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General information | |||||
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Location | Ruabon, Wrexham Wales | ||||
Coordinates | 52°59′14″N3°02′36″W / 52.987176°N 3.043363°W | ||||
Grid reference | SJ303438 | ||||
Managed by | Transport for Wales | ||||
Line(s) | Shrewsbury–Chester | ||||
Platforms | 2 | ||||
Other information | |||||
Station code | RUA | ||||
Classification | DfT category F1 | ||||
History | |||||
Opened | 4 November 1846 | ||||
Passengers | |||||
2019/20 | 99,122 | ||||
2020/21 | 20,632 | ||||
2021/22 | 77,920 | ||||
2022/23 | 90,894 | ||||
2023/24 | 97,222 | ||||
Listed Building –Grade II | |||||
Feature | Ruabon Railway Station | ||||
Designated | 24 February 1983 | ||||
Reference no. | 1719 [1] | ||||
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Ruabon railway station (Welsh :Rhiwabon) is a combined rail and bus interchange serving Ruabon,Wrexham County Borough,Wales. It is the second busiest station in Wrexham County Borough in terms of passenger journeys,after the mainline station,Wrexham General. It is on the Shrewsbury to Chester Line,which is part of the former Great Western Railway mainline route from London Paddington to Birkenhead Woodside which lasted until 1967.
Ruabon station was originally larger than at present,with an extensive marshalling yard with a turntable and goods depot accompanying it,and was the terminus of the Ruabon to Barmouth line which ran via Llangollen,Corwen and Dolgellau. [2] This branch line was a victim of the Beeching cuts in the 1960s,closing to passengers in 1965 and completely three years later. [3] The bay platform serving this route can still be seen at the station,whilst the old goods yard has been redeveloped as a housing estate.
The original station building was Italianate in style and was designed by the architect Thomas Penson and opened on 4 November 1846. [4] However,this was replaced by the current neo-Tudor style stone buildings, [5] designed by Henry Robertson,in 1860. In 1870,refreshment rooms were added between the platforms serving Chester and Barmouth. [4]
Following further cuts in the national railway service,Ruabon station became an unstaffed halt in 1974. Only parts of both main platforms are now in use.
In 2009,Ruabon station was refurbished at a cost of £70,000. [6] New shelters,lighting and passenger information system screens were provided as part of the Welsh Government-funded project.
As noted,the station is unmanned but has a ticket vending machine where tickets must be purchased or collected before boarding. The main buildings on platform 2 are privately occupied. Train running information is offered via digital displays,automatic announcements,timetable posters and customer help points on each platform. Step-free access is only provided on platform 2,as platform 1 can only be reached via a footbridge with stairs. [7] Ruabon Station is the only station on the Chester-Shrewsbury Line without step-free access. The stairs cause major problems for the disabled with passengers wishing to alight here being advised to go to Wrexham and return on the next train south. Access for those with prams and pushchairs is also very difficult if not impossible and a struggle for those with luggage or those less mobile. [8]
Currently,trains run on two routes operated by Transport for Wales:
A two-hourly service operates on Sundays to Chester and Birmingham International,with limited additional services to Cardiff and Holyhead. [9]
Until January 2011 the Wrexham,Shropshire and Marylebone Railway provided regular daily services between Wrexham and London. This service ceased due to a continuing loss being made by the company.
A small number of local buses serve the station. [10]
The Llangollen Railway is a volunteer-run heritage railway in Denbighshire, North Wales, which operates between Llangollen and Corwen. The standard gauge line, which is 10 miles (16 km) long, runs on part of the former Ruabon – Barmouth GWR route that closed in 1965. It operates daily services in the summer as well as weekends throughout the winter months, using a variety of mainly ex-GWR steam locomotives as well as several diesel engines and diesel multiple units. A 2+1⁄2 miles (4 km) extension of the railway has been built to complete the line to Corwen.
Bangor railway station serves the city of Bangor, Gwynedd; it is operated by Transport for Wales. The station, which is 24+3⁄4 miles (40 km) east of Holyhead, is the last mainland station on the North Wales Coast line between Crewe and Holyhead. It is the busiest in terms of passenger numbers in North Wales, as it serves the community around Caernarfon and further west. It is close to the Snowdonia National Park and Bangor University, and has an interchange with bus services to the various towns and villages of north-west Gwynedd and Anglesey.
