“It’s The Cutest Train I’ve Ever Seen!” - Episode 23, Day 39 - Birmingham to Rugeley

It's the 14th June, and we're on the first of a few days in Birmingham into the sunny Midland shires, where we discover an unusual little train, visit a chocolate-box village, and talk to a London Midland conductor ...
Thanks to Phil Tonks on the Stourbridge train, who is on twitter here: / philtonks2
Download the All The Stations theme tune from iTunes here: itunes.apple.c... (other stores are available....)
Geoff and Vicki are visiting ALL 2,563 national railway stations in Britain - view the progress map and loads more information about the project on the website at: allthestations....
ROUTE: Birmingham Snow Hill, Stourbridge Junction, Stourbridge Town, Stourbridge Junction, Kidderminster, Droitwitch Spa, Bromsgrove, Redditch, Bournville, Four Oaks, Lichfield Trent Valley, Rugeley Trent Valley, Walsall, Birmginham New Street

[@tomfisher6845]

I've been on the cutest train in Britain so many times. I live in Stourbridge

[@DJRyanJamesUK]

Tom Fisher I used to live in Kidderminster for a long time, Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge town is a unique little line 👍

[@WMRailSpotter]

Tom Fisher I live not to far from Stourbridge I live in Dudley

[@thecupidstunt]

wow, I once dreamt that I was in Stourbridge train station (one of them, I don't know or remember which) because my dreams are boring/exciting depending on your outlook..

[@trainsandplanes6801]

Lucky! I live in portsmouth but one day maybe i can go on that train..

[@xxalexaviation]

I live in stourbridge

[@EastStander091]

Your comments on New Street Station and how it is so "passenger" unfriendly is so true. It is a commercial development with a hidden station somewhere inside. As an example I was recently in the Bull Ring with my twin Grandaughters, 14 years old and very savy, and asked them to find New Street Station. They had to resort to their phones and concluded that it was in their words "....a silly place to hide a station......don't they want anybody to find it...".

[@jonathancombe9991]

The last time I was there I went up the escalators to change platform and found I could only change to some of the platforms without going through ticket gates. I've never come across a station before where you have to go through ticket gates just to change platforms. In fact I think it might be that if you used the escaltor at the other end of the platform you don't have to. But what a mess it is. A shopping centre with a station hidden away is so true.

[@ChoobChoob]

It doesn't help that they have a big sign saying "Grand Central". Like what are we in New York now? Is this Grand Central Station?? Did you change the name?? Where the hell am I??? I want to go home.

[@davemason1192]

If your from the north you would understand how it works. We dont run into closing doors. As we know theres a train shortly after. Also were not in a rush to get places so we take more time to look for things and directions, and not have big neon signs telling us. We enjoy a slower pace of life in other words

[@shaun__3]

Well yeah at New Street you have to use the escalators on the B end of the platform to change without going through ticket barriers (or the concourse at the C end). Going that way is really quick. Using the A end it splits on ground level so you only get to change to adjacent platforms.

[@ianmcclavin]

Cardiff Central now has a Platform 0, remote from the rest of the station, you have to exit through the barriers to reach it, step-free access has been provided using the lift to the car park though. There was, of course a shopping centre above Birmingham New Street station before "Grand Central," called "The Pallasades," but the signage was never as prominent, and certainly didn't distract from the station name, as now.

[@hazzalandy]

Geoff, if you want to do All The Canals, I live on a narrowboat and have a spare double bed. It can be arranged... #Allthecanals

[@ChrisJohnson-nc4il]

Harry Smith I searched up all the canals and I find stuff about teeth instead

[@hazzalandy]

Do canals exist in the same way outside of Europe? (They're ditches originally used for carrying heavy freight long distances) They were superseded by the railways, so there is a friendly joke rivalry

[@sorenmpeterson]

Harry Smith Yes, there were/are such canals in the USA as well; for example, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (www.nps.gov/choh/).

[@tallman11282]

Harry Smith Canals exist outside the UK but not on nearly the same scale. The canals in the US were mostly built to connect two other waterways.

