Wellington and Drayton Railway
Encyclopedia
The Wellington and Drayton Railway was a standard gauge
line in Central England which carried through freight and local passenger traffic until closure in the 1960s. It was part of the Great Western Railway
's double track Wellington-Crewe line, linking the Midlands to the north and northwest.
to Market Drayton
, together with extensions northwards towards Manchester, to join the LNWR near Minshull Vernon
, the Cheshire Midland Railway
near Knutsford
, the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway and the Bolton Railway at Salford, to provide the Great Western Railway
with access to Manchester
. Additionally there were plans for a branch from Market Drayton
to Newcastle-under-Lyme
, but these were abandoned due to opposition form the LNWR and North Staffordshire Railway
.
Circumstances changed rapidly, and alliance with the Nantwich and Market Drayton Railway together with running powers from Nantwich
to Crewe
and onwards to Manchester through amalgamation of the Great Western Railway
with the West Midland Railway meant that the northern extensions were no longer needed by the GWR
for access to Manchester
.
The line ran from Drayton Junction on the Shrewsbury and Wellington Joint Line just west of Wellington station
, to an end-on junction with the Nantwich and Market Drayton Railway at Market Drayton a distance of some 16 miles. Construction started in 1864, and the line was opened in 1867. The Consulting Engineer was John Fowler
.
After the first meeting at Malvern, all subsequent Directors' Meetings were held at Paddington station
, with Directors supplied by the GWR
, and an Act of 14 July 1864 authorised the transfer of the Wellington and Drayton Railway to the GWR
on completion of the line. However, this transfer was not formally sealed until 30 August 1877.
The passenger service was withdrawn in 1963. Freight service continued until 1967, the line providing a relief route during the electrification of the London-Crewe line. The lifting of the track was completed during 1970.
and Bournemouth
used the line.
Freight traffic was much more significant. Typically there were about twenty trains a day in each direction, of which two would be local goods, and the remainder would be through traffic, either non-stop over the line or stopping only at Market Drayton. Principally these carried manufactured goods from the midlands to the northwest, also fruit from the Worcester
area. There was little coal and mineral traffic.
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
line in Central England which carried through freight and local passenger traffic until closure in the 1960s. It was part of the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
's double track Wellington-Crewe line, linking the Midlands to the north and northwest.
History
The Wellington and Drayton Railway was incorporated on 7 August 1862, and in November of that year deposited plans for a line connecting WellingtonWellington, 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...
to Market Drayton
Market Drayton
Market Drayton is a small market town in north Shropshire, England. It is on the River Tern, between Shrewsbury and Stoke-on-Trent, and was formerly known as "Drayton in Hales" and earlier simply as "Drayton" ....
, together with extensions northwards towards Manchester, to join the LNWR near Minshull Vernon
Minshull Vernon
Minshull Vernon is a hamlet and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The hamlet lies to the north west of Crewe, south east of Winsford and south west of Middlewich. The parish also includes the small settlements of Bradfield Green,...
, the Cheshire Midland Railway
Cheshire Midland Railway
An act was passed on 14 June 1860 to build a railway from Altrincham on the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway to Northwich. The line would be 12 miles 65 chains in length...
near Knutsford
Knutsford
Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...
, the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway and the Bolton Railway at Salford, to provide the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
with access to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Additionally there were plans for a branch from Market Drayton
Market Drayton
Market Drayton is a small market town in north Shropshire, England. It is on the River Tern, between Shrewsbury and Stoke-on-Trent, and was formerly known as "Drayton in Hales" and earlier simply as "Drayton" ....
to Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town in Staffordshire, England, and is the principal town of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is part of The Potteries Urban Area and North Staffordshire. In the 2001 census the town had a population of 73,944...
, but these were abandoned due to opposition form the LNWR and North Staffordshire Railway
North Staffordshire Railway
The North Staffordshire Railway was a British railway company formed in 1845 to promote a number of lines in the Staffordshire Potteries and surrounding areas in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire....
.
Circumstances changed rapidly, and alliance with the Nantwich and Market Drayton Railway together with running powers from Nantwich
Nantwich railway station
Nantwich railway station, which was opened on 2 September 1858, serves the town of Nantwich in Cheshire, and is on the Crewe to Shrewsbury line...
to Crewe
Crewe railway station
Crewe railway station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. Built in fields near to Crewe Hall, it originally served the village of Crewe with a population of just 70 residents...
and onwards to Manchester through amalgamation of the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
with the West Midland Railway meant that the northern extensions were no longer needed by the GWR
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
for access to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
The line ran from Drayton Junction on the Shrewsbury and Wellington Joint Line just west of Wellington station
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:...
, to an end-on junction with the Nantwich and Market Drayton Railway at Market Drayton a distance of some 16 miles. Construction started in 1864, and the line was opened in 1867. The Consulting Engineer was John Fowler
John Fowler
John Fowler was a Jeffersonian Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Kentucky in the United States Congress....
.
After the first meeting at Malvern, all subsequent Directors' Meetings were held at Paddington station
Paddington station
Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
, with Directors supplied by the GWR
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
, and an Act of 14 July 1864 authorised the transfer of the Wellington and Drayton Railway to the GWR
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
on completion of the line. However, this transfer was not formally sealed until 30 August 1877.
The passenger service was withdrawn in 1963. Freight service continued until 1967, the line providing a relief route during the electrification of the London-Crewe line. The lifting of the track was completed during 1970.
Traffic
Passenger traffic was modest, typically about six local stopping trains a day in each direction. Most ran between Crewe and Wellington, some continued to/from Manchester to the north and Worcester or Wolverhampton (for Paddington) to the south, or included through coaches for the extended routes. Following the establishment of several RAF airfields in the area during World War II, the railway gained a new purpose, transporting personnel from the Wellington mainline station to the rural camps. During the line's latter years excursion trains were seen, and during its final year the "Pines Express" between ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
used the line.
Freight traffic was much more significant. Typically there were about twenty trains a day in each direction, of which two would be local goods, and the remainder would be through traffic, either non-stop over the line or stopping only at Market Drayton. Principally these carried manufactured goods from the midlands to the northwest, also fruit from the Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
area. There was little coal and mineral traffic.