Shrewsbury railway station serves the town of Shrewsbury, in Shropshire, England. Built in 1848, it was designated a grade II listed building in 1969.
The Shrewsbury–Chester line is a railway line between Chester and Shrewsbury in England, with the line passing through Wrexham in Wales. Passenger train services are operated by Transport for Wales Rail between Chester, in the north, and Shrewsbury, in the south, as part of the Wales & Borders franchise. Some additional services, starting part way along the line to London Euston via Chester are operated by Avanti West Coast. The line was built in 1846 by the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway, with the engineer for the line being Henry Robertson, a partner in locomotive builders Beyer Peacock, while the contractor was Thomas Brassey in partnership with William Mackenzie and Robert Stephenson. The line is part of Transport for Wales' North Wales Metro improvement programme.
Shotton railway station serves the towns of Shotton and Connah's Quay, Flintshire, Wales. It is situated where the Borderlands Line crosses the North Wales Coast Line. All passenger services are operated by Transport for Wales, which manages the station.
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.
Chester railway station is located in Newtown, Chester, England. Services are operated by Avanti West Coast, Merseyrail, Northern and Transport for Wales. From 1875 to 1969, the station was known as Chester General to distinguish it from Chester Northgate. The station's Italianate frontage was designed by the architect Francis Thompson.
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, and Transport for Wales.
Leominster railway station lies on the Welsh Marches Line, serving the town of Leominster in Herefordshire, England. It is situated 11+1⁄4 miles (18.1 km) north of Hereford. The station has two operational platforms, for northbound services via Ludlow and southbound via Hereford; in the past, it had three more for discontinued services to Worcester and Kington.
Rhyl railway station is on the Crewe to Holyhead North Wales Coast Line and serves the holiday resort of Rhyl, Wales.
Wrexham General is the main railway station serving the city of Wrexham, north-east Wales, and one of the two serving the city, alongside Wrexham Central. It is currently operated and mostly served by Transport for Wales, with some additional services provided by Avanti West Coast to London Euston.
Bodorgan railway station serves the hamlet of Bodorgan and the village of Bethel on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales. The stop is an unmanned halt, and serves as a request stop for Chester and Holyhead-bound local trains along the North Wales coast.
Birkenhead Woodside was a railway station located at Woodside, in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire. It served both local services within Cheshire and long-distance services to southern England, including London.
Barmouth railway station serves the seaside town of Barmouth in Gwynedd, Wales. The station is on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services to Harlech, Porthmadog, Pwllheli, Tywyn, Aberdovey, Machynlleth and Shrewsbury. Between Morfa Mawddach and Barmouth the railway crosses the Afon Mawddach on the Barmouth Bridge.
Chirk railway station serves the town of Chirk, Wrexham County Borough, Wales. The station is on the Shrewsbury to Chester Line 21 miles (34 km) north of Shrewsbury, which is part of the former Great Western Railway mainline route from London Paddington to Birkenhead Woodside. The original 19th-century Chirk / Y Waun station building was demolished in 1987, without consultation, by the local council.
Telford Central railway station serves the town of Telford, Shropshire, England. It is located on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line 15+1⁄2 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.
The Ruabon–Barmouth line was a standard-gauge line owned by the Great Western Railway across the north of Wales which connected Ruabon, in the east, with Barmouth on the west coast.
Llangollen railway station in the town of Llangollen, Denbighshire, Wales, is a preserved railway station on the former Ruabon to Barmouth Line, and now the eastern terminus of the preserved Llangollen Railway.
Whittington Low Level railway station is a disused station and was one of two former railway stations in the village of Whittington, Shropshire, England.
The North Wales Mineral Railway was formed to carry coal and ironstone from the mineral-bearing area around Wrexham to the River Dee wharves. It was extended to run from Shrewsbury and formed part of a main line trunk route, under the title the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway. It opened in 1846 from Chester to Ruabon, and in 1848 from Ruabon to Shrewsbury. It later merged with the Great Western Railway.