BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT TO SHREWSBURY

This Cab Ride takes us from Birmingham International Airport to Shrewsbury on-board a Class 158 of Transport for Wales. On the way we'll encounter evidence of the railway's role in enabling the industrial revolution, passing by and connecting with many of the routes which fought each other for trade.
From the airport we'll travel north-west on the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line at speeds up to the 158's maximum of 90 miles per hour to stop at Brmingham's magnificently designed New Street Station.
From there we parallel the Birmingham Canal for much of the way to Wolverhampton on the much delayed LNWR’s 1852 line. This was a highly contested area when the railways were built, with the London & North Western doing everything it could to disadvantage its competitors.
At Wolverhampton North junction the WCML leaves us to travel north towards Stafford, while we continue west on tracks laid by the Shrewsbury & Birmingham Railway for the New Town of Telford, and Shrewsbury on the River Severn beyond.
Our journey takes place on a beautiful summer evening featuring mainly clear skies, and with the sun having set by the time we reach our destination, it's a good example of the times that sunglasses are essential for our driver.
You can keep updated on signal aspects, feather indications, permissive speeds and station names with on-screen graphics, and animated maps show clearly the route we follow.
There’s full commentary throughout, but as usual, if you prefer, you can opt to silence the narration to sit back and concentrate on the relaxing sounds of the journey.