by Mark Collins

I’d always wanted to travel on this line ever since looking at my old BR map and seeing so many stations so tightly packed together.

The camera crew filmed trains going up and down the line the previous day so that we could have a camera in the cab of the Class 158 unit all the way.

Tony Donovan, the Customer Services manager of Wales & Borders Trains was unaware that he had to do an interview with me. Either this was true or a way of him being modest as he turned out to be one of the easiest, interesting, informative and entertaining interviewees of the whole series. A dedicated man who only just made our rendezvous after his car broke down and the train had to be held for two minutes.

It was strange standing at Dovey Junction all alone. (Cameramen don’t count on this occasion). I was looking forward to the experience where you had to either put your hand out to stop the train or tell the conductor that you wanted to alight.

There was some stunning scenery to be seen from the carriage window; the coastline, Barmouth Bridge and Harlech to name but a few plus I was intrigued by the local history and it’s military connections.

I must say a big thank you to Leigh Franks at Wales & Borders Trains for arranging all this at such short notice, also a very big thank you to “The Mex”, the most interesting driver I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting and of course Tony Donovan for making my life that much easier.

Trainspotting.links (will open in a new window)

www.walesandborderstrains.co.uk