Wrexham and Ellesmere Railway: Difference between revisions
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==History== |
==History== |
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[[File:Wrexham Central railway station 2048484 00a59e8b.jpg|thumb|left|View SE towards Station in 1959]] |
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Ellesmere no longer has a railway, but it was once on the [[Oswestry, Ellesmere and Whitchurch Railway]] main line of the [[Cambrian Railways]]. However, the section from [[Whitchurch, Shropshire|Whitchurch]] to [[Welshpool]] (Buttington Junction), via Ellesmere, [[Whittington, Shropshire|Whittington]], [[Oswestry]] and [[Llanymynech]], closed on 18 January 1965 in favour of the more viable alternative route via Shrewsbury. Ellesmere was also the terminus of the [[Wrexham and Ellesmere Railway]] branch line to [[Wrexham Central railway station|Wrexham (Central)]], via [[Overton-on-Dee]], [[Bangor-on-Dee]] and [[Marchwiel]]. This line closed on 10 September 1962. Ellesmere [[railway station]] still stands and is now coverted to offices. |
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The LNWR wished to make further connections with the CR, and hence proposed an extension of the existing joint [[Wrexham, Mold and Connah's Quay Railway]] (WMCQ) from {{rws|Wrexham Central}} to meet the new CR line at {{rws|Ellesmere}}. |
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The WMCQ had opened between {{stnlnk|Wrexham General}} and Buckley (old station) on 1 May 1866.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dow |first=George |authorlink=George Dow |title=Great Central, Volume Three: Fay Sets the Pace, 1900-1922 |year=1965 |publisher=[[Ian Allan]] |location=Shepperton |isbn=0 7110 0263 0 |page=49 |ref=harv }}</ref> A southern extension to a station better situated for the centre of Wrexham was authorised on 18 August 1882;<ref>{{harvnb|Dow|1965|p=62}}</ref> work did not begin until January 1887, and it was opened on 1 November the same year.<ref name=Dow65>{{harvnb|Dow|1965|p=65}}</ref> {{rws|Wrexham Central}} was a large station, with a [[marshalling yard]] and [[goods depot]] accompanying it. The station clock was provided and maintained free of charge by a local watchmaker named Pierce.<ref name=Dow65 /> |
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Built jointly by the WMCQ and the CR, the Wrexham and Ellesmere Railway was built as a branchline, opened on 2 November 1895. It was operated totally by the CR.<ref name=Dow65 /> |
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==Closure== |
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Having been a constituent part of the GWR, in 1963 the former CR lines passed to [[Lonon Midland Region]] of [[British Railways]]. This decided as part of the [[Beeching cuts]] to closed the old CR mainline to Shrewsbury, but as a pre-cursor to transfer the ecision was made to close the W&ER on 10 September 1962.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kidner |first=R.W. |title=The Cambrian Railways |edition=2nd |series=The Oakwood Library of Railway History |year=1992 |origyear=1954 |publisher=Oakwood Press |location=Headington |isbn=0 85361 439 3 |id=OL55 |page=178 |ref=harv }}</ref> |
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==Present== |
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In light of the closure of the W&ER, {{rws|Wexham Central}} almost closed as well, apart from the fact that the town was undergoing substantial growth. Kept open but substantially rebuilt, today most of its former site and workings have been rebuilt under a [[Tesco]] supermarket. |
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While {{rws|Ellesmere}} still stands, now coverted to offices, the rest of the W&ER has been removed, the land repatriated to its original farms. |
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==Welshampton rail crash== |
==Welshampton rail crash== |
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Revision as of 22:31, 8 February 2012
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The Wrexham and Ellesmere Railway was a railway line that ran from Oswestry in Shropshire to Whitchurch, Shropshire, via Ellesmere and the Welsh borders. It was a constituent part of the Cambrian Railways.
Background: Cambrian Railways=
Proposed to be formed from the amalgamation of a series of local regional railway companies,[1] as a result the new company called Cambrian Railways (CR) proposed to base its headquarters in Oswestry. On completion, the station would complete the mainline for the London and North Western Railway, from Whitchurch on the Crewe and Shrewsbury Railway, to Welshpool in Mid-Wales.[2]
The first connection to Oswestry was made from the south by the Oswestry and Newtown Railway, which operated its first train on 1 May 1860.[1] After a legal tussle between the two competing companies, LNWR and Great Western Railway, Parliament authorised building the CR/LNWR sponsored Oswestry, Ellesmere and Whitchurch Railway to Whitchurch in August 1861, driven by the need to regenerate Ellesmere. However, the proposed route was heavily fought over by land owners, with the eventual tracks running via Fenn's Moss, requiring additional civil engineering, support and drainage to overcome the local bog conditions. On the 25 July 1864 the CR was formally created, allowing the first CR train to the run from Whitchurch into Oswestry two days later on 27 July 1864.[1] A year later the coast lines joined the CR too. On grouping in 1923, Cambrian Railways became part of the Great Western Railway.
