| Several canal companies converted their canals into railways during the early l9th century, and others were purchased by railway companies and subsequently converted. However, the Shropshire Union Railway running from Stafford to Shrewsbury, was unusual in that it was one of the few public railways in Britain to have been built as such by an erstwhile canal company. Around one-third of the route mileage of the SUR was a joint line. Its partner, the Shrewsbury & Birmingham Railway never reached their destination of Birmingham, and was inevitably involved in the competitive struggle for railways around Wolverhampton. As the London & North Western Railway not only operated the SUR from its opening, but also oversaw its construction, it was perhaps inevitable that the forceful character of its General Manager, Captain Mark Huish, would be evident in its dealings with the S&BR, and with its successor, the GWR. These troublesome times eventually gave way to a more relaxed period in the railway's history, when it gave good service to its customers and constantly sought ways to improve its services. The area was rich in mineral resources, as well as manufacturing enterprise, and the railway played its part through both peacetime and wartime in promoting these activities. Its location meant that although it was never a congested traffic route, it was a very useful diversionary route during emergencies. In the 1960s, there was an air of inevitability of closure for the line from Stafford to Wellington. However, electrification work on the West Coast main line once more brought new life to the line, as it again played its valuable role as a diversionary route. But although this just delayed the inevitable, the line closed in very gradual stages, not completely between Stafford and Wellington until 1991. The future for the remaining section, the joint line from Wellington to Shrewsbury, appears assured, even if the intermediate stations have gone. Little trace remains of the one branch line, to Coalport, but its history is rooted in the industrial revolution, and is told here. Contents:
- Introduction
- Shropshire Union - The Origins
- Alternative Schemes
- Construction
- Early Days
- Prosperity and Decline of the Canals
- One Hundred Years of Operation
- Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Railway
- Description of the Line
- Locomotive Sheds
- Industrial Railways
- Closure and the Line Today
- The Coalport Branch
- Shropshire Union Tramways
- Directors of the SUR&CC on 3rd August, 1846
- Early Comparative SUR Locomotive Mileages
- Further Proposed Railways
- Locomotives allocated to Stafford, Wellington and Shrewsbury (Abbey Foregate) Sheds
- Locomotives belonging to Industrial Sites
- Working Timetable for Stafford to Shrewsbury, 30th September, 1954
- Working Timetable for the Coalport Branch, 30th September, 1954
- Chronological Table of Important Events
- Bibliography & Acknowledgements
- Index
Continent: Europe
Country: UK
Area: UK Shropshire |