[@wotnograpefruit]

The USA has a number of canals, but there wasn't a major spurt of investment until 1825, after the Erie Canal opened to wild success. That's very near when locomotive powered railways became an option, and so a number of projects initially proposed as canals were completed as railroads instead.

[@lcmortensen]

The gold signs were for Rio 2016 gold medallists. Sutton Coldfield is for Laura Unsworth, part of the women's hockey team.

[@ianmcclavin]

lcmortensen I noticed Kidderminster and Bromsgrove had gold signs as well. I've seen them also at Hemel Hempstead and Leighton Buzzard.

[@tpfootballanalysis6752]

She also won bronze at London 2012

[@fmassa02]

Womens hockey team player Laura Unsworth

[@adamwyatt-lowe2833]

Max Whitlock and Jessica Stretton.

[@Rog5446]

Denise Lewis (Gold Heptathlete Sydney Olympics) was also from West Bromwich (just around that neighbourhood)

[@pearljam619]

My mum was born just round the corner from Rugley Station in the Pear Tree Estate her father (my beloved Grandad) was a miner and was often in Lea Hall. Used to love going to the town in 80s/90s as a kid. Grandad took me up Cannock Chase as a kid. Beloved memories of Rugley.(Had to get train to Lichfield then meet my uncle for lift to Pear Tree, Rugley)

[@russrh]

Vicki's 'hatch woman' voice was the best

[@StuK323]

Spot on for the woman that used to run snacks on tracks.

[@ianmcclavin]

Used to? Have they sacked her now, after the publicity?

[@thebigmarvinski]

I love Vicky's excitement seeing the shuttle at Stourbridge for the first time

[@camotech1314]

Yeah she's the cutest haha

[@SBCBears]

5:10 Vicki: "That would put it fairly, sort of solidly, on the quaint scale." Geoff: "If you say so." Hrumph! I hope I am not detecting a bit of uncertainty on Geoff's part. Vicki knows "quaint" and her authority is not to be questioned.

[@adolflenin4973]

@JosephR1307 Still better than muslim area dude!

[@richardlyons1276]

The cutest couple since my wife and I. Bless! I love it! And the train is gorgeous.

[@mirzaahmed6589]

Unfortunately they are no longer together.

[@camotech1314]

​@mirzaahmed6589 I've been wondering why, they seemed like a great pair 😮

[@maecarpenter69]

I could smell chocolate throughout the end of this video Cadbury!

[@mididoctors]

Your channel is good pandemic cabin fever tonic

[@Drdee1]

Laura Unsworth who played in the GB women's Olympic Hockey team is the reason the station sign at Sutton Coldfield is gold. She was born in Sutton and went to the girls grammar school there

[@funkyjunkyjai]

I used to travel on the Parry every day on my commute to work. Loved it :)

[@willtaylor6112]

I went on the prototype around 1998 outside the parry manufacturers in Cradley heath, we'd go into reception and they'd send a guy out to take us on a ride.

[@samlazar574]

Hello from Melbourne Australia. I have been to the Australian version of Cadbury world.

[@jamesarthur67]

The best bit of this video is vickies impression of the old woman in the café

[@chea.5416]

WOW! They went to all the UK stations by train? They must be trillionairs!

[@asheiou]

Legend says they used a time machine because Southern was delayed 8 years

[@mittfh]

@@asheiou Another legend states they 'forgot' the Isle of Wight...

[@BruceJSkelly]

Although Viki claims that the Pacer (Class 142) is her favorite, her reaction to the Parry People Mover 60 (Class 139) definitely puts it in contention for her love. Not only that, but it has (one of?) her favorite moquettes.

[@fightforfreedom5292]

A pacer is definitely better than this. More capacity 100 vs about 30 and much faster 75 mph vs 20 mph.

[@GryphLane]

@@fightforfreedom5292 Yes but nobody said better. And a Pacer just isn't anyway

[@fightforfreedom5292]

@@GryphLane Subjective. The pacer is my favourite train (no joke).

[@bayuchemist]

vicky and the chocolate factory!!!

