1960s Two Long Forgotten Wellington (Salop) Branch Lines

This is the last of a series of three videos I was allowed to extract various clips from originally filmed by Jim Clemens, and will show two former branch lines that used to run into Wellington (Salop) The first clip is from Stafford via Newport to Wellington, and the second is from Crewe via the Market Drayton branch to Wellington. All former Halts and Stations along both branch lines are clearly shown. These two former branch lines disappeared many years ago, but thanks to Jim Clemens we have a superb record of what used to be. All credits for this video must go to Michael Clemens of B&R Videos for allowing me to show material filmed by his late father Jim Clemens. Enjoy.

[@likklej8]

If the British establishment had not thought that rail and road was a competition and thought in terms of coordination and cooperation. maybe these lines would still exist.

[@ricardoroberto100]

Simple economics. As the car became more affordable people ditched the train. Trains are ideal for freight but they are not end to end as you still need the road to get the freight to final destination and it was cheaper and easier to use the road all the way. It was simple lack of use that closed the stations. Beeching was just doing as he was told.

[@likklej8]

ricardoroberto100 true but factories and warehouses used to have rail links too. Maybe we should move to drop fiat economics and move to resource based economy based on crypto currency

[@neilewart4347]

I do remember trip to Stafford once. Three coaches from Shrewsbury hauled by Jubilee Galatea. Then it was from Wellington to Crewe behind a lovely little Pannier. Looked incongruous sitting under the wires ready to return.

[@bennickss]

Wish I could have been born 60-70 years before I was. Would have loved to see Wellington in the steam era.

[@JamesE707]

Fantastic to see Cool Pilate Halt, Audlem, and Coxbank Halt!

[@michaelnaisbitt7926]

Thanks for upload the memories of steam and childhood

[@magic1ond]

Lovely film of bygone days Bill..Thanks for sharing this little gem..

[@ElzevereBlock]

Priceless footage, many thanks.

[@gilbertcostin2429]

Hi, I fired many engines past Wellington and over the Market Drayton line in the 60s I was a fireman at Oxley more sheds and my driver was Kenny Law, and my name is Gil costin and live in Eastbourne now, Cheers everyoneGil.

[@84asrd84boxy]

Cheers Gil, I remember Kenny Law he was a keen golfer and played at Oxley golf club. I mated him a couple of times. My driver at Oxley in the Zone Link was Teddy Purslow after I moved from Stafford Road shed after mating Dennis Macmillan for a couple of years. I hope this video bought back some happy memories for you. Thanks for taking the time to view and comment. Regards...Bill

[@waldenhouse]

An absolutely wonderful recollection of days gone, adequately narrated and sound dubbing excellent! I can only imagine no 254 detached houses and a supermarket on many of these iconic sites! Thank you for sharing - a treasure indeed.

[@84asrd84boxy]

+RMLectronics East Yorks Many thanks for taking the time to view and comment. Jim Clemens did a wonderful job of recording these former branch lines, a superb record of what used to be all those years ago. As you say I would imagine there must be many places along both of these lines that have been built upon destroying the history of both lines. Best Regards...Bill

[@sapper82]

If only the trackbeds of the closed lines had been retained, what a system of long distance footpaths & cycleways we'd have.

[@bennickss]

I walked the former line from horsehay to lightmoor today, the Doseley to Lightmoor section is in deplorable condition and is unlikely to ever reopen.

[@sam8alex12]

An amazing film, of a long gone line. it was great to here about all the old stations, Thanks to the owner of the film for allowing us to see. his fathers film.

[@84asrd84boxy]

Cheers Ernie, it truly is a great look back on both branch lines that disappeared many years ago, and superbly captured by Jim Clemens, thanks to him these scenes will now last forever for everyone to enjoy, and a special thanks has to go to Michael Clemens for allowing me to use this footage, take care...Bill

[@bullettube9863]

Wonderful clip! That American style loco and tender is amazing!

[@afreeman1980]

Don't forget the Doseley dodger line. I went on that many times from Horsehay and Dawley to Wellington to go swimming at Wellington baths on a Saturday morning. When I lived in Doseley the trains ran past at the bottom of our garden.

