Newport railway station (Shropshire)
Encyclopedia
Newport station was a railway station serving the Shropshire
market town of Newport
that was situated on the Stafford to Shrewsbury Line
(which ran between Shrewsbury
and Stafford
stations via Wellington
). It closed in 1967 and the line was lifted.
leased the line between Stafford and Wellington
from the Shropshire Union Canal and Railway Company until 1922 when it was absorbed by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
, with the line closing in 1967 as a result of the Beeching Axe
.
of Telford
and the cities of Wolverhampton
, Birmingham
and Stoke-on-Trent
, Newport is seen as a potential commuter town
, but the absence of a station is a loss to the town. However, ever since the reinstatement of the line as far as Telford International Freight Park at Donnington
, the reopening of Newport's station is seen "definitely be feasible", this would mean that freight that is currently routed through Wolverhampton to reach Scotland
and the north, could benefit from a line through Newport to the West Coast Main Line
at , thereby freeing up capacity from Telford to the West Midlands conurbation
.
The line is in the top 36 'Lines that should reopen' listing published by the Campaign for Better Transport.
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
market town of Newport
Newport, Shropshire
Newport is a market town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. It lies some north of Telford and some west of Stafford sitting on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border...
that was situated on the Stafford to Shrewsbury Line
Stafford to Shrewsbury Line
The Shrewsbury to Stafford line was a former railway line that ran between the two county towns of Shropshire and Staffordshire via the towns of Newport and Wellington from 1849 to 1966....
(which ran between Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury railway station
Shrewsbury railway station is the railway station serving Shrewsbury, county town of Shropshire, England. It is the only remaining railway station in the town; Shrewsbury Abbey, as well as other small stations around the town, having long closed. The station was built in 1848 and has been extended...
and Stafford
Stafford railway station
Stafford railway station is an important main line interchange station in the United Kingdom. It serves the county town of Stafford.The present station built in 1962 is a good example of the Brutalist style of architecture - the beauty of the building was perceived to be its very functionality and...
stations via Wellington
Wellington (Shropshire) railway station
Wellington railway station serves the town of Wellington, Shropshire, England. It is situated on the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton Line. Trains are operated by London Midland and Arriva Trains Wales.-History:...
). It closed in 1967 and the line was lifted.
History
The London and North Western RailwayLondon and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
leased the line between Stafford and Wellington
Wellington, Shropshire
Wellington is a town in the unitary authority of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England and now forms part of the new town of Telford. The population of the parish of Wellington was recorded as 20,430 in the 2001 census, making it the third largest town in Shropshire if...
from the Shropshire Union Canal and Railway Company until 1922 when it was absorbed by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
, with the line closing in 1967 as a result of the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
.
Restoration
Due to Newport's proximity to the new townNew towns in the United Kingdom
Below is a list of some of the new towns in the United Kingdom created under the various New Town Acts of the 20th century. Some earlier towns were developed as Garden Cities or overspill estates early in the twentieth century. The New Towns proper were planned to disperse population following the...
of Telford
Telford
Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham...
and the cities of Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
, Newport is seen as a potential commuter town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
, but the absence of a station is a loss to the town. However, ever since the reinstatement of the line as far as Telford International Freight Park at Donnington
Donnington, Telford
Donnington was not part of the new town of Telford but part of the already oudated Wellington Rural District which had built many council houses from the 1920s onwards. It is located in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England...
, the reopening of Newport's station is seen "definitely be feasible", this would mean that freight that is currently routed through Wolverhampton to reach Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and the north, could benefit from a line through Newport to the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
at , thereby freeing up capacity from Telford to the West Midlands conurbation
West Midlands conurbation
The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen in the English West Midlands....
.
The line is in the top 36 'Lines that should reopen' listing published by the Campaign for Better Transport.