[@alexisdespland4939]

they should add music from charly and the chochate factory behind the peace o about the Cadbury factory

[@radarskiy]

There's no earthly way of knowing To which station we are going

[@craigymarsh7176]

Victoria and the chocolate factory

[@andycopping7220]

What a nice person who got your glasses back. 🤓👍🏻

[@andrewholland1426]

If memory serves there are no pubs in the Bourneville area. The Cadburys where Quakers and hence no were sells alcohol to this day!

[@Sarge92]

errrm i know the story is originally true but i doubt it holds true today edit quick google search theres a handfull including a working mans club and a couple other small ones all pretty much on cadburys door step

[@fujivillan]

+Sarge That pub is in Stirchley not Bournville. It's close by but still in a different district. But there is an offlience now. But still no pubs which that I'm seen around Bournville.

[@IAmTheBeckett]

There are a few places to buy alcohol in Bournville if you are in the know, and there's a pub on every exit. I never had a problem with it, it was a nice piece of local history.

[@EdgyNumber1]

@@IAmTheBeckett Most of those shops are on the outskirts. Interestingly, even the Tesco Express isn't allowed to serve alcohol and not because it's a garage.

[@IAmTheBeckett]

@@EdgyNumber1 I used to live there, I remember the debate about Tesco. The Pavilion sells alcohol, Bournville Working Men's Club does, as does Mary Vale News, The Cadbury Club.

[@camotech1314]

The cutest train has a very bumpy ride 😂

[@harrytodhunter5078]

“Dont you dare quote me on that KZbin” -Geoff Marshall, 2017

[@TheBritMedic503]

You were at Bromsgrove and did not mention The Lickey Incline which is the steepest sustained mainline railway incline in Great Britain. Also, the shopping centre above New Street station is called Grand Central

[@Ad-gn8pl]

There is lots of quaint in Droitwich of you venture into the town (2min walk). The high street is definitely off the quaint scale and there's also lots of parks and a Lido.

[@michaelrimmer9563]

"Next year were doing all the canals" - Can't wait!

[@feefee_mcgee]

You missed out! The clock tower in the Stourbridge junction car park whistles like an old train every hour.

[@LeeRender1980]

The door chevrons or 'teeth' started on London Underground Victoria Line new stock to reduce the amount of trapped items in the doors...and was suitably adapted on the mainline...if i'm right started with TransPennine Express largely and to a lessor extent Northern

[@rossgordon3471]

So they can be congratulated for visiting many stations. I have only 50 or so left, all visited via train with a stop off (not jump back on). Covid caused a delay - but the project will be completed before I'm dead!

[@insignificantaftermathPROJECTS]

Worst part of New Street station is the fact that Birmingham is supposed to be a huge bustling city and yet the last train to Northampton on a Friday night is just after 11pm, and if you are running late after a gig or a show and then have to navigate through the mess of random ticket gates etc, its a race against time or risk waiting until 6am for your next train.

[@metricstormtrooper]

I can't ad enough upvotes👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 ps we've got a cadbury factory here in Hobart Tasmania. It's village is Claremont.

[@irkibby]

Enjoyed seeing you guys travel on some very familiar lines here in the West Midlands. Went out for a jaunt on the Parry People Mover today for the first time in ages. It's quite fun.

[@n4thb4dc0]

All the canals, yes Geoff hehe

[@railfano172]

Not many exciting things happen in Stourbridge much, so when me and my friend found this series we were really excited

[@mollio7070]

"Droitwich Spa is trying to be quaint" what a great description of my town

[@mittfh]

It would definitely be a stop-off if they decided to do a series about interesting things to find within 10 minutes of a railway station, given the canals, salt works, museum (detailing nearby Wychbold), spa, modern roads on Roman alignments (the old A38, B4090 to Alcester) and the subsided bit of the town centre... And probably not Geoff and Vicki, but anyone doing a series about roads could mention the bypass, which starts inconspicuously at a set of traffic lights, misses a flyover, finally gets going with a grade separated junction on a corner, then loses the will to live and peters down to a single carriageway for the Southern section.