History
The LNWR wished to make further connections with the CR, and hence proposed an extension of the existing joint Wrexham, Mold and Connah's Quay Railway (WMCQ) from Wrexham Central to meet the new CR line at Ellesmere.
The WMCQ had opened between Wrexham General and Buckley (old station) on 1 May 1866.[3] A southern extension to a station better situated for the centre of Wrexham was authorised on 18 August 1882;[4] work did not begin until January 1887, and it was opened on 1 November the same year.[5] Wrexham Central was a large station, with a marshalling yard and goods depot accompanying it. The station clock was provided and maintained free of charge by a local watchmaker named Pierce.[5]
Built jointly by the WMCQ and the CR, the Wrexham and Ellesmere Railway was built as a branchline, opened on 2 November 1895. It was operated totally by the CR.[5]
Closure
Having been a constituent part of the GWR, in 1963 the former CR lines passed to Lonon Midland Region of British Railways. This decided as part of the Beeching cuts to closed the old CR mainline to Shrewsbury, but as a pre-cursor to transfer the ecision was made to close the W&ER on 10 September 1962.[6]
Present
In light of the closure of the W&ER, Wexham Central almost closed as well, apart from the fact that the town was undergoing substantial growth. Kept open but substantially rebuilt, today most of its former site and workings have been rebuilt under a Tesco supermarket.
While Ellesmere still stands, now coverted to offices, the rest of the W&ER has been removed, the land repatriated to its original farms.
Welshampton rail crash
On 11 June 1897 at Welshampton, a serious derailment took place which resulted in the deaths of 12 people.[7][8]
A long excursion train of mixed Cambrian Railways and Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway stock was returning from Barmouth to Lancashire. Organised by the United Sunday Schools of Royton, 320 passengers were in 15 carriages pulled by two locomotives. Earlier in the day a Cambrian guard had complained of the rough-riding of a small 4-wheeled L&Y brake van, which on the return journey was at the front of the train.
Leaving Barmouth at 18:00, at about 22:20 one of the engines and 13 of the coaches left the rails 154 yards (141 m) east of Welshampton station. Nine passengers were killed in what was the first fatal accident on the line since it was built, while two other passengers and a railway employee died later from injuries.
Although the initial investigation centered on the first carriage to leave the rails, a L&YR third-class brake coach, the enquiry concluded though that the speed of the train was too high considering the state of the track which had many sleepers in need of replacement, also too light a rail for high speed running. The Cambrian Railway disputed the findings and maintained that the L&Y vehicle was to blame
Closure
In 1963 under British Railways, the line was reallocated to became part of the London Midland Region. In the review under the Beeching Axe the Cambrian Railway mainline was decreed surplus to demands, and hence scheduled for closure.[1] On 18 January 1965, passenger services to Welshpool and Whitchurch finished, and the line closed. Freight services continued to run on the Oswestry section until 1971.[9]
Present
Whitchurch survives on the northern section, now but a two-platform halt compared to its previous junction guise.
Only Oswestry railway station survives on the southern section, with Cambrian Heritage Railways working on a heritage railway scheme to revive services from Gobowen to the new Penygarreg Lane Halt, and at some point ownards to Welshpool.
The middle section is now part of the Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve.
References
- ^ a b c d "Oswestry". disused-stations.org.uk. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ "Oswestry Railway". BBC Shropshire. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ Dow, George (1965). Great Central, Volume Three: Fay Sets the Pace, 1900-1922. Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 49. ISBN 0 7110 0263 0.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - ^ Dow 1965, p. 62
- ^ a b c Dow 1965, p. 65
- ^ Kidner, R.W. (1992) [1954]. The Cambrian Railways. The Oakwood Library of Railway History (2nd ed.). Headington: Oakwood Press. p. 178. ISBN 0 85361 439 3. OL55.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - ^ "Railway accident, 1897". Ingenious. Retrieved 6 May 2008.
- ^ "Accident at Welshampton on 11th June 1897". The Railways Archive. Retrieved 25 January 2008.
- ^ "Cambrian Railways works". discovershropshire.org.uk. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
External links
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