Spring opening planned for Cambrian’s new extension
CAMBRIAN Heritage Railways is aiming to formally open its extension to Weston Wharf by Easter, when it is hoped farepaying passengers can be carried. In the meantime, CHR has operated sample trips for a range of stakeholders along its 1¾-mile line from Oswestry.
On November 20, members of the Campaign for Real Ale’s Shrewsbury & West Shropshire branch gained a sneak preview of the extended line, which has recently benefited from the services of a tamper.
Parallel projects
CAMRA members presented an award to Stonehouse Brewery, a microbrewery located alongside the new station on the southern edge of the Welsh border market town of Oswestry. After suitable refreshments in the tap room, the group returned by rail to Oswestry station. A similar preview train for CHR members operated a week previously in connection with the group’s annual general meeting, again using Class 144 Pacer No. 144006.
CHR has also engaged with the Borderland Rotary Club to create a green corridor along the lineside, which is set to include bug hotels designed by local schoolchildren.
“There are two main projects that will run in parallel – the first is to open the heritage railway just before Easter next year and run trains,” said Rob Williams, CHR chairman.
“The second is to work towards the opening of a community rail scheme that will link Oswestry to Gobowen once more and provide a commuter service. This has been helped tremendously by the Government awarding us £50,000 to carry out a feasibility study of the plan.
“Of course, the heritage line has the great advantage of having a destination in the form of Stonehouse Brewery at Weston Wharf, and everyone smiles when I tell them!”
In mid-November, CHR hosted a visit from rail minister Chris HeatonHarris MP, who was in the area in connection with December 16’s parliamentary by-election in the North Shropshire constituency, of which Oswestry is the principal town.
Community trains by 2024?
Mr Heaton-Harris was impressed with the station at Oswestry, and said that if the Oswestry to Gobowen plan proved to be realistic, work could begin quickly on the community rail project, which is being considered as part of the Government’s Restoring Your Railway programme, as reported in the last issue. He said the realistic best-case scenario would be that trains would be running by 2024.
It is envisaged that the line would be opened in two phases, with services initially operating from Gobowen to the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, and later extending to Oswestry. Consultants are now carrying out market research and costings.
Located just short of the A483 level crossing on the southern edge of Oswestry, Weston Wharf was originally in use solely for freight. The goods shed has been restored and the former office at the Oswestry end of the building has been transformed into a period-styled waiting room.
When it opens to the public, light refreshments are set to be offered in a former LNER Mk.3 buffet car.
Other attractions at the new station include three 2ft gauge Ruston & Hornsby LBT diesels, which have been out of the public eye for many years and have a connection to the local area. They have been plinthed as a reminder of the narrow gauge lines that once fed into the Cambrian Railways network – including the tramway which connected Weston Wharf to Sweeney brick works in the 1890s.
Owned by a CHR volunteer, the trio comprises Works No. 496039 of 1963 Llanforda and Works No. 496038 of 1963 Barny. Both locomotives previously worked at Llanforda waterworks, Oswestry, a filtration plant on the pipeline from Lake Vyrnwy reservoir, Montgomeryshire to Liverpool. Prior to the closure of the rail system in 1986, the locomotives and skip wagons were used to move sand from the filter beds, which had to be cleared out periodically. A third Ruston LBT, Works No. 7002-0967-6 of 1967, is displayed separately in a lined green livery.