Takeover of historic Cambrian railway given green light
The regeneration of a railway line is moving forward after Shropshire Council bosses signed off the move.
Cambrian Heritage Railways has been given the green light to take over responsibility of the Grade II listed Oswestry Station Building.
Shropshire Council's cabinet agreed in principle to hand over the building to the community group - along with a one-off grant of £30,000.
Councillor Steve Charmley, portfolio holder for corporate and commercial support, said the transfer was "good news for the area of Oswestry", at the meeting yesterday.
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But it was closed when passenger services were withdrawn in 1966 under the Beeching cuts.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.
