Historic horse-drawn stagecoaches draw hundreds of visitors
They were once an everyday sight on roads in past centuries – but hundreds of people lined the streets to welcome back two horse-drawn stagecoaches to Shropshire.
The Nimrod and the Monarch, which both used to come to Shropshire regularly in the late 18th and early 19th century, travelled from Shifnal through Coalport and Ironbridge before finishing their journey in Shrewsbury yesterday.
The journey was part of a four-day trek across the Midlands.
The historic trip was organised to raise money for soliders' charities Help for Heroes and the Household Cavalry Operational Casualties Fund and the journey followed an original stagecoach route.
A group of 24 passengers set out from The Wyke in Shifnal yesterday.
From Ironbridge, the party called at historic inns including the Wroxeter Hotel and the Mytton and Mermaid at Atcham. The journey ended at Shrewsbury's historic Lion Hotel on Wyle Cop, where hundreds of people turned out to welcome the stagecoaches.
Town Crier Martin Wood formally announced their arrival by ringing his bell as the crowd clapped in anticipation.
Some crowd members got into the spirit by dressing in period costume. Tracy Reilly, the owner of GGs hat shop on the Wyle Cop, was in traditional Victorian dress.
She said: "I think it's important for the town that we do these sort of things."
Mike Owen, Shropshire Council portfolio holder for economic growth and prosperity who helped to organise the trip, said: "These kind of events always bring people out and we want to do anything we can to increase the economy in the retail areas."
The Monarch used to run between Birmingham and Shrewsbury, while the Nimrod was also a regular visitor to the Lion.