[@KenBrownekb71000duke]

Another masterpiece of long forgotten lines and the locos! The loco running was very energetic, much more than we get today Bill! Another BIG thanks to the father and son team and thanks for sharing them, I've really enjoyed watching them, best wishes, Ken

[@84asrd84boxy]

Cheers Ken, personally I love watching videos from this era, they bring back such great memories, pure nostalgia from bygone days, the energetic loco running was by Wellington men, many thanks for looking/commenting, much appreciated, glad you enjoyed watching...Bill

[@sprinterofficial8457]

God I so wish I was alive in the steam era

[@MsJOHNBIRD]

I was stationed at Clive Bks. Tern Hill in the early eighties and often traced the closed lines from Wellington to Crewe on maps. Wanting to go anywhere by train meant a long taxi ride to Crewe Station. Once I took a train to Shrewsbury and could still see where the line branched off.

[@84asrd84boxy]

John, Thanks for looking/commenting much appreciated. I can imagine how awkward it must have been to travel from Tern Hill. Just like many branch lines throughout the country that fell foul of the Beeching axe robbed many communities of a lifline to the outside world. Regards....Bill

[@BrianSeaman]

Thanks for publishing this film. What a great collection of rail archive from the 60's - a really informed commentary for the viewer as well. Thanks again.

[@84asrd84boxy]

+Brian Seaman Cheers Brian, many thanks for taking the time to view and comment, glad you enjoyed watching. Jim Clemens did a superb job of recording these scenes of the two former branch lines, also his son Michael does a superb commentary to compliment his late Fathers recordings, Best Regards...Bill

[@roylightfoot9572]

I lived in Newport Salop in the 1950's and early 1960's. Most weekends myself and friends caught either the 9.16 to Shrewsbury or the 8.36 to Stafford where we spent the day train spotting. ( I think the times are right but it is over 60 years ago!!). It was great to find this old film which bought back so many special memories. Thank you. Roy Lightfoot

[@84asrd84boxy]

Cheers Roy, It's nice to know that by watching this short video that it bought back some very fond and happy memories for you. Thanks for taking the time to view and comment, much appreciated. Regards...Bill

[@clivebishop929]

Fabulous film which brings it all flooding back.

[@84asrd84boxy]

Clive, It's nice to know you enjoyed watching this slice of history. Thanks for taking the time to view and comment. Regards...Bill

[@TrevorHeath]

The train in the platform at Wellington is a parcels job that used both sides of the island for sorting. The train have to "clear up" (move out of the way) when a Wolverhampton passenger train was due. I spent most Saturdays of 1966 and up to March 1967 at the station but never saw a steam loco on this duty. It was always a Brush Type 4 (sometimes with a name like "Odin" or "Cyclops" and we would get cab rides on the "clear up" moves. In March 1967 when steam finished. I went to Shrewsbury for a few weeks spending my weekly pocket money for the train fare (2 shillings and sixpence) When steam finished in Shrewsbury a couple of months later - so did I.

[@84asrd84boxy]

Cheers Trevor, If my memory serves me correctly the parcel train you mention at Wellington was the 12:30pm Wellington to Crewe Parcels I worked this job many times with a steam loco unfortunately I can't remember the return working from Crewe. Thanks for looking/commenting, much appreciated. Regards...Bill

[@autojam3615]

Great to see film of those long-lost lines in action. so sad there no longer running. I've walked along the disused trackbed often wondered what it must be like to of seen the old steam engines running there

[@neilwilliams2409]

Great video, thanks for posting.

[@666palerider]

Excellent! Thanks for posting, I remember the steam trains on the Stafford to Wellington line...

[@84asrd84boxy]

Thanks for taking the time to view and comment. Nice to know that this video bought back some fond memories for you from all those years ago. Cheers...Bill

[@ThatsnewsTV]

What a great film. Thanks for publishing it on KZbin.

[@84asrd84boxy]

Martin S Cheers Martin, so glad you enjoyed watching this short video of the two long forgotten branch lines to and from Wellington (Salop). Jim Clemens did a wonderful job of recording these scenes for all of us to enjoy, thanks for looking/commenting, much appreciated...Bill

[@ThatsnewsTV]

@@84asrd84boxy Just refound your video. The line was still there up into the early 1970s. On my way to or from school I had to pass over the Orleton Lane bridge and a Class 47 loco went toward Crewe, running light. A day or so later the line was blocked with wooden sleepers and soon afterward they lifted the track.

