Shropshire Star

Did this record the end of a steam ban?

Tim Garnett of Chirk has come up with a theory to explain this photo taken at Dorrington railway station, which we used in Pictures From The Past the other day.

Published
Dorrington station

It came from Bill Kerswell, who lives near Church Stretton, who thought it was taken in the 1970s. In the photo, some people can be seen to be on the tracks.

Mr Garnett emailed in to say: "Regarding Bill Kerswell's photo of Dorrington station, I spotted the train in the distance.

"Rainy day tends to shine up the coaches' roofs. Looking as closely as tired eyes can, I thought I spotted steam.

"British Rail put a steam ban on in 1969. Apart from Alan Pegler's Flying Scotsman, a deal had been struck to run for a number of years on the national system.

"The ban was lifted in 1971. The first locomotive to break the ban was 6000 King George V, part of the national collection housed at Bulmers in Hereford.

"It's only a useful suggestion, but I think it could have been her run that attracted the public on a very wet day."

And we also had a lady call from Germany, who had a particular reason to be pleased to see the picture.

Trish Phillips, who is originally from Shropshire area, said she was impressed with picture of Dorrington railway station as her grandfather, Wilfred Jones, was the signalman.