[@emjackson2289]

One of those 139s would be great for T&W Metro to do a service avoiding Newcastle City Centre (Monument Interchange) that could do West Jesmond, Old Jesmond Station, Byker via the under-Shieldfield Tunnel nr Manors Metro Station. Ps. I do realised I watched this video a year ago.

[@TheManWithNoName786]

Smethwick Galton Bridge which you went past in the beginning of this video from Snow Hill to Kidderminster line is also a high and low level line. Not a big station but does have the levels.

[@ianmcclavin]

Kashif Akhtar And also Tamworth, Glasgow Central and Queen Street both have low level platforms (through lines as opposed to the terminal platforms above), and East Grinstead used to have a high level until the Three Bridges - Tunbridge Wells line closed.

[@KasabianFan44]

Also Willesden Junction, Shotton and Retford.

[@nellyairborne2678]

Reminds me of what we used to call "Schienenbus" in Germany which literally translates to "bus on rails" :D

[@imrosemahmood8512]

We had those bus train things here for many years, called "pacers". They have recently gone off service after a very long life. Kept many smaller lines operable, but were a "love it or hate it" type of train. And with changing regulations to make trains more disability-friendly, those and some other older trains had to go.

[@danielsellers8707]

I'd say it's more a modern version of the 1950s railbuses than a Pacer replacement. I'm aware Communist era east Europe had railbuses as well.

[@delves32]

I'm gutted I missed Vicky and Geoff in Birmingham! ☹️😂

[@westmidlandstravels7110]

Pauly D same!

[@KasabianFan44]

It's not that hard to miss them, good luck finding anyone (or anything) at New Street station lol

[@westmidlandstravels7110]

KasabianFan44 once you get used to New Street Station and Grand Central its not that bad.

[@delves32]

KasabianFan44 I use new street station 10 times a week I could walk round it with my eyes closed lol

[@SomeBritishGal1]

Same. It's a 10 - 20 minute train from me.

[@scottables2427]

I'm so happy that you visited my home town of Rugeley! There isn't much to do, but hey, we try make the most of it...

[@StuK323]

ScottAbles bugger all in Hednesford as well

[@vinniesuperstar8923]

At least they didn't try to pronounce Hednesford

[@PolishAviationStaffordshire]

ScottAbles As another Rugeley person, I do have to question why he actually wanted to find out about Rugeley

[@airplaneplustrainguy8143]

ScottAbles good for you

[@maxre5169]

I’m a rugeley boy too stottables

[@philipcobbold869]

Yay! Sutton Coldfield and Four Oaks make an appearance!

[@tiefighter9027]

Philip Cobbold I

[@Tyler.i.81]

Nice I've lived in Sutton Coldfield grew up in four oaks and currently live in Lichfield right next to the Trent Valley line I hear them dam trains all night long although I'm used to it now.

[@chazzerg8567]

Is it weird that going on the parry people mover is one of my life goals?

[@babaganoush6106]

no. cant be. its one of mine.

[@chrischeltenham]

I found Geoff's channel by mistake recently and then found you did this and so far I have watched every single video from the start and so far up to this one. Boy oh boy is it taking a long time but I am enjoying it :)

[@rogerhudson9732]

I remember the old rail buses where the driver had a (jerky) manual gearbox. If there had been nice railcars like this in 1964 we could have told Dr. Beeching to s*d off and we would still have a decent integrated rail system, and not need so many cars.

[@fightforfreedom5292]

That’s why the pacers were introduced in the 1980’s to stop more lines from closing and a cheap solution to replace old rolling stock. It was unpopular with passengers though.

[@Steven_Rowe]

Its funny she said cutest, and i can understand. To me it looks like an old express dairies electric milk float. Probably very practical though. It should have a smiley face on the front

[@davidbull7210]

This should become part of the West Midlands Metro.

[@s.b.palmer2953]

Stourbridge junction is the best station in my opinion I live near cradley heath that's the stop after junction. And the people move is just cute

[@JulieWallis1963]

#Samuel I'm gay I live in Cradley Heath too, I may have to visit Stourbridge junction now, just on your recommendation. I’m not a train geek, I just enjoy exploring with Geoff.

