The Sunday Class
Website designed and maintained by Microport  © 2010 -20
Taught/practised on: 2014 April 6 th April 27 th
THE 5 O’CLOCK FROM WELSHPOOL (R5x32) Gillian Jennings  1- 8 1s & 3s set advancing to Balance in line, turn partner RH, face up and cast off 1 place  9-16 1s & 3s set advancing to Balance in line, turn partner RH to face 1 st   corners 17-24 1s & 3s dance Corners Pass & Turn with 1 st  corners, and 2 nd  corners 25-32 1s & 3s dance RH across with couple to right, cross RH & cast off 1 place
For   Sally   McGurn   who   made   the   long   journey   from   Welshpool   on   the   five   o’clock   train   to   classes   in   Birmingham. One of her favourite formations is corner pass and turn. The   Shrewsbury   and   Welshpool   Railway   opened   on   27   January   1862   and over   the   years   became   part   of   the   London   and   North   Western   Railway,   the Cambrian Railways, and the Great Western Railway before nationalisation. About   100   yards   north   of   the   station   were   exchange   sidings   with   the   narrow gauge   Welshpool   and   Llanfair   Light   Railway   which   opened   for   freight   traffic in   1903   and   closed   in   1956,   with   a   separate   station   serving   passenger traffic   until   1931.   The   last   remains   of   this   station   and   the   site   of   the railway were obliterated by the construction of the new A483 road. After   some   severe   rationalisation   under   the   Beeching   Axe   in   the   1960s   and development   of   the   A483   road,   there   arose   a   need   to   shift   the   railway   line   south.   To   enable   this,   in   the   1990s, the   old   station   was   closed,   and   a   new   single   island   platform   constructed   south   of   it,   to   allow   realignment.   The modern   station   is   reached   by   a   large   pedestrian   bridge   over   the   eastbound   railway   line   and   the   A483.   It   has   no facilities   beyond   a   small   shelter   and   benches.   The   old   station   can   still   be   seen   across   the   road,   and   has   been converted into a mill shop and cafe. The   Welshpool   &   Llanfair   Light   Railway   was   one   of   the   few narrow   gauge   branch   lines   to   be   built   under   the   provisions of   the   1896   Light   Railways   Act   and   was   opened   on   4   April 1903.   The   line   is   built   through   difficult   country,   having   a great   number   of   curves   in   order   to   reach   the   summit   of 600   ft,   and   was   never   profitable.   The   original   terminus   at Welshpool   was   located   alongside   the   main   line   station   and trains    wound    their    way    through    the    town,    using    the locomotive bell as a warning. After   closing   in   1956,   a   group   of   volunteers   and   enthusiasts took   the   line   over   and   started   raising   money   to   restore   it. On   6   April   1963   the   western   half   of   the   line,   from   Llanfair   Caereinion   to   Castle   Caereinion,   was   reopened   as   a tourist   railway.   The   line   through   Welshpool,   however,   could   not   be   reopened,   so   the   line   now   has   a   new   terminus station   at   Raven   Square   on   the   western   outskirts   of   the   town,   opened   on   18   July   1981.   There   are   current discussions   about   reinstating   the   link   through   the   town   to   the   main   line   station,   following   a   different   route   from that originally used.
The Reopening train in the streets of Welshpool 6th April 1963 Photograph: John Clemmens