Rail transport in Shropshire

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A DMU heads north towards Whitchurch and Cheshire on the Welsh Marches Line at Battlefield. Marches Line Battlefield.jpg
A DMU heads north towards Whitchurch and Cheshire on the Welsh Marches Line at Battlefield.

The English county of Shropshire has a fairly large railway network, with 19 National Rail stations on various national lines; there are also a small number of heritage and freight lines, including the famous heritage Severn Valley Railway running along its eastern border with Worcestershire.

Contents

The majority of the county's public rail services are run by Transport for Wales Rail; the remainder are run by West Midlands Trains (under their West Midlands Railway brand) and Avanti West Coast.

National Rail services

Severn Bridge Junction, the busiest in the county, south of Shrewsbury railway station. Railway at Shrewsbury.jpg
Severn Bridge Junction, the busiest in the county, south of Shrewsbury railway station.

National Rail services in Shropshire are centred about Shrewsbury station (all other 'national rail' stations in Shropshire have a direct train service to Shrewsbury, which is the county town), which is managed by Transport for Wales. The station is at the junction of the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line, Shrewsbury to Chester Line, the Welsh Marches Line (between Cardiff and Manchester) and the Cambrian Line (towards Welshpool). Craven Arms station is at the junction between the Welsh Marches Line and the Heart of Wales Line, although services on the Heart of Wales Line begin at Shrewsbury rather than Craven Arms itself. There are direct train services from Shrewsbury (and elsewhere in the county) to the cities of Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff, as well as the port at Holyhead where regular ferries to Dublin depart.

There are no electrified railways, as such, in the county despite the surrounding railway nodes of Crewe, Chester and Wolverhampton all being electrified (the funicular Bridgnorth Cliff Railway, although electrically powered, is cable worked). This has meant that since the mid-1990s rail privatisation, there has been a reluctance to establish a direct service to London by the cross-country railway companies (previously British Rail ran direct trains from Shrewsbury to London), notably Virgin Trains West Coast who previously ran services to London Euston from the county in 2000. There was a direct service to London Marylebone, provided by the open-access company Wrexham & Shropshire, which operated from 28 April 2008 to 28 January 2011 and used diesel locomotives. On 11 December 2014, Virgin Trains recommenced direct services between Shrewsbury and London Euston. [1]

Freight only lines

There are two freight only lines in operation in the Telford area. One is the line from Madeley Junction on the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton Line to Ironbridge Power Station via the historic industrial area of Coalbrookdale. The other is the newly restored line from Wellington to the Telford International Railfreight Park in Donnington which links the Terminal at Donnington with the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton Line.

There is also the short Abbey Loop line in Shrewsbury which is generally only used by freight trains.

Historically, after the closure of the 'Potts' Line in 1960, the former Shrewsbury Abbey Station became an Esso oil terminal. The line utilised a short stub of the closed Severn Valley line from Sutton Bridge Junction before being reversed and switched towards the terminal. The terminal was closed in July 1988 and the line was subsequently removed.

The Gobowen to Blodwell line, which runs through Oswestry, has been a mothballed line since the 1980s. It previously served a small number of stone quarries in the area. In 2008 the line was bought by Shropshire County Council and will likely be used in part by the Cambrian Heritage Railways being set up in the area (by the Cambrian Railways Trust and Society, see Heritage section below) and also as a cycle path from Oswestry to Gobowen.

Former railways

A steam charter train heads through Church Stretton on the Welsh Marches Line, passing a regular DMU service. King Edward Church Stretton 2011.jpg
A steam charter train heads through Church Stretton on the Welsh Marches Line, passing a regular DMU service.

There are many closed lines in Shropshire, including

Many were closed in the 1960s, although the county did not fare too badly under Dr Beeching's massive nationwide railway cuts. The Heart of Wales Line was saved from closure. However, some previously major railway centres in the county, such as Oswestry, Newport and Market Drayton, now have no public railways.

Heritage railways

The Shropshire-Worcestershire Severn Valley Railway, at Bridgnorth. 45110 Bridgnorth.jpg
The Shropshire-Worcestershire Severn Valley Railway, at Bridgnorth.

There are three heritage railways in Shropshire: the Severn Valley Railway from Bridgnorth en-route to Kidderminster (in Worcestershire), the Telford Steam Railway at Horsehay & Dawley, and two restored stretches of the Cambrian Railways, being run by Cambrian Heritage Railways between Oswestry and Weston Wharf, and between Llynclys South and Penygarreg Lane in Pant.