[@alanbillingsley3431]

As a young electrician,based at Wolverhampton I covered the line ,spending a lot of time at Wellington,on the Stafford branch.Only Hadley Junction Signal Box and sidings had electric supply.and Donnington station & signal box.I new many of the staff in the area and many devoted Raiway staff lost jobs when the branches closed ,Crewe line in 1964 .

[@Finnertoncentralmodelrailway]

Incredible footage there

[@patmcdermott4832]

Wish we still had the Market Drayton-Wellington line! Instead Market Drayton (Mkt D) has a supermarket on the old station site :-(Whilst electrification in Crewe area was being done some trains diverted via Mkt D including Pines Express hauled by EE class 4 in 1963 -wonderful video!

[@84asrd84boxy]

+Pat McDermott Cheers Pat, Thanks for the update on Market Drayton Station regarding a Supermaket now on the site of the former Station. The Market Drayton Branch (Wellington Number 4 Box to Nantwich Junction) was our normal way to Crewe and back with various freights etc. Not long before closure of the branch line, we also worked via Shrewsbury/Whitchurch to Crewe and eventually via Stafford to Basford Hall instead of Gresty Lane Sidings. Thanks for taking the time to view and comment, it's nice to know that watching this video bought back some fond memories for you. Best Regards...Bill

[@monsieurritrut6401]

Great video, I have been looking for some footage of the station at Market Drayton. In the early 90s (I was born in '84), my mum showed me some of the old railway bridges and I wanted to find out a little more about it.

[@TheCheekyChilterner]

I’ve walked along the railway line in Hodnet. I also believe they have recently found the old signal box in hodnet too.

[@TheCheekyChilterner]

In market Drayton, where the Morrison’s store is would of been where the railway line had passed

[@gilbertcostin2429]

Hi Gil costin, I remember the wellington Market drayton/ cresty crew line Great on a summer evening I fired many a steam train with driver Kenny law, I also remember one summer on the line watching burning cows when there cow disese . Great days great friends, also I was in railway hostal connaugt road Wolverhampton 1966

[@84asrd84boxy]

Gilbet, nice to know that this short video of a long forgotten branch line bought back some fond memories for you. As you would know we later began working our Crewe jobs via Shrewsbury/Whitchurch etc, and via Stafford at a later date. I remember the Hostel in Connaught Rd, I only popped in there once when after booking off at Oxley myself and my driver for the day a passed fireman Gareth Jones went on a pub crawl starting at Jones's Rd Club where most Oxley men met and onwards to various other pubs until we finished up in The Vine pub in Vauxhall near the hostel. I remember the day well, a very long and slow walk home later. There are other videos from this era on my channel covering the road from Paddington to Shrewsbury via Bicester the former route of the Cambrian Coast Express. Thanks for looking/commenting, cheers...Bill

[@Isochest]

Nice colour footage

[@84asrd84boxy]

Thank you. Regards...Bill

[@Hornhausen]

Very nice historic video.

[@84asrd84boxy]

Many thanks for looking/commenting, much appreciated, glad you enjoyed watching, cheers...Bill

[@oscillation9814]

Wonderful stuff, just wonderful, even more so when it's in colour..(Not to say the 60s never had colour filming of course.. ;) )

[@84asrd84boxy]

Thanks for taking the time to view and comment much appreciated, nice to know you enjoyed watching. Regards...Bill

[@jord.g]

What a great video, thanks very much for uploading! I actually live in one of the station houses shown in the footage. Would love to know/see anything else about it that’s available - is there a way I can message you? Regards Jordan

[@MIRaill]

Published on my birthday

[@84asrd84boxy]

Matt, Happy Birthday, hope you enjoyed watching, cheers...Bill

[@martinbaldwin5408]

Would the jubilee shown in the film standing in the bay platform work back tender first? Did wellington shed have a turntable?

[@bennickss]

I could only imagine something would come off shed and relieve the Jubilee, then it would come out and go onto some other duty as there was no run-round loop between either of the bays. Unfortunately, this was some 50 years before I was born so I can't say for certain lol

[@class87srule]

The locos with diagonal stripes weren't supposed to be used 'under the wires' south of Crewe. Interesting. I assume the sound is post-production.

