Potential Oswestry Branch Railway Restoration

[tumbles]

Why would it require CHR to stop operating when their northern limit is Oswestry station and one of their volunteers has already posted that CHR wouldn't object to sharing the station?

Sorry I mean my assumption would be that NR would only reopen the whole line.

 

[John Luxton]

Personally I think reinstating the level crossing is extremely unlikely.
However, most of the A5 is dual carriageway, but the section from Shrewsbury to Ruabon is not. Possibly if the road was ever upgraded (and hence junctions reworked) a bridge and flyover at the Gobowen roundabout is likely, and perhaps the embankment leading to that, extended to also allow for a bridge over the nearby railway line. Probably wishful thinking on my part, but investment in roads seems more likely than investment in railways.

I use that road quite a few times each year and seem to recall when originally built the route was going to be dual carriageway but was cut back due to cost which was certainly a false economy.

It would have certainly benefitted from grade separated junctions rather than the roundabouts which cause large tail backs morning and afternoon.

The compromise I recall was to make it wide single carriageway but with "coroner's corridor" central overtaking lane - but when the road was completed "coroner's corridors" fell out of favour with the name giving the clue why hence we have a wide single carriageway which seems to encourage quite aggressive and hair raising driving from some motorists I have observed.

Really the whole A5 past Oswestry is in serious need of an upgrade to cope with the traffic and if an upgrade was to occur then perhaps the necessary bridge for Gobowen to Oswestry branch could be provided?

 

[zwk500]

Sorry I mean my assumption would be that NR would only reopen the whole line.

To where? Oswestry is the largest town on the line and even then is 17.5k population so not exactly huge.

 

[Falcon1200]

CHR might not object but NR don't seem to be terribly keen to sharing stations with heritage organisations.

It surely suits the heritage railway, as much as it does NR, to have their own separate facilities, operationally and/or commercially, so that they can operate independently without being bound by the national network's rules and standards.

There are however several examples of stations shared, to varying degrees; Cholsey and Keighley, as mentioned, also Aviemore, Princes Risborough, Bodmin Parkway.

So there is no reason why a similar situation could not exist at Oswestry, however it will not happen for the reasons already illustrated.

 

[cats_five]

<snip>
It would have certainly benefitted from grade separated junctions rather than the roundabouts which cause large tail backs morning and afternoon. <snip>

Rather off-topic, but apparently the people of Dunkeld wanted a roundabout rather than a grade separated junction to be created when the A9 is duelled there.

 

[CambrianView]

Used concrete railway sleepers that had been stacked in a fenced area close to Gobowen Railway Station for about 4 years are being loaded on the back of a lorry this morning.

I had assumed that these sleepers were to be used to replace the rotten wooden ones that lie between Gobowen and the Park Hall Halt on the Oswestry branch line.

 

[mdewell]

Used concrete railway sleepers that had been stacked in a fenced area close to Gobowen Railway Station for about 4 years are being loaded on the back of a lorry this morning.

I had assumed that these sleepers were to be used to replace the rotten wooden ones that lie between Gobowen and the Park Hall Halt on the Oswestry branch line.

The sleepers were delivered to Oswestry station this morning and will be used to replace wooden sleepers on the section that is already reopened.

 

[Chester1]

CHR might not object but NR don't seem to be terribly keen to sharing stations with heritage organisations.

Where NR and heritage railways meet, the trains are normally operationally separated and usually have a separate ticket barrier, sometimes even separate buildings/entrances - Bishop Auckland, East Grinstead, Eridge, Grosmont, Keighley, Kidderminster, Paignton etc. Whitby is the only station where there's regular interaction between heritage and public service trains that I can think of, and that's a quite special case but even then still has it's own platform.

Oswestry Station is a large site and complete separation shouldn't be a problem.

The deal breaker is the cost of a branch line that serves a small town without being a significantly better rail head than Gobowen.

Okehampton works because the length of the branch and location of the primary road in the region make it an excellent rail head (especially when Okehampton Interchange opens).

A section of enthusiasts seem to think it demonstrates that any branch that served a small town should be reopened.

 

[CambrianView]

Just recently the decaying lights on the disused level crossing over the A5 near Oswestry have been completely removed. I’ve uploaded an image of the cleared island here.

Previously I’d expressed concern about the deteriorating condition of the lights on the central island of the crossing, but work has been done to remove all the lights leaving only the barriers and the warning siren in place.

My assumption is that National Highways have carried out this work, so I’ve sent them a message of thanks for making this stretch of the A5 safer. I’ve also asked them the cost of the removal.

Earlier today I received a reply to my inquiry from National Highways regarding the removal of the level crossing lights on the A5. They admit that they didn't do any removal work of the lights on the public highway and they are currently making inquiries as to who did. As such, they have no details as to how much it cost.

 

[6Gman]

Just a question for advocates of reopening Gobowen to Oswestry.

What would the service look like?

A shuttle between the two? Connecting (one hopes) with the existing service?

Or through trains to Wrexham? Chester?

 

[Matt P]

Just a question for advocates of reopening Gobowen to Oswestry.

What would the service look like?

A shuttle between the two? Connecting (one hopes) with the existing service?

Or through trains to Wrexham? Chester?

I think it is highly unlikely that Oswestry will ever be part of the national rail network again. The construction of the A5/Oswestry bypass with a level crossing as opposed to a bridge, coupled to the growth in road traffic since the road opened have made it all but impossible, at least without a blank cheque similar in size to the one the Kaiser gave Austro-Hungary in 1914.

However, if the money was there to eliminate the A5 level crossing, a direct service to Wrexham and Chester would align with current Welsh Government plans to introduce more frequent services from Gobowen northwards. So terminating in Oswestry rather than Gobowen would be a small and logical extension.