Cambrian Heritage Railways also (since taking on the former Cambrian Railway Society CRS) aims to restore part of the Potteries, Shrewsbury & North Wales Railway at Nantmawr for use as a heritage railway. The CHR have a second operating base at Oswestry railway station, with a small collection of locos and rolling stock.

As well as the heritage only lines, the national lines of Shropshire witness a regular number of special charter trains with heritage diesel and steam locomotives and historic carriage stock in operation.

Stations

Here are listed the 19 National Rail stations in current use in the county.

StationPlace2015/16 usage [2] 2016/17 usage [2] 2017/18 usage [2] Managed byCo-ordinatesLineDistance from ShrewsburyPlatformsRequest stop? DFT station category
Albrighton railway station Albrighton 95,32299,38098,972 West Midlands Trains 52°38′16″N2°16′06″W / 52.63778°N 2.2683°W / 52.63778; -2.2683 (Albrighton) Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton35 km (21+34 miles)2NoF2
Broome railway station Broome / Aston on Clun 1,5647821,150 Transport for Wales 52°25′23″N2°53′06″W / 52.423°N 2.885°W / 52.423; -2.885 (Broome) Heart of Wales 36.5 km (22+34 miles)1YesF2
Bucknell railway station Bucknell 5,6965,5164,324Transport for Wales 52°21′26″N2°56′53″W / 52.3573°N 2.948°W / 52.3573; -2.948 (Bucknell) Heart of Wales45.5 km (28+14 miles)1YesF2
Church Stretton railway station Church Stretton 127,748132,352130,380Transport for Wales 52°32′13″N2°48′11″W / 52.537°N 2.803°W / 52.537; -2.803 (Church Stretton) Welsh Marches 20.5 km (12+34 miles)2NoF1
Cosford railway station Cosford (alight for DCAE Cosford & Air Museum)81,53084,38487,626West Midlands Trains 52°38′41″N2°18′00″W / 52.6448°N 2.3°W / 52.6448; -2.3 (Cosford) Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton32.5 km (20+14 miles)2NoF2
Craven Arms railway station Craven Arms 109,478100,91496,996Transport for Wales 52°26′31″N2°50′13″W / 52.442°N 2.837°W / 52.442; -2.837 (Craven Arms) Welsh Marches (junction with Heart of Wales)32 km (20 mi)2NoF1
Gobowen railway station Gobowen (alight here for a bus service to Oswestry)213,900221,138218,684Transport for Wales 52°53′37″N3°02′14″W / 52.8935°N 3.0371°W / 52.8935; -3.0371 (Gobowen) Shrewsbury-Chester28.5 km (17+34 miles)2NoE
Hopton Heath railway station 1 Hopton Heath 1,7541,3321,006Transport for Wales 52°23′29″N2°54′43″W / 52.3915°N 2.912°W / 52.3915; -2.912 (Hopton Heath) Heart of Wales41 km (25+12 miles)1YesF2
Knighton railway station Knighton 221,62620,71421,440Transport for Wales 52°20′42″N3°02′31″W / 52.345°N 3.042°W / 52.345; -3.042 (Knighton) Heart of Wales52.5 km (32+12 miles)2NoF1
Ludlow railway station Ludlow 299,776299,802300,742Transport for Wales 52°22′16″N2°42′58″W / 52.371°N 2.716°W / 52.371; -2.716 (Ludlow) Welsh Marches44 km (27+12 miles)2NoE
Oakengates railway station Oakengates 55,83059,00667,408West Midlands Trains 52°41′35″N2°27′00″W / 52.693°N 2.450°W / 52.693; -2.450 (Oakengates) Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton21.5 km (13+12 miles)2NoF2
Prees railway station near Prees 6,6746,8387,374Transport for Wales 52°53′57″N2°41′22″W / 52.8992°N 2.6895°W / 52.8992; -2.6895 (Prees) Welsh Marches22.5 km (14.0 mi)2YesF2
Shifnal railway station Shifnal 144,532166,046181,702West Midlands Trains 52°39′58″N2°22′19″W / 52.666°N 2.372°W / 52.666; -2.372 (Shifnal) Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton28 km (17+14 miles)2NoF2
Shrewsbury railway station Shrewsbury 1,979,2482,087,8202,211,520Transport for Wales 52°42′43″N2°45′00″W / 52.712°N 2.75°W / 52.712; -2.75 (Shrewsbury) Junction of several linesn/a5NoC1
Telford Central railway station Telford Town Centre 1,139,0701,207,4061,211,078West Midlands Trains 52°40′52″N2°26′28″W / 52.681°N 2.441°W / 52.681; -2.441 (Telford Central) Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton23 km (14+14 miles)2NoC2
Wellington (Shropshire) railway station Wellington 631,176665,778693,438West Midlands Trains 52°42′05″N2°31′01″W / 52.7015°N 2.517°W / 52.7015; -2.517 (Wellington) Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton16 km (9.9 mi)3NoE
Wem railway station Wem 100,678105,044110,636Transport for Wales 52°51′22″N2°43′08″W / 52.856°N 2.719°W / 52.856; -2.719 (Wem) Welsh Marches17 km (10+34 miles)2NoF1
Whitchurch (Shropshire) railway station Whitchurch 125,430138,246140,746Transport for Wales 52°58′05″N2°40′18″W / 52.968°N 2.6716°W / 52.968; -2.6716 (Whitchurch) Welsh Marches30 km (18+34 miles)2NoF1
Yorton railway station Yorton / Clive 9,3048,7887,686Transport for Wales 52°48′32″N2°44′10″W / 52.809°N 2.736°W / 52.809; -2.736 (Yorton) Welsh Marches11.5 km (7+14 miles)2YesF2

