Welsh Marches Line

Welsh Marches Line
Overview
Type	Heavy Rail
System	National Rail
Locale	West Midlands (region) Herefordshire Shropshire Cheshire Newport Monmouthshire North West England
Operation
Owner	Network Rail
Technical
Line length	84.38 miles (135.80 km)
No. of tracks	Double track throughout
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (Standard gauge)

Welsh Marches Line

Legend West Coast Main Line Crewe to Manchester Line North Wales Coast Line Crewe Crewe to Derby Line West Coast Main Line Gresty Newcastle Crossing Willaston Nantwich Nantwich and Market Drayton Railway Wrenbury Whitchurch and Tattenhall Railway Whitchurch Oswestry, Ellesmere and Whitchurch Railway Prees Wem Yorton Hadnall Shrewsbury to Chester Line Shrewsbury Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line Shrewsbury Abbey Coleham Severn Valley Railway Cambrian Line Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway Condover Cound Brook Dorrington Leebotwood All Stretton Halt Church Stretton Little Stretton Halt Marsh Brook Wenlock Edge Railway River Onny Wistanstow Halt Bishops Castle Railway Craven Arms Heart of Wales Line River Wye Onibury Bromfield Clee Hill Junction Ludlow Ludlow tunnel River Wye Tenbury and Bewdley Railway Woofferton Berrington and Eye Leominster and Kington Railway Leominster River Arrow Worcester, Bromyard and Leominster Railway Ford Bridge Dinmore Tunnel Dinmore Moreton-on-Lugg Cotswold Line Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway Hereford (Barrs Court) Hereford (Barton) River Wye Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway Tram Inn St Devereux Golden Valley Railway Pontrilas Present England/Wales border Pandy Llanvihangel (Mon) Abergavenny Junction Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway Abergavenny Penpergwm Nantyderry Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway Little Mill Junction Pontypool & New Inn Line to Crumlin Lower Pontnewydd Cwmbran Eastern Valley Branch Llantarnam Ponthir Caerleon South Wales Main Line Newport South Wales Main Line

The Welsh Marches Line (in Welsh: Llinell y Mers), known historically as the North and West Route, is the railway line running from Newport in south-east Wales to Shrewsbury in the West Midlands region of England by way of Abergavenny, Hereford and Craven Arms, and thence (by some definitions) to Crewe via Whitchurch. The line thus links South Wales to north-west England via the Welsh Marches region, bypassing Birmingham. Through services from South West Wales, Swansea and Cardiff to Manchester (hourly in each direction) and from Cardiff to Wrexham, Chester, the North Wales Coast and Anglesey (every two hours in each direction) constitute the bulk of passenger operations on the route.

History

Main articles: Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway and Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway

The line that exists today is the amalgamation of two lines, both with influence from the LNWR. The southern section from Newport to Hereford is formed from the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway, while the northern section from Hereford to Shrewsbury is formed from the joint GWR/LNWR Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway. From Shrewsbury north to Crewe, the line runs over the LNWR owned Crewe and Shrewsbury Railway.

When the two railways arrived in the important market town of Hereford, the LNWR had already built Hereford Barton. The S&HR and the GWR agreed to build the Hereford Barr Court, which was then also used by the Midland Railway's Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway. After Hereford Council put pressure on the LNWR, they closed Hereford Barton to passengers, using it as a joint goods depot.

Under the 1960s Beeching Axe, many of the supporting branch lines were closed and the Hereford Barton loop closed. The remaining Hereford station was renamed Hereford Station and, to this day, retains its Victorian Gothic architecture.

Route

The cities, towns and villages served by the routes are listed below from south to north:

• Newport
  • connections with the South Wales Main Line and line to Gloucester
• Cwmbran
• Pontypool and New Inn
• Abergavenny

• Hereford
  • connection with Cotswold Line to Worcester
• Leominster
• Ludlow
• Craven Arms
  • connection with the Heart of Wales Line to Llanelli
• Church Stretton
• Shrewsbury
  • connection with Cambrian Line to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli, and the line to Wolverhampton.
  • through services via the Shrewsbury to Chester Line to Wrexham for trains to London Euston and Liverpool via Bidston, Chester then to Holyhead or Manchester.
• Yorton
• Wem
• Prees
• Whitchurch
• Wrenbury
• Nantwich
• Crewe
  • connection with West Coast Main Line, and North Wales Coast Line to Holyhead
  • through services to Manchester

Services

Arriva Trains Wales operate all passenger services on the line. Typically, there is an hourly service from Manchester Piccadilly to Carmarthen or Milford Haven, calling at principal stations. A service every two hours from Holyhead to Cardiff also uses the Marches line from Shrewsbury southwards. Additionally, local stopping services operate between Crewe and Shrewsbury and services via the Heart of Wales Line use the Marches line between Shrewsbury and Craven Arms.

The line is very popular for railtours, both steam and diesel. During Autumn 2007, 6201 'Princess Elizabeth' visited the route on 2 returns and 1 single run from Bristol to Shrewsbury and Crewe. Also, a few railtours hauled by Class 37's and Class 47's travelled along the line during the same time of year.

Gallery

• 

  The Welsh Marches Line at Craven Arms in Shropshire.

• 

  Steam train approaching Harlescott Crossing near Shrewsbury.

• 

  A Class 158 DMU running northwards from Shrewsbury in the direction of Crewe.