Regeneration of historic track steams ahead as attention turns to Oswestry station
The regeneration of the Oswestry railway line is steaming ahead with its latest phase.
Cambrian Heritage Railways (CHR) is looking to take over responsibility of the Grade II listed Oswestry Station Building from Shropshire Council.
A proposal will go before Cabinet members next Wednesday.
Councillor Steve Charmley, portfolio holder for Corporate and Commercial Support, who will present the report, said: “The railway group want to take it on and have begun the community asset transfer process.
“If they want to take it on then it is something Shropshire wants to get off its asset list and so will be a positive for everyone.”
The building on Oswald Road opened in 1860 and sat on the route between Mid Wales and Gobowen boasting six platforms.
But it was closed when passenger services were withdrawn in 1966 under the Beeching cuts.
The station was privately-owned for many years before it was taken on by the former Oswestry Borough Council in 2005 and subsequently transferred to Shropshire Council.
Over the last decade the CHR has undertaken work to renovate the building, with it now housing an exhibition area, pharmacy and office space.
Volunteers have also repaired the platform attached to the building, as well as clearing vegetation so the track could be reopened to short visitor rides which began in 2014.
The asset transfer is the latest in a series of phases, including most recently a £120,000 grant from Oswestry Town Council to extend its Oswestry passenger running line from Gasworks Bridge to Weston Wharf.
The group hopes to eventually link with the short section of line at Llyncys.
By Emily Lloyd, Local Democracy Reporter