[@johnh10000]

a 139, well many years a go, they ran a single car unit, to Stourbridge Town, again it was a unit powercar body with two bus engines to power it. A cut down class 101, yep a gearbox too! Good luck you too

[@johnh10000]

So after a bit of research I found these interesting links regarding the units that used to run on the branch line. www.simplonpc.co.uk/Stourbridge.html This page shows images of the Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town Branch, with images of the current Class 139 Parry People Movers plus some earlier 'heritage' DMUs. Modern images of other West Midland connecting services are also shown, including London Midland Class 172s in their first month of service in the area. The Stourbridge Town Branch Line is a 0.8 miles (1.3 km) railway branch line, in Stourbridge, West Midlands. It is claimed to be the shortest branch line in Europe, and many miniature railways are certainly longer. Now used solely for passenger traffic, it was originally constructed to allow trans-shipment with the Stourbridge Town Arm of the Stourbridge Canal. The passenger service along the branch is presently being operated by Class 139 Parry People Movers. Replacement buses ran from December 2008 until March 2009 due to the previous Class 153 being reallocated from December 2008, this being the date the Parry People Mover was originally intended to start working the service. However due to customer feedback, the Class 153 was re-introduced from 15 March until Mid June, when the Parry People Mover finally entered full service. For the first time in many years, a Sunday service is operated. www.miac.org.uk/stourbridgetown.html Class 122 single car unit No.55012 was photographed at Stourbridge Town Station in June 1982 at a time when the minimalist single platform was on the west side of the line. When the station was later rebuilt the platform was moved to the other side of the train and proper passenger facilities were provided. Photograph by Andrew Smith. The station was again rebuilt with finance provided by Centro (West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive). Centro built the current station as a key part of an integrated bus/rail interchange to serve Stourbridge town centre and fortunately on this occasion specified the design to a high standard. The new station was opened on 25th April 1994.

[@lmlmd2714]

I love the PPM 139s. I think there is definitely a use for them. Aparantly the company who made them designed them to be scalable to an 80 pax varient, so they really could do well if they had a chance - great idea :)

[@danielsellers8707]

Look more like a modern version of the 1950s railbuses than a Pacer replacement.

[@garyhale187]

The legend that is.........Phil Tonks!! At least you've met Geoff and Vicky, I think they're avoiding Evesham!!

[@nidostar2013]

Yay, all the canals!

[@laurathornton1456]

nidostar2013 I'd watch!

[@steveosborne2297]

I’m sure a shuttle like that would be ideal going from March to Wisbech

[@390h8er]

The PPM depot at Stourbridge Junc. is built entirely from Parry's own lightweight bricks and tiles. They export the moulding/vibrating machinery across the world. There is a narrow-gauge test track for PPM vehicles circling their premises in Cradley Heath (which I've visited).

[@ryanelger07]

I really feel like All The Canals should be a thing. However that would miss out all the navigable rivers and drains in the UK so how about All the Navigations? Would be a fun way to spend a couple of years ;)

[@adolflenin4973]

Amen to that mate

[@speedbird1598]

"It's the Cutest Couple I have Ever Seen!"

[@MrSam4850]

Phil Tonks is an absolute legend and I'm proud to class him as a friend!

[@maxre5169]

I went on the 139 yesterday and you two are on the history inside

[@tramwayjohn]

WOW, I RODE the Stourbridge shuttle in 2010 with my friends. It is the shortest branch line in Britain at less than ONE MILE! Totally amazing that it survived the BEECHING axe!

[@theplayer57saywhat.65]

Thx for coming to birmingham my main city but I live in dudley but thanks respect

[@theryrover360]

Best episode

[@topmark99]

This one keeps popping up on my feed, so I just watched it again :-)

[@DubGathoni]

Pacer: Who are you? Class 139: I am you, or rather, what you should be.

[@TheNgandrew]

Much like Vicki, I like Birmingham too. It's a lovely city, and I do love the Brummy accent.

[@emjackson2289]

Bet they'd love to take that 139 somewhere ridiculous like from Stourbridge to Euston. Honey I Shrunk the Pendalino.

