The Cliffe Hopper - 7th October 2016

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Crewe P12 in the morning before departure. [Peter Glass]	The end of line on the Cliffe Vale branch. [Geoff Plumb]	Cliffe Vale China Clay unloading facility, early morning before the tour. [Kev Adlam]	The tour traverses Aldridge crossover. The proposed passenger station with its single platform would be on the left this side of the (A454) bridge in the background. However, the crossover would need to be moved further west closer to Walsall to accommodate the Class 350 EMUS. [Rich Hickman]	South of Pleck Jn our tour was the first train to use the Dudley Reversing Siding since the final coal train on 29 April 2016. On the right A freight heads north on the Down Walsall line. [Rich Hickman]	Rugeley Power Station end of line, looking north, (the West Coast Trent Valley Line is in the distance but not visible). [Geoff Plumb. See https://goo.gl/rRtJYJ for more of Geoff's railtour pictures.]	Looking west from the end of the branch; the loco crew is changing ends. [Geoff Plumb]
Above left: The 'Cliffe Hopper' arrives from Walsall and is about to take the Rugeley Power Station branch (off left). The trailing crossover to the left of the engine was taken on return after reversing in Rugeley Town station P1. Above right: On the branch travelling in. [both Rich Hickman]	The winner of the charity auction for the third nameplate on the tour actually worked at the Power Station. To the right is an A3 colour flyer designed by Tim Wallis for our railtour charity raffle.