1 Sometimes written as "Hoptonheath".
2 Although the town of Knighton is in Powys, Wales, the railway station is in Shropshire, England.

Tunnels

Wellington's railway station, with its 3 remaining platforms. Wellington (Shropshire) Railway Station-27Jan2008.JPG
Wellington's railway station, with its 3 remaining platforms.
The small rural station at Bucknell, which has a level crossing at one end. Bucknell railway station.JPG
The small rural station at Bucknell, which has a level crossing at one end.

There are four railway tunnels in use at present in Shropshire:

A notable disused tunnel exists running beneath High Town of Bridgnorth, which once carried the railway from Bridgnorth station northwards towards the Ironbridge Gorge. The tunnel continues to be maintained and is in good condition. There is the possibility of the Severn Valley Railway extending northwards through the tunnel, with the tunnel's owner BRB (Residuary) Ltd offering the heritage railway first refusal, however there would be substantial difficulties in reinstating the railway beyond the tunnel to the north of Bridgnorth.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shropshire</span> County of England

Shropshire is a ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England, on the Welsh border. It is bordered by Wrexham County Borough and Cheshire to the north, Staffordshire to the east, Worcestershire to the south-east, Herefordshire to the south and Powys to the west. The largest settlement is Telford, and Shrewsbury is the county town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Severn Valley Railway</span> Heritage railway in England

The Severn Valley Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway in Shropshire and Worcestershire, England, named after the company that originally built the railway over which it now operates. The 16-mile (26 km) heritage line runs from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn along the Severn Valley for much of its route, and crossing the river on the historic Victoria Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridgnorth</span> Human settlement in England

Bridgnorth is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England. The River Severn splits it into High Town and Low Town, the upper town on the right bank and the lower on the left bank of the River Severn. The population at the 2011 Census was 12,079.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cambrian Railways</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Cambrian Railways owned 230 miles (370 km) of track over a large area of mid Wales. The system was an amalgamation of a number of railways that were incorporated in 1864, 1865 and 1904. The Cambrian connected with two larger railways with connections to the northwest of England via the London and North Western Railway, and the Great Western Railway for connections between London and Wales. The Cambrian Railways amalgamated with the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1922 as a result of the Railways Act 1921. The name is continued today in the route known as the Cambrian Line.

