Shrewsbury and Welshpool Railway

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Shrewsbury and
Welshpool Railway

Legend

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Welsh Marches Line

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Shrewsbury to Chester Line

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|  | Shrewsbury
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Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line

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|  | Shrewsbury Abbey
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|  | Coleham
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Severn Valley Railway

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Welsh Marches Line

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Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Rly

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|  | Hanwood
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Minsterley branch line

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|  | Yockleton
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|  | Westbury (Salop)
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|  | Plas-y-Court Halt
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| England

Wales
border

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|  | Breidden
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Oswestry and Newtown Railway

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|  | Buttington
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|  | Welshpool
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Welshpool & Llanfair Light Rly

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|  | River Severn
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Cambrian Line

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The Shrewsbury and Welshpool Railway (S&WR) is a standard gauge railway which connects the towns of Shrewsbury and Welshpool. It opened in 1861 and the majority of the railway continues in use.

## History

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### Incorporation

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The S&WR was incorporated in an Act of Parliament in 1856. Although initially an independent company, the line was to be operated and maintained by the London and North Western Railway (LNWR).

### Opening

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Construction under the Act began in 1859, and by 1861 the line from Shrewsbury to Minsterley was completed, and opened on 14 February 1861. Construction of the main line to Welshpool was completed later in 1861 and officially opened on 27 January 1862.

### Minsterley branch

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Main article: Minsterley branch line

The Minsterley branch served the agricultural communities of the area, but its main purpose was to carry lead from the mines along the Stiperstones hills. These mines were connected to the S&WR at Pontesbury by the 2 ft 4 in (711 mm) narrow gauge Snailbeach District Railways which opened in 1873 and closed in 1959. The Minsterley branch closed for passenger service in 1951 and for freight traffic in the mid 1960s.

Breidden Station in 1953 Breidden Station in 1962

### Main line

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The main line of the S&WR continued in use as the main route from Shrewsbury to Welshpool and, via the ex-Cambrian Railways main line, to mid-Wales and Machynlleth. The railway was jointly operated by the LNWR (LM&SR after 1923) and the Great Western Railway until nationalisation, when it became part of British Railways. All of the intermediate stations were subsequently closed in September 1960.

## References

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*   * Baughan, Peter E. (1980). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 11 North and Mid Wales (1st ed.). Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-7850-3. OCLC 6823219.
* Baughan, Peter E. (1991). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 11 North and Mid Wales (2nd ed.). Nairn: David St John Thomas. ISBN 0-9465-3759-3. OCLC 26361284.

## External links

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* Shrewsbury and Welshpool Railway @ railbrit.co.uk

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Historic Welsh railway companies

Great Western
Railway|

* Aberdare Railway
* Aberdare Valley Railway
* Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway
* Alexandra Docks and Railway
* Bala and Dolgelly Railway
* Bala and Festiniog Railway
* Barry Dock and Railway
* Barry Railway
* Blaenavon Tramroad
* Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway
* Brecon and Merthyr Railway
* Bridgend Railway
* Bristol and South Wales Union Railway
* Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway
* Cambrian Railways
* Cardiff Railway
* Cardiff and Ogmore Railway
* Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway
* Carmarthenshire Railway or Tramroad
* Clarbeston Road and Letterston Railway
* Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway
* Corris Railway
* Corwen and Bala Railway
* Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway
* Ely and Clydach Valleys Railway
* Ely Valley Railway
* Ely Valley Extension Railway
* Gwendraeth Valleys Railway
* Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway
* Kington Tramway
* Lampeter, Aberayron and New Quay Light Railway
* Llancaiach Branch
* Llanelly and Mynydd Mawr Railway
* Llanidloes and Newtown Railway
* Llangollen and Corwen Railway
* Llangurig branch
* Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway
* Llynvi and Ogmore Railway
* Maerdy Branch
* Manchester and Milford Railway
* Mawddwy Railway
* Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway
* Mid-Wales Railway
* Monmouth and Hereford Railway
* Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company
* Narberth Road and Maenclochog Railway
* Neath and Brecon Railway
* Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway
* Newtown and Machynlleth Railway
* North Pembrokeshire and Fishguard Railway
* North Wales Mineral Railway
* Oswestry, Ellesmere and Whitchurch Railway
* Oswestry and Newtown Railway
* Pembroke and Tenby Railway
* Pontypool, Caerleon and Newport Railway
* Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway
* Port Talbot Railway
* Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway
* Rhymney Railway
* Rumney Railway
* Ross and Monmouth Railway
* Shrewsbury and Chester Railway
* Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Chester Junction Railway
* South Wales Railway
* Taff Vale Railway
* Tanat Valley Light Railway
* Vale of Glamorgan Railway
* Vale of Llangollen Railway
* Vale of Neath Railway
* Vale of Rheidol Railway
* Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
* West Midland Railway
* Whitland and Cardigan Railway
* Wye Valley Railway
* Wrexham and Ellesmere Railway

London and North
Western Railway|

* Anglesey Central Railway
* Bangor and Carnarvon Railway
* Brynmawr and Blaenavon Railway
* Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway
* Carnarvonshire Railway
* Central Wales Railway
* Central Wales Extension Railway
* Chester and Holyhead Railway
* Chester and Connah's Quay Railway
* Conway and Llanrwst Railway
* Knighton Railway
* Llanelly Railway
* Red Wharf Bay branch line
* Sirhowy Railway
* Swansea and Carmarthen Railway
* Central Wales and Carmarthen Junction Railway
* Vale of Clwyd Railway

Joint lines|

* Brynmawr and Western Valleys Railway
* Nantybwch and Rhymney Railway
* Quakers Yard and Merthyr Railway
* Taff Bargoed Railway
* Buckley Railway
* North Wales and Liverpool Railway
* Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway
* Shrewsbury and Welshpool Railway
* Vale of Towy Railway
* Wrexham, Mold and Connah's Quay Railway
* Wrexham and Minera Railway

Independent lines|

* Corris, Machynlleth and River Dovey Tramroad
* Fairbourne Railway
* Ffestiniog Railway
* Festiniog and Blaenau Railway
* Glyn Valley Tramway
* Hay Railway
* Kinmel Camp Railway
* Mold and Denbigh Junction Railway
* North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways
* Portmadoc, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway
* Potteries, Shrewsbury and North Wales Railway
* Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway
* Pwllheli and Llanbedrog Tramway
* Ruthin and Cerrig-y-Drudion Railway
* Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway
* Snowdon Mountain Railway
* Swansea and Mumbles Railway
* Talyllyn Railway
* Van Railway
* Welsh Highland Railway

Industrial railways|

* Bailey's Tramroad
* Beaufort Ironworks Tramway
* Bryn Oer Tramway
* Buckley Tramroad
* Cedryn Quarry Tramway
* Cowlyd Tramway
* Crawshay's Private Railway
* Crickheath Tramway
* Croesor Tramway
* Deeside Tramway
* Dinorwic Railway
* Dowlais Railway
* Eigiau Tramway
* Elan Valley Railway
* Gorseddau Junction and Portmadoc Railway
* Gorseddau Tramway
* Hendre-Ddu Tramway
* Kerry Tramway
* Little Ormes Head Quarry tramway
* Merionethshire Railway
* Morda Tramway
* Nantlle Tramway
* Padarn Railway
* Penrhyn Quarry Railway
* Penydarren Tramway
* Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry tramways
* Rhiwbach Tramway
* Saundersfoot Railway
* Trefor Quarry railway
* Tremadoc Tramway

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