Could Stoke-Newcastle-Market Drayton line be reopened?

[Philip]

Are there any plans to reopen this route currently? It seems odd that it closed in the first place and more so that it hasn't reopened so far, since it connects three big centres of population in this area. Also I think at least part of the route still has the track in situ, around Keele. Are there any major obstacles preventing the reopening of this route?

 

[thenorthern]

There aren't any plans to reopen it as far as I know, there aren't many obstacles in the way of it re-opening.

The three Stoke-on-Trent constituencies and the Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency are now marginal rather than solid Labour so in the future I think railways in the potteries could be improved soon to try and gain voters.

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

Are there any plans to reopen this route currently? It seems odd that it closed in the first place and more so that it hasn't reopened so far, since it connects three big centres of population in this area. Also I think at least part of the route still has the track in situ, around Keele. Are there any major obstacles preventing the reopening of this route?

I have read an article about a line to Market Drayton Reopening

Here it is:

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news...-to-re-open-market-draytons-old-railway-line/

Owen Meredith wants a feasibility study to be carried out into re-opening the Market Drayton branch line, or similar route, to connect Newcastle-under-Lyme.

It is believed the line served the Shropshire town between 1863 and 1963.

It was at the junction where three railway lines met – two of them, forming the Great Western Railway route between Wellington and Crewe, were met by a line from Stoke-on-Trent on the North Staffordshire Railway.

Newcastle is one of the largest towns in the UK without a railway station.

"Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is also keen on the idea of a feasibility study.

"Being realistic I would not expect anything to be put in place until the end of the decade, start of the next one, but there is a real opportunity here."

Map of former Market Drayton line

Previous attempts have been made to re-open Market Drayton's disused railway line.

The Market Drayton Railway Preservation Society asked town councillors to support their plans to re-open the line which would have run from the old station in the town to Audlem.

They wanted to re-open the line as a steam railway to run to Sych Farm near the A53.

But at the time councillors were worried what effect a level crossing may have on the busy A53.

The society believed that by opening up the line, it would bring tourists and business to the area.

 

[A0]

Highly unlikely - the formation has disappeared between Newcastle U-L and Stoke on Trent. Add in Newcastle's only 2-3 miles from Stoke station - so it's not like it is completely cut off.

And Market Drayton isn't a big enough place to justify a reinstatement in its own right.

 

[The_Train]

I think the problem with this thus far is that all of the noise about this has tended to come from the Shropshire end with little talk of this occurring from the Stoke end. As has been said above, this will only become a thing if the local MPs and councillors feel it is a necessary bargaining tool to win votes. That said I'm not sure there has been much call from residents of Staffordshire for this line to be reopened (maybe someone local to Stoke can clarify this) and the local councils around Stoke are very slow with anything to do with regeneration (I believe work has finally started on the land where the Victoria Ground once stood.........21 years after it was knocked down) so if this ever did become a thing, it would not happen quickly.

As I've said on other threads regarding this area, considering the makeup of Stoke on Trent as a city and it's surrounding areas, it's a shame there isn't lots of old railway land that could easily be converted back into a light railway system that runs around the various towns and into the city centre (and maybe even with extensions off to places like Market Drayton and Eccleshall). As this would be quite a circular route in the main, it could be branded the 'Potteries Loop Line'.......not sure where I plucked that name from but it's got a ring to it

 

[Philip]

I know there are a couple of tunnels on the line, are these still in good nick?

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

I know there are a couple of tunnels on the line, are these still in good nick?

Where are the tunnels located by any chance?

 

[The Planner]

Silverdale, the only reason NR haven't closed the line completely is that there is freight interest over gravel that hasn't been extracted at the Madeley end. HS2 also comes over at Madeley if Phase 2A happens. Over than that it is a dead duck.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Anything can be achieved with enough money!

Without doing any additional research the following issues arise:
Trackbed Stoke - Newcastle: route obliterated, tunnel filled in.
Trackbed Newcastle - Silverdale: converted to a walkway so generally intact.
Silverdale - WCML overbridge: generally intact, track lifted?
WCML overbridge - Madeley reversing siding: track in situ if a little swampy.
Chord linking line to WCML: in-situ, I understand still signalled and available.
Madeley to Market Drayton: mainly a rural route with cuttings filled in, embankments removed, under and overbridges removed.

There would be no point in terminating at Market Drayton. The town is too small and is served by a single hourly bus route with no evening or Sunday service. Suggesting little demand for public transport.

Beyond Market Drayton things can only get better. The Hodnet Bypass seems to be in the way!

Now, I'm going to expand that into 250 pages of A4 with some old photos of steam trains, some modern pictures of grassy formations together with a full-colour glossy cover. Where do I collect my £75,000 consultancy fee?

 

[vlad]

Beyond Market Drayton things can only get better. The Hodnet Bypass seems to be in the way!

The Hodnet bypass is one of the easy bits to sort out. The road wasn't built on the railway alignment so all it'd need it a bridge - the bypass is in cutting at the point the line would cross. The Market Drayton bypass, on the other hand....

As you've said, the really difficult bit is from Stoke to Newcastle. The line is still in situ for the china clay sidings but then you'd have to cross the A500 (using a level crossing if you still want to use the siding), knock down part of a new housing estate, reopen two sealed tunnels and excavate a cutting that's been filled in and turned into a car park. I can't really see it happening.

 

[SoccerHQ]

Did this line run all the way to Shrewsbury? Went to Keele University a decade ago to study and a station somewhere in the vicinity would've been very welcome seeing as Staffs is very easy to get to from Stoke station.

When I was there I don't recall ever reading about any plans for re-opening so think this will remain a pipe dream although it would be very cool to get from Stoke to Shrewsbury in an hour rather than having to change at Wolverhampton.

 

[Bevan Price]

Did this line run all the way to Shrewsbury? Went to Keele University a decade ago to study and a station somewhere in the vicinity would've been very welcome seeing as Staffs is very easy to get to from Stoke station.

.

No - at Market Drayton, it met the (GWR) line from Nantwich to Wellington, passing through a few villages.

 

[bionic]

Chord linking line to WCML: in-situ, I understand still signalled and available.

Not any more. Connection has been lifted.

 

[6Gman]

Are there any plans to reopen this route currently?
It seems odd that it closed in the first place
and more so that it hasn't reopened so far,
since it connects three big centres of population in this area.
Also I think at least part of the route still has the track in situ, around Keele.
Are there any major obstacles preventing the reopening of this route?

1. No.
2. It lost money, significantly.
3. Once closed, lines are difficult to reopen.
4. Market Drayton is scarcely a "big centre of population".
5. Bit of track left, but doubt it's anything like fit for use.
6. Several.