[@84asrd84boxy]

+Ian McKinnon Ian, thanks for taking the time to view and comment. You are right regarding any loco with a Yellow stripe on the cabside was supposed to be banned from working under the overhead wires, but occasionally the odd one did slip through the net. Regarding the commentary on the video, I think Michael Clemens did a superb job describing the contents of the video filmed by his late father, thanks for your interest cheers...Bill

[@johnrichards6352]

Nice try, heelfan troll, but not quite factual. Not saying that they didn't pollute, they did, but steam locos with the stripe 'banning' them from use under 25kv OLE were banned because either they were over a certain height or were not fitted with step and handrails enabling firemen to work on top of them as necessary for watering, fitting headlamps etc in safety. AFAIK only ex LMS types were banned in this way, and even then as individual locos, not in classes, but I am happy to be corrected in this assertion; it's just that I cannot recall the stripe on any GW, LNER, Southern, or BR standard locos. Many steam locos were allowed to work 'under the wires' and did so until the end of steam traction in those areas, especially around Manchester, and Liverpool into 1968. And indeed preserved steam locos still work over the WCML and ECML without causing problems to the OLE. Diesel exhaust, which contains a large amount of sulphuric acid, would be more damaging to steel wires than anything a steam loco could chuck at them!

[@johnrichards6352]

Actually, heelfantroll, if you'd ever had any idea about what was actually factual, you would've known that locos marked for scrap did have markings; a circle with a diagonal cross in it, usually in white paint and accompanied by 'Condemned' or 'Cond'. I remember seeing trains of 3 or 4 Bullied pacifics on their way to Barry for scrap pulled by a Hymek diesel, about '67. I am sure you are delighted that the Hymek has long been melted down into something more useful, while the Bullieds are still extant and some are running. Perhaps some of the Hymek's steel ended up in 'Tornado'.

[@class87srule]

They used to burn people for heresy in the Middle Ages.........lol!

[@johnrichards6352]

No, heelfan, locos carried the markings as well. Obviously they were more common on wagons, as many more wagons were scrapped! Trust me on this; I live in South Wales and frequently visited Woodhams' scrapyard in Barry, not to mention seeing more than a few locos being towed there. Incidentally, I never wore an anorak, being old school and preferring a duffle coat. Yet again you have got your facts wrong out of lack of knowledge...

[@karenhenderson1462]

What a lovely film, I live on a road (kynnersley Drive- the humbers) which crosses over the old railway bridge to join the a518, we are trying to work out where the line actually went on a map. There is still a station road, so I am presuming it was on here somewhere, and just towards the end of this road, you have some army barracks, but there is a tin house which looks as though it may have been a railway cottage, we just want to know whereabouts Donnington station was as I think it was on this station road. do you know?

[@84asrd84boxy]

Hello Karen, unfortunately I am unable to tell you exactly where Donnington Station used to be, sorry I can't be of any help to you. Thanks for looking/commenting, much appreciated. Regards...Bill

[@84asrd84boxy]

Hello Karen, I have found the answer to your question regarding where Donnington Station used to be. I found it in a book I have at home called British Railways Past & Present number 5 The West Midlands. There are 2 photographs showning Donnington Station in 1964 and one in 1987. The Station site was where there is now a traffic island on the A518 with a clock tower in the middle of the island. I hope this helps you regarding your question. Best Regards...Bill

[@karenhenderson1462]

Thank you so much Bill, wow, didnt think it would be there.....as at the bottom of station road, are houses that look like railway cottages, just opposite the roundabout at the entry to venning barracks. Thanks again, wish we had the old steam trains back, I love them.

[@ricardoroberto100]

@@karenhenderson1462 Yes much of the A518 between newport and donnington follows the old track with the original Wellington Road running parallel. Only by Lilleshall does it deviate with the old line still visible plus the odd remaining bridge. The road then follows the old line again near the Last Inn at the bottom of Wellington Road , Newport.

[@johnbutler789]

Paddington gwr line to birkenhead

[@84asrd84boxy]

Yes Wellington (Salop) was on the mainline from Paddington to Birkenhead until closure as a through route in 1967. Thanks for looking/commenting. Regards...Bill

[@vincentswift7]

OXLEY NOT OXTON