 

[Brightonboy]

Earlier today I received a reply to my inquiry from National Highways regarding the removal of the level crossing lights on the A5. They admit that they didn't do any removal work of the lights on the public highway and they are currently making inquiries as to who did. As such, they have no details as to how much it cost.

Ironically, I mentioned this to a friend who is a professional driver and travels this stretch of the A5 up to half a dozen times a day 3 - 4 days a week; they hadn't noticed the lights were missing and expressed dismay at the possible traffic issues that would arise should the crossing be brought back into use, "...the tailbacks for the roundabout are bad enough already...".

 

[mdewell]

Ironically, I mentioned this to a friend who is a professional driver and travels this stretch of the A5 up to half a dozen times a day 3 - 4 days a week; they hadn't noticed the lights were missing and expressed dismay at the possible traffic issues that would arise should the crossing be brought back into use, "...the tailbacks for the roundabout are bad enough already...".

Unless the government do yet another u-turn regarding reinstating the Oswestry-Gobowen line, I don't think your friend has anything to worry about in the short to medium term. As for long-term, who knows.

 

[CambrianView]

Unless the government do yet another u-turn regarding reinstating the Oswestry-Gobowen line, I don't think your friend has anything to worry about in the short to medium term. As for long-term, who knows.

Hi mdewell

You appear well informed. Do you know if the railway operator removed the decaying level crossing lights on the A5?

I'm guessing it was Shropshire Council, but I don't know. I certainly wasn't expecting all of the lights to be removed.

 

[mdewell]

Hi mdewell

You appear well informed. Do you know if the railway operator removed the decaying level crossing lights on the A5?

I'm guessing it was Shropshire Council, but I don't know. I certainly wasn't expecting all of the lights to be removed.

It certainly wasn't CHR. Since highways have already said it wasn't them, I can only assume the council.
It would make no longer term difference anyway as they would need replacing in the unlikely event it did ever get reinstated.

 

[Llanigraham]

Hi mdewell

You appear well informed. Do you know if the railway operator removed the decaying level crossing lights on the A5?

I'm guessing it was Shropshire Council, but I don't know. I certainly wasn't expecting all of the lights to be removed.

Does it really matter who removed the rusty old lights? I certainly hadn't noticed them gone until it was pointed out here.
As has been said if, and that is a huge IF, this line ever reopened they would have had to have been replaced anyway, since they were so old and decrepid.

 

[CambrianView]

Does it really matter who removed the rusty old lights? I certainly hadn't noticed them gone until it was pointed out here.
As has been said if, and that is a huge IF, this line ever reopened they would have had to have been replaced anyway, since they were so old and decrepid.

Yes, it matters:

The Transport & Works Act Order transferred responsibility for the entire line, including all assets from Network Rail to CHR who therefore need to maintain them not just for an operational railway, but for the traveling public where highways meet the railway, and that includes all bridges.

If Shropshire Council did remove that assets (without informing National Highways?) why weren't they carrying out regular maintenance checks in the first place.

Shropshire Council rate payers have now started paying an increase in their rates of 9%.

 

[John Luxton]

Ironically, I mentioned this to a friend who is a professional driver and travels this stretch of the A5 up to half a dozen times a day 3 - 4 days a week; they hadn't noticed the lights were missing and expressed dismay at the possible traffic issues that would arise should the crossing be brought back into use, "...the tailbacks for the roundabout are bad enough already...".

Isn't it about time the whole road was upgraded?

I drive that way a number of times each year and yes the roundabouts cause sizeable jams at certain times of day. The road as it stands just does not have the capacity.

If it was upgraded might that not then provide the opportunity to resolve the road / rail crossing?

 

[35B]

Isn't it about time the whole road was upgraded?

I drive that way a number of times each year and yes the roundabouts cause sizeable jams at certain times of day. The road as it stands just does not have the capacity.

If it was upgraded might that not then provide the opportunity to resolve the road / rail crossing?

Or put it out of reach for ever?

The landscape doesn't seem to suggest that dualling the road would obviously justify elevating the A5 just there.

 

[mdewell]

Or put it out of reach for ever?

The landscape doesn't seem to suggest that dualling the road would obviously justify elevating the A5 just there.

The immediate land alongside the A5 there is fairly flat, but the roundabout just 300 yards north is very busy and might justify a flyover. Whether that would also lead to an extended embankment to bridge the railway is another question, but I suggest not impossible (if you're already doing half the work anyway. . . ).

 

[Llanigraham]

Yes, it matters:

The Transport & Works Act Order transferred responsibility for the entire line, including all assets from Network Rail to CHR who therefore need to maintain them not just for an operational railway, but for the traveling public where highways meet the railway, and that includes all bridges.

If Shropshire Council did remove that assets (without informing National Highways?) why weren't they carrying out regular maintenance checks in the first place.

Shropshire Council rate payers have now started paying an increase in their rates of 9%.

I'm sorry, but you do seem to be clutching at straws if you think the removal of two obsolete and potentially dangerous out-of-use set of lights is important, and I really don't think that they have anything to do with a Council Tax increase. In fact I doubt if the majority of Council Tax payers in Shropshire know they even exist or care.

If the responsibility for these lights has been transferred to the Cambrian Heritage Railway as you alledge, have they been maintaining them? From all the comments here and from my past observations it would seem not. Is that because they had ignored them or that they could not afford to do so? Or could it also be that they have realised that they have no chance of getting either level crossing passed as usable and have given up on them?

 

[Cowley]

Yes. At this point we’re back to going around in circles and there really isn’t anything more to add that hasn’t been said.

I think that’ll do us.