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[[Avanti West Coast]], [[Transport for Wales Rail|Transport for Wales]] and [[West Midlands Trains]] operate passenger trains on this line. Westbound, some trains go beyond Shrewsbury to {{rws|Chester}}, {{rws|Holyhead}}, {{rws|Pwllheli}}, {{rws|Aberystwyth}} and {{rws|Wrexham General}} while eastbound, all services continue beyond Wolverhampton to [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]] and/or [[Birmingham International railway station|Birmingham International]], with some trains continuing to [[Euston railway station|London Euston]].<ref>GB eNRT May 2019 Edition, Table 74 & 75</ref>
[[Avanti West Coast]], [[Transport for Wales Rail|Transport for Wales]] and [[West Midlands Trains]] operate passenger trains on this line. Westbound, some trains go beyond Shrewsbury to {{rws|Chester}}, {{rws|Holyhead}}, {{rws|Pwllheli}}, {{rws|Aberystwyth}} and {{rws|Wrexham General}} while eastbound, all services continue beyond Wolverhampton to [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]] and/or [[Birmingham International railway station|Birmingham International]], with some trains continuing to [[Euston railway station|London Euston]].<ref>GB eNRT May 2019 Edition, Table 74 & 75</ref>


West Midlands Trains operate two service per hour on the line; the first is the traditional one that serves all stations between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury, the second new service, instituted in the May 2019 timetable, only calls at Codsall, Shifnal, Telford and Wellington, which provides a faster service on the line than the all stations stopping service.<ref name="SS">{{cite news |last1=O'Brien |first1=Lisa |title=New timetable includes later rail services between Shropshire and West Midlands |url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/transport/2019/03/13/new-timetable-includes-earlier-and-later-rail-services-between-shropshire-and-west-midlands/ |access-date=24 July 2019 |work=The Shropshire Star |date=13 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title='Major' rail changes in timetable overhaul |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-48310162 |access-date=24 July 2019 |work=BBC News |date=19 May 2019}}</ref> The improved service was due to go live in the December 2018 timetable change, but the units could not be cascaded from other lines at that time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Near £1 billion investment to bring new trains, extra seats and more frequent services {{!}} West Midlands Rail|url=http://www.westmidlandsrail.com/news/near-£1-billion-investment-to-bring-new-trains,-extra-seats-and-more-frequent-services/|website=www.westmidlandsrail.com|access-date=24 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|editor1-last=Webb|editor1-first=Jonathan|title=Abellio awarded West Midlands franchise|magazine=Today's Railways|date=October 2017|issue=190|page=8|publisher=Platform 5|location=Sheffield|issn=1475-9713}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Plans to improve Shropshire trains derailed {{!}} Shropshire Star|url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/shrewsbury/2018/07/16/countys-extra-rail-services-put-on-ice/|website=www.shropshirestar.com|access-date=16 July 2018}}</ref>
[[West Midlands Trains]] operate one service per hour in each direction on the line; this service calls at all local stations to Wolverhampton before contuing to [[Birmingham New Street]].<ref name="SS">{{cite news |last1=O'Brien |first1=Lisa |title=New timetable includes later rail services between Shropshire and West Midlands |url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/transport/2019/03/13/new-timetable-includes-earlier-and-later-rail-services-between-shropshire-and-west-midlands/ |access-date=24 July 2019 |work=The Shropshire Star |date=13 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title='Major' rail changes in timetable overhaul |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-48310162 |access-date=24 July 2019 |work=BBC News |date=19 May 2019}}</ref> The improved service was due to go live in the December 2018 timetable change, but the units could not be cascaded from other lines at that time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Near £1 billion investment to bring new trains, extra seats and more frequent services {{!}} West Midlands Rail|url=http://www.westmidlandsrail.com/news/near-£1-billion-investment-to-bring-new-trains,-extra-seats-and-more-frequent-services/|website=www.westmidlandsrail.com|access-date=24 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|editor1-last=Webb|editor1-first=Jonathan|title=Abellio awarded West Midlands franchise|magazine=Today's Railways|date=October 2017|issue=190|page=8|publisher=Platform 5|location=Sheffield|issn=1475-9713}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Plans to improve Shropshire trains derailed {{!}} Shropshire Star|url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/shrewsbury/2018/07/16/countys-extra-rail-services-put-on-ice/|website=www.shropshirestar.com|access-date=16 July 2018}}</ref>


There was also two morning and return services a day to [[Walsall railway station|Walsall]]. These operated in the early morning from Monday to Friday only. They were operated as extensions of the Shrewsbury to Birmingham Line. This replaced the former Liverpool Lime Street service. However in December 2019, following problems with services and disruptions. The Walsall service was once again withdrawn. Replaced by a through [[Rugeley Trent Valley]] to Wolverhampton service.


Since December 2014, Virgin Trains (now Avanti West Coast) have run two daily services between [[Shrewsbury railway station|Shrewsbury]] and [[Euston railway station|London Euston]].<ref>BBC News, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29313965</ref>
Since December 2014, Virgin Trains (now [[Avanti West Coast]]) have run a daily return services between [[Shrewsbury railway station|Shrewsbury]] and [[Euston railway station|London Euston]].<ref>BBC News, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29313965</ref>


===Sundays===
===Sundays===

Revision as of 08:02, 24 December 2022

Wolverhampton–Shrewsbury line
Wellington station
Overview
OwnerNetwork Rail
Locale
Termini
Service
Rolling stock
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Route map

(Click to expand)

The Wolverhampton–Shrewsbury line is the railway line from Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury via Wellington; it was originally built by the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway. The line is double track throughout, with rarely used relief sidings at Cosford and four tracks through Wellington station.

