A disused and derelict North Shropshire railway line that has lain abandoned for over 50 years has been restored by enthusiasts and officially reopened as a heritage railway.
The line at Oswestry in North Shropshire railway line fell victim to the 1960s Beeching cuts, and lay abandoned and unloved for 50 years, although other parts of the line remained open for freight until the 1980s.
In 1972, local heritage enthusiasts came together to keep alive memories of Oswestry as a major railway hub. This resulted in the formation of Cambrian Heritage Railways (CHR).
On Friday, April 1st, CHR welcomed local dignitaries, invited guests, CHR members, and volunteers to climb aboard and enjoy a nostalgic steam train journey from Oswestry to Weston Wharf.
Helen Morgan, Member of Parliament for North Shropshire, together with Shropshire Council Chairman, Vince Hunt, officially opened the railway and unveiled a new platform at Weston Wharf.
From the Easter weekend until September, trains will now run every weekend, on specific mid-week days and evenings, and on Bank Holidays. It is also planned to run ‘special excursion' trains throughout the year to link the railway with local attractions at Weston, including the Stonehouse Brewery and Weston Pools Village.
Volunteers have worked tirelessly since 2016 to extend the heritage railway from Oswestry. They have reinstated two miles of new track and a station platform at Weston Wharf, so that CHR is now the latest tourist attraction in Shropshire.
Having successfully obtained European grants and financial backing from local authorities to restore the railway, the ambitious plan for the future is to extend the line in both directions towards Gobowen and Llynclys.
Speaking about the reopening, CHR Chairman Rob Williams, said: “It's a fantastic achievement by all concerned to reopen a passenger railway that hasn't existed for over 50 years.
“We are grateful to Helen Morgan and Vince Hunt for officially opening the railway and I would like to pay tribute to all those individuals and organisations who have been instrumental in making this project possible. Our ambition going forward is to ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to enjoy a special day out on our heritage railway.”
It is recommended that visitors pre book their tickets via the railway's website at http://www.cambrianrailways.com/
Great, but I always thought target was to re-establish a connection at Gobowen.
The original target when the Cambrian Railways Society was formed in 1972 was to reopen the whole line from Gobowen to Blodwel Junction via Oswestry.
This is why in the early days the sidings in the Cambrian goods yard at Oswestry were purchased and a tenancy taken on the land and buildings under and adjacent to the sidings.
Sadly it has taken a long time to realise part of the project during which many of the original volunteers have unfortunately passed away.
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