abergavenny with the 0527 Holyhead – Cardiff “WAG” on March 10th 2026
197035 0923 Cardiff – Holyhead AB-HE
43013 } Leicester – Landore NMT – phot
43062}
67008 0830 Manchester P – Cardiff HE-AB
11321, 10330, 12323, 12222, 12461, 82227
67012 1053 Cardiff -Manchester Picc AB-CR
197118} 1330 Manchester Picc – Pembroke D Church Stretton CR-CS
197094}
197104 1323 Cardiff – Holyhead CS-GOB
158835} 1327 Holyhead – Bir Int’l GOB-SH
158829}
67008 1630 Manchester P – Cardiff SH-LU
67015 1722 Cardiff – Holyhead LU-SH
12210, 12316, 10301, 11322, 12452, 82230
Wednesday March 11th 2026
A long queue at Shrewsury’s Greggs saw me just miss the 0627 ex Manchester with new for trip 67029 powering away. Still the “silver machine” should return on the 1453 ex Cardiff. A good run to Hereford, the hour’s fester here being filled by the 197 Leominster fill in move. A nice run from Chester to Shrewsbury positioned me nicely for the 1453 but on hearing of a suicide, disrupting services it was a red “skip” at the rear, new for trip 67020 working the final loco haulage of the trip working an amended Hereford – Manchester. A largely empty 730 whisked me South down the Trent at good haste and i was home for around 8pm. Good fun, must get out on the “H of E” more often!.
67029 0627 Manchester Picc -Cardiff
67015 0527 Holyhead – Cardiff SH-LU
67008 0646 Cardiff – Manchester Picc
197108 0719 Cardiff – Holyhead (plat 3 – Salop) LU-SH
67025 0830 Manchester Picc – Cardiff SH-HE
67025 throbs into Shrewsbury with the 0830 Manchester – Cardiff on March 11th 2026
197006} 0700 Milford H – Manchester Picc HE-LE
197114}
197121} 0930 Manchester Picc – Fishguard H LE-HE
197015}
67015 1053 Cardiff – Manchester Picc HE-CR
.HF 1158.38 MLugg SB 03.34 LE 10.46 12.41 LU 22.46 24.41 Bromfield SB 28.56
CR A 38.41 Marsh Br LC 43.30 CH S 45.19 Dorrington SB 50.10 SHR 57.33a 59.32d
YO 05.46 WM 09.06 PR 11.21 WH 14.12 WR 18.17 NA 21.25 CR 27.15
66657 6V75 Dee Marsh – MG
08631 LSL – shunting stock
66044 6F52 Marcroft – Arpley
197119 1421 Crewe – Chester
67011 CE dump
158830} 1327 Holyhead – Birmingham Int’l CH-SH
158839}
67020 1555 Hereford – Manchester SH-CR
due suicide Abergavveny
323237 1746 Crewe – Manchester P – phot
730224} 1813 Crewe – Euston CR-MK
730228}
350119} 2000 M.Keynes – Euston BY 04.42 LB 10.51 MK-LB
350111}
end
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