Electrification from Stafford Road Junction to Oxley, is provided solely to enable electric stock to access Alstom's Oxley TRSMD, and is therefore constructed as a "trolley wire" suitable for low speeds only.[1]

Signalling was centred in the panel box at Madeley Junction until 2012,[2] but following the closure of the box there, the West Midlands Signalling Centre at Saltley has taken control of most of the route via its Oxley/Telford Workstation. Previously, Oxley signal box controlled the depot access and sidings until it closed on 27 November 2010 under the West Midlands Resignalling scheme. Towards Shrewsbury, Abbey Foregate signal box takes over for the last few miles beyond Wellington.

The line also had a service to Walsall which ran to Wellington via Wolverhampton, but this service was cutback to Wolverhampton, and then eventually withdrawn altogether.

History

Main article: Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway

The line was opened by the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway (S&BR) in 1849, which merged with the Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1854. In GWR days, until the 1960s it formed part of an important main line route from London Paddington to Birkenhead Woodside.[3]

Route

The towns and villages served by the route are listed below, East to West.

The map includes the former GWR Madeley Branch[4] which formed a connection from Madeley Junction to the Wellington to Craven Arms Railway at Lightmoor Junction.

Passenger services

Cosford loops with a measurement train waiting for a path

Monday-Saturday

Avanti West Coast, Transport for Wales and West Midlands Trains operate passenger trains on this line. Westbound, some trains go beyond Shrewsbury to Chester, Holyhead, Pwllheli, Aberystwyth and Wrexham General while eastbound, all services continue beyond Wolverhampton to Birmingham New Street and/or Birmingham International, with some trains continuing to London Euston.[5]

West Midlands Trains operate one service per hour in each direction on the line; this service calls at all local stations to Wolverhampton before contuing to Birmingham New Street.[6][7] The improved service was due to go live in the December 2018 timetable change, but the units could not be cascaded from other lines at that time.[8][9][10]


Since December 2014, Virgin Trains (now Avanti West Coast) have run a daily return services between Shrewsbury and London Euston.[11]

Sundays

As of the May 2019 timetable change, West Midlands Trains operates an hourly service on this line between Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street on Sundays. Transport for Wales operate an hourly service between Shrewsbury and Birmingham International with some services continuing to Chester. Previous to the 2019 timetable change, the line was previously run as a two-hourly shuttle service operated by Arriva Trains Wales (and later Transport for Wales) between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton only.[6] Avanti West Coast services only operate one of their direct trains in each direction on Sundays.

Freight

Telford Railfreight Depot

The Coalbrookdale line, which served Ironbridge Power Station to the south of Telford near Ironbridge, joined the Wolverhampton–Shrewsbury line at Madeley Junction, which is between Telford Central and Shifnal stations.[12] Coal trains ran by EWS up to 2012 and by Fastline up to 2010[13] used the route, supplying the power station. Between 2012 and 2015, the power station was converted to run on biomass which was supplied mostly via Liverpool Docks by GBRf trains until closure of the plant in November 2015.[14]

In 2008 the former Wellington to Stafford line was rebuilt as far as Donnington, for freight use. Telford International Railfreight Park is located at a 48 acres (0.19 km2) site just off the Hortonwood Roundabout near Donnington which opened in 2009. The reopened line is single track and runs for 2 miles 68 chains (4.6 km) from the junction with the Wolverhampton–Shrewsbury line at Wellington (0.25 miles (0.40 km) east of Wellington station). Currently the only rail business to and from the site is Ministry of Defence traffic[15] which runs down from Warrington so only uses a brief portion of the line between Shrewsbury and Wellington.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ Slater, J N, ed. (January 1972). "Trolley wire for sidings". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 118, no. 849. London: Transport Press. p. 42. ISSN 0033-8923.
  2. ^ "Madeley Junction" The Signal Box discussion forum; Retrieved 3 August 2017
  3. ^ Christiansen, Rex (1983). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain, Volume 7 The West Midlands. David St John Thomas David & Charles. ISBN 0-946537-00-3.
  4. ^ Ordnance Survey Map Shropshire XLIII.11, Revised: 1901, Published: 1902
  5. ^ GB eNRT May 2019 Edition, Table 74 & 75
  6. ^ a b O'Brien, Lisa (13 March 2019). "New timetable includes later rail services between Shropshire and West Midlands". The Shropshire Star. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  7. ^ "'Major' rail changes in timetable overhaul". BBC News. 19 May 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  8. ^ "Near £1 billion investment to bring new trains, extra seats and more frequent services | West Midlands Rail". www.westmidlandsrail.com. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  9. ^ Webb, Jonathan, ed. (October 2017). "Abellio awarded West Midlands franchise". Today's Railways. No. 190. Sheffield: Platform 5. p. 8. ISSN 1475-9713.
  10. ^ "Plans to improve Shropshire trains derailed | Shropshire Star". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  11. ^ BBC News, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29313965
  12. ^ Bridge, Mike (2013). Railway Track Diagrams – Midland and North West. Bradford-on-Avon: Trackmaps. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-9549866-7-4.
  13. ^ Buck, Martin (2010). Loco Review 2011. Swindon: Freightmaster Publishing. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-9558275-4-9.
  14. ^ Shannon, Paul (20 January 2016). "Feeding the nations power stations". Rail Magazine. No. 792. p. 49.
  15. ^ Shannon, Paul (December 2013). "On government business". Railways Illustrated. 11 (12): 84. ISSN 1479-2230.
  16. ^ Rawlinson, Mark (November 2015). "Freighmaster 80". Freightmaster (80): 75. OCLC 904391334.
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