Minsterley branch line

The Minsterley branch was a short railway line that ran from Cruckmeole Junction on the Cambrian Line just south of Shrewsbury to Minsterley in Shropshire. The six-and-a-half mile standard gauge line was the only section built of a plan to connect Shrewsbury with mid Wales. It was part of a joint venture between the Great Western Railway and London and North Western Railway companies.

Minsterley branch line
A rail tour at Minsterley station 11 September 1965
Overview
Owner	Great Western Railway London and North Western Railway
Locale	Shropshire
Termini	Cruckmeole Junction 52°40′40″N 2°50′28″W Minsterley railway station 52°38′27″N 2°55′27″W
Stations	3
History
Opened	1861
Closed	1967
Technical
Line length	6.5 mi (10.5 km)
Number of tracks	1
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

Minsterley Branch Line
1861-1967
Cambrian Line to Shrewsbury Hanwood Cruckmeole Junction Cambrian Line to Welshpool Plealey Road Pontesbury Snailbeach Dist Rlys Minsterley unbuilt section Chirbury Proposed line to Lydham Heath England Wales Cambrian Line to Welshpool Montgomery Cambrian Line to Newtown

History

Plans

The route, which was conceived in the late 1850s, was planned to connect Shrewsbury via Hanwood on the Cambrian Line, with Pontesbury, Minsterley, Montgomery and Newtown. Services would also be able to continue to the Welsh coast. At Pontesbury station, transfer sidings connected the narrow gauge Snailbeach District Railway, which ran to lead mines at Snailbeach.

Opening

On 14 February 1861, the first section of line was opened from Cruckmeole Junction, on the Cambrian Line, to Minsterley. However, with the northerly section of the Cambrian main line into Wales opening the following year (connecting Newtown via Welshpool to Shrewsbury), it became apparent there was little need to continue beyond Minsterley. The station became the terminus of the truncated line.

Decline and closure

Passenger services ceased to Minsterley in 1951, although Hanwood station on the Cambrian Line remained open to passengers until 1960 and to goods until 1964. The branch line continued to carry goods (mainly for the Minsterley Creamery) until 1967 when the line was closed. The track was lifted after closure.

Preservation

The remains of the bridge abutments which carried the Minsterley line from Cruckmeole Junction on the Cambrian Line

Much of the old trackbed has now been redeveloped though some rail infrastructure remains, such as bridge abutments. The Minsterley station site has been used as a meat processing factory. A large dairy-related factory also exists on either side of the old trackbed (just before the terminus) and the stationmaster's house has been converted to a private residence.

References

• Jenkins, Stanley C. (2015). The Great Western Railway Volume Five Shrewsbury to Pwllheli. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781445642994.