Severn Valley Railway

When I travelled on the Severn Valley Railway, a 1940s theme day was taking place all along the line. Kidderminster station had sandbags and camouflage near the main doors, posters on the walls, adverts of the time all around, an ARP Warden’s post and people in costume throughout the station. Soldiers stood guard, and classic cars parked outside. Upon receiving my ticket at the pub in the station, I also received an ID card the Home Guard stamped before granting me access to the platform. The railway museum is here as well as a sign saying, “No dancing or standing on platform edge.”

A London Midland Scottish (LMS) steam locomotive pulled the brown carriages along the line, stopping at Arley and Hampton Loade stations before arriving in Bridgnorth. The stations had many period features. For example, Hampton Loade had a Great Western Railway “St Ives” advertisement encouraging visitors to the resort, and a large poster for the LMS Merseyside Express.

My new book is available here.

The book covers not only the Great Little Trains of Wales but also other methods of transport in the UK.

I was eight years old when my interest in steam trains began. My parents and I lived close to someone who worked at Doncaster train station. The Flying Scotsman was the most famous train of the time, and for some reason it was at Doncaster for a few days. I was asked whether I’d like to see the train and go on the footplate. Of course I did. What I remember most was the enormous size of the train and that the driver’s cab seemed as big as my bedroom. Everything about the train, the colours, the gleaming metal, the gorgeous carriages, the mountain of coal, made a lasting impression – I wanted to go to places, and I wanted to go on a train like this one.

My father wanted to travel, and the plan was for my parents to see the world when he retired. Cancer cut short his life and their plan died with him. Once I had the finances, I felt duty bound to travel to the places he wanted to go, and if possible, go by steam train. This book is what I found.