The Potteries, Shrewsbury and North Wales Railway,, was a railway built between Shrewsbury, England, and quarry locations at Nantmawr and Criggion in Wales. It was initially opened in 1866; despite the extensive title it never reached further than those extremities. It had cost about £1.5 million to construct, but its financial performance was extremely poor, and economies resulted in near-suspension of maintenance, leading to dangerous conditions. The line rapidly became very run down as a result of low revenues and poor maintenance, and was closed at the instigation of the Board of Trade for safety reasons in June 1880. It lay derelict for 30 years but was revived when the Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway re-opened it as a light railway in 1911.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cambrian Heritage Railways</span> Heritage railway in Shropshire, England

The Cambrian Heritage Railways is a heritage railway company, trust and society based at both Llynclys and Oswestry in its newly restored Oswestry railway station, Shropshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolverhampton–Shrewsbury line</span> Railway line serving between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury

The Wolverhampton–Shrewsbury line is the railway line from Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury via Wellington; it was originally built by the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway. The line is double track throughout, with rarely used relief sidings at Cosford and four tracks through Wellington station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shrewsbury railway station</span> Grade II listed railway station in Shropshire, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company</span>

The Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company was a Company in England, formed in 1846, which managed several canals and railways. It intended to convert a number of canals to railways, but was leased by the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) from 1847, and although they built one railway in their own right, the LNWR were keen that they did not build any more. They continued to act as a semi-autonomous body, managing the canals under their control, and were critical of the LNWR for not using the powers which the Shropshire Union Company had obtained to achieve domination of the markets in Shropshire and Cheshire by building more railways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway</span> Railway in England

The Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway was authorised in 1846. It agreed to joint construction with others of the costly Wolverhampton to Birmingham section, the so-called Stour Valley Line. This work was dominated by the hostile London and North Western Railway, which used underhand and coercive tactics. The section between Shrewsbury and Wellington was also built jointly, in this case with the Shropshire Union Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gobowen railway station</span> Railway station in Shropshire, England

Gobowen railway station is a railway station on the Shrewsbury to Chester Line of the former Great Western Railway's London Paddington to Birkenhead Woodside via Birmingham Snow Hill line, serving the village of Gobowen in Shropshire, England. It is the nearest station to the town of Oswestry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wellington railway station (Shropshire)</span> Railway station in Shropshire, England

Wellington railway station serves the town of Wellington, Shropshire, England. It is situated on the former Great Western Railway's London Paddington to Birkenhead via Birmingham Snow Hill line. Trains are operated by West Midlands Railway, Avanti West Coast and Transport for Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telford Central railway station</span> Railway station in Shropshire, England

Telford Central railway station serves the town of Telford, Shropshire, England. It is located on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line 15+12 miles (24.9 km) north west of Wolverhampton and is operated by West Midlands Trains. It is situated close to the Telford Shopping Centre, the main commercial district of the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakengates railway station</span> Railway station in Shropshire, England

Oakengates railway station serves the town of Oakengates, Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire, England. It has two platforms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buildwas railway station</span> Former railway station in Shropshire, England

Buildwas railway station was an isolated junction railway station on the Wellington to Craven Arms Railway and Severn Valley Railway. Opened on 1 February 1862. Although the station served both the Severn Valley Railway and Wellington to Craven Arms Railway, it was an interchange station in open countryside with no passenger access except by rail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Severn Bridge Junction</span> Place in Shrewsbury, England

Severn Bridge Junction is the area of railway lines just south east of Shrewsbury railway station, in Shropshire, England. It is controlled by a mechanical interlocked signal box of the same name, which is the largest operational mechanical signal box in the world. The Network Rail signalling area code is 'SBJ.'

The Stafford–Shrewsbury line is a former railway line in England, which ran between Stafford in Staffordshire and Shrewsbury in Shropshire, via Newport and Wellington, from 1849 to 1966. The Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company (SUR&CC) constructed and ran one of the few railways in England ever built by a canal company. The line served Newport and Wellington stations. The SUR&CC were solely responsible for the section from Stafford to Wellington; but the building and operation of the 10.5 mile (17 km)-long Shrewsbury-to-Wellington section was shared with the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llanfyllin Branch</span>

The Llanfyllin Branch was a railway line extension of the Oswestry and Newtown Railway to access the limestone resources within the Llanfyllin area; it opened in 1863.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llanymynech railway station</span> Former railway station in England

Llanymynech railway station was an important junction station on the Cambrian Railways mainline from Welshpool, Powys to Oswestry, Shropshire, serving the village of Llanymynech which is partly situated in Shropshire, England and partly in Powys, Wales.

References

  1. "Direct rail services from Shropshire to London will start on December 14". Shropshire Star. 22 September 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Office for Rail Regulation Archived 4 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine Station usage figures