Oswestry21

The following contributed by Andrew Tullo. Excellent news for Oswestry, in terms of town promotion, tourism and sustainable transport. And shows what can be achieved by a group of committed individuals working together.  

On last Friday’s cold November evening over 100 members of the Cambrian Railways Society and the Cambrian Railways Trust crowded into Oswestry’s Station building  for a meeting convened by Nigel Davies of the Cross Border Tourism Development Group.

They were there to hear Rob Williams (Society Chair) and Henry Thomas (Trust Chair) give persuasive accounts of why it was time that the two groups take the further step of merging into one organization called the Cambrian Heritage Railways Ltd.(CHR)

In separate and simultaneous EGMs both groups then voted overwhelmingly to take this advice.

The CHR  will be a larger but leaner  group which can pool resources, avoid duplication and apply for much larger grants than has previously been the case, which will certainly be  required to achieve the goal laid out in the 2009 Railway Project  Plan ie;

To reopen the entire 7 mile length of line between Gobowen through Oswestry to Llynclys with the branch line to Blodwell, and create a railway heritage attraction unique in the UK.

Collaboration has meanwhile been established with the Shropshire Wildlife Trust to strike a balance between clearing the track and making it safe, whilst maintaining it as a ‘green corridor’.

There has already been loads of activity on the line this summer. Volunteers have been hard at work to clear the track to establish just what needs to be done to get trains running again north of Llynclys.

Only a week ago Shropshire Council and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers joined Society and Trust members in a major litter pick in Oswestry Station area.

There is a growing belief that the Railway is going places and can once again achieve a real and lasting impact on the economy and viability of this Railway Town.

Asked what we are likely to see in 2010, Henry Thomas confirmed;

·      building a ‘halt’ at Penygarreg Lane just north of Pant, so that passengers can alight and walk the short distance to the nearby Montgomery Canal. This will make an historic link with other features of the area’s rich industrial past.

·      work on a shed down at Llynclys which has just begun to house rolling stock and allow important restoration work on wagons and carriages to continue throughout the year.

·      trains to run by Easter in the Oswestry Station area which is being tidied and will complement the developments planned for the Town Green.

Meanwhile, local people are encouraged to visit the Station Building for more information and to use Buffers the new café and restaurant.

Oswestry has reason to be chuff, chuff, chuffed at the prospects…

www.cambrianrailwaystrust.com and www.cambrianrailwayssociety.co.uk