[@Drawyah]

So it's the new generation of Pacer! 😂

[@camerastooge]

I'm down with all the canals! And cheers to the good people who returned your glasses!

[@stevieinselby]

Part of the reason that the Class 139 was used on the Stourbridge branch is that the line has some very tight curves, meaning that two-car units can't be used because they don't have enough clearance between carriages - which is why it was previously run by a class 153 and before that a class 121. It works well because the short distance means it can run a frequent service with a single vehicle on single track - with a maximum speed of 20mph, on a longer line you would really notice the slow speed, and if you were limited to 20mph for the whole journey from Braintree to Witham, as someone upthread suggested, would go up from 16 minutes each way to around 25 minutes. You would also need to install several passing loops in order to run trains more frequently as there's no way that a single Class 139 would provide enough capacity for the branch.

[@williamsiviter8760]

Hi, Just to say that Network Rail are upgrading the line to renew the track, which is currently ongoing. Their upgrade has however resulted in the cutting down and removal of the vegetation (including trees to their stumps) along most of the route and to show the very poorly maintained portacabins used for maintenance (apparently belonging to Chiltern Railways) . Your travel between the stations is not as you would have previously seen and it will be many years before it gets anywhere close to what it was, and the effect on the local wildlife is also significant. What was a nice little journey, is now one of visual destruction. It may be the shortest journey between stations, but it is now, not the most visually pleasant.

[@Borgify123]

I always find myself replaying the intro! Loving the series! Shame you're​ not coming to Ireland but I can't blame you as although there are some beautiful routes trains are VERY infrequent in some areas. Anyways, thanks again for such a great series!!!

[@jpbdude4223]

Luke McCormack that aged well

[@PhilReynoldsLondonGeek]

Between Rugeley Trent Valley and Birmingham New Street, you pass through the remains of a disused station between Cannock and Landywood - the platforms are still there - Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay (formerly Wyrley and Church Bridge). This is the Cheslyn Hay mentioned by Flanders & Swann in "Slow Train". I remember the "Chase Line" opening - some 24 years after the previous services ended - it happened a few weeks before my 16th birthday. I had been involved in the campaign for its reopening for around six years by then. I remember the days of "pay trains" on the line, and the occasional difficulty ordering long distance tickets. Oddly, Chesterfield was a popular destination - I can remember not being the only person on the train buying a Chesterfield ticket once - and there was disruption that day that led to us having to make an additional change at Derby.

[@ianmcclavin]

Yes the "Stourbridge Express" is rather cute, it's certainly unique. Did you get a chance to ride Chiltern Railway's bubble cars between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough? I think they stopped using them just before "All the Stations" started.

[@AllTheStations]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnOce5-mnKejb9k

[@ianmcclavin]

All The Stations Ah, you did !! I had watched the Little Kimble video before, but couldn't remember it featuring the bubble car!! I'm getting old and forgetful ! So glad you got a chance to ride it, ancient history now....

[@DanCottle1]

Yay! We adopted Bournville station. It is a great place. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@willlloyd9570]

I absolutely love that train as I use it every weekend to commute to the bus station

[@lukeo232]

Hi Geoff, when you go to Port Sunlight on the Wirral Line on Merseyrail please note it is similar to Bourneville because it is a village built for the factory workers too and has much history behind it

[@DickHolman]

Port Sunlight was built by the Lever Brothers (now Unilever). Whether it had anything to do with your laundry I don't know.

[@FarlandHowe]

Another delightful episode of All the Stations. What will I watch in the morning while I eat my corn flakes when its done?

[@annwags]

You've created one of the nicest jobs, for yourself? Especially when you have a sunny day and all the nice GREEN out the window. It's 105 F and terribly boring here in Phoenix, AZ.

[@ianmcclavin]

Just had another thought about the Stourbridge Flyer, as the platforms at both Stourbridge Junction and Stourbridge Town are both on the same side, unless the unit is turned around out of service at some point, the door on the offside is never used!!

[@rossmagpie]

..Vicki..you really should try and stop off in Saltaire - Aire Valley Line, West Yorkshire - when you're up..Titus Salt was not quite up to Cadbury but the village is a stunner..

