Riding the Colas Wagon Move: Shrewsbury to Gloucester

Riding the Colas Wagon Move: Shrewsbury to Gloucester

Cab Ride: Shrewsbury to Gloucester via Craven Arms, Hereford and Severn Tunnel Jct.

Prior to the start of the Railhead treatment season the wagons that are used on these trains are moved to their various depots and on 22nd September 2020, Large-logo liveried, privately owned 37418 was given the job of hauling two (loaded) sets from Coleham depot in Shrewsbury to the Horton Road sidings at Gloucester.

Although operated by Colas and working in their COTS pool, this former Scottish 37/4 has been somewhat elusive since its return to the mainline. Used on the Rhymney line and for other odd workings, this may well have been it's most high profile daytime working to date, which just happened to be on a brilliant sunny day, over a great route and our cameras were on board to record the occasion!

Starting from the Coleham ISU depot, the 37 takes its wagons through to Shrewsbury station and after running around, heads south along the Marches line into South Wales and then along the banks of the River Severn to Gloucester.

The Marches route is well known and the entire journey is shown here. The highlight is probably passing the 15 mechanical signal boxes and the many superb upper and lower quadrant semaphores at Shrewsbury (Severn Bridge Junction), Sutton Bridge Junction, Dorrington, Marsh Brook, Craven Arms, Onibury, Bromfield, Woofferton, Leominster, Moreton-on-Lugg, Hereford, Tram Inn, Pontralis, Abergavenny and Little
Mill Junction.

At Maindee North Junction the train heads west to Severn Tunnel Junction and along a line that has featured many times in our cab ride series. Last time it was Class 20s. This time it’s a large logo 37!

Filmed with the full permission of Colas Rail Freight, there is part-narration, maps and on-screen captions and a thrash cam records the action from the rear cab of the loco.

Produced by - Train Crazy
Duration - 183 minutes
Format - 16:9 widescreen