[@CJonestheSteam72]

rossmagpie And the Leeds-Liverpool canal runs through it. Double prizes

[@TheVleckChannel]

Have taken the bus through several times. It is indeed very attractive.

[@keithflockhart]

All the canals coming next year with Geoff and Vicky. may just take a bit longer that three months though 😀

[@jpbdude4223]

Keith Flockhart Coming soon to GVTV

[@spark9540]

Missed a climb over the Lickey at Bromsgrove

[@petehiggins33]

The Parry People Mover is quaint but cool too. It has a tiny 2.3 litre diesel engine to supply friction losses but can start and stop rapidly thanks to a big flywheel that stores all the kinetic energy when it stops and releases it during acceleration, ideal for a shuttle that is starting and stopping every ten minutes. The driver/conductor attempted to explain this but it was lost in the background noise which was coming from the running gear and not the engine.

[@Steve-bo6ht]

The Stourbridge shuttle is a superb idea.

[@solarpenguin1]

The area round Kidderminster and Stourbridge may cute and quaint and picturesque, but it's where one of Britain's most infamous unsolved murders took place: the case of Bella in the Wych Elm.

[@dezhayward]

I watched this for the quoted Birmingham to Rugeley. I thought you would show Walsall and Rugeley Town. You only showed the actual line for the last 60 seconds of the video.

[@richeyrich234]

There is 3 parry people movers in the country. Because the prototype was on the mid Hants for a trail service from Medatead to alton. Which unfortunately didn’t happen. But there are pictures on the net of it at Medatead and four marks station.

[@weatheroakwanderer5941]

As good as ever....one point though dudes......you could have gone from Bromsgrove Station to Barnt Green Station (next stop) then changed for the Redditch train at Barnt Green......

[@LondonBuses1503]

"All the canals" please! Just do it! :-)

[@PJDuffield]

As soon as I found out about this whole thing I had to search for this episode I commute from four oaks to new street every week day.

[@NClass468]

what do you think of the pedestrianisation of norwich city centre?

[@racerdeth]

N Class 468 keeping the wolf from the door

[@maplady572]

N Class 468 oh that is first claaarrrs!

[@asheiou]

Happened to Blackpool too

[@EriAirlangga]

It's great with Geoff and Vicky!

[@trevorstevens9862]

OK, here is some more insight into that branch line to Stourbridge Town. I have ridden on it - many years ago. There used to be two tracks heading that direction, but it was not a double track line by any means. It was two single track line side by side. The passenger line was the one on the left as you headed into Stourbridge Town. The other one continued on past the old railway station building that was on the left. On the right, the other line went straight over a bridge that had quite a deep dip under it for the road to go under. Even so, it was too low to clear a Midland Red double-decker bus. Not far past the bus garage there it curved to the right and went over the road there on another bridge., then down what looked like a fairly steep gradient to a large yard area that had all sorts of old facilities there. Even a coaling tower for steam engines. Last but not least, there was a level crossing that went across the road that heads down out of Stourbridge towards Wolverhampton. It did not see much use, i think it might have served some small industry and the canal basin there. Long gone, of course. Anyone else nave any insights on this?

[@HamishG199]

2:18 no there isn’t 2 there is 3 London Midland own two and theres one at Highley station on the SVR however it’s movable

[@Lilgoth89]

Man i didnt know you were on the Cross City line, i would of come to meet you guys Alas i have only just found your channel

[@DaveDriver]

Geoff, you mentioned "all the canals". Check out a channel called "Minimal List". This couple are literally doing this, it's taken them about four years so far. Also doing a challenge called the Silver Propeller.

[@Attoparsec]

ALL THE CANALS!

[@timbushell8640]

Yes, you should do all the canals with the locks as being the 'stations' but don't forget the bridges and tunnels

[@felixblazer4640]

Vicky, you did not come to Lichfield Cathedral. now i am sad. i live in Lichfield and it is a beautiful city.

[@josephd8663]

favourite pastime of most stourbridge locals is not paying for that train

[@DoubleDeckerAnton]

Love the videos!