Welsh Marches Line

The Welsh Marches Line (in Welsh: Llinell y Mers), known historically as the North and West Route, is the railway line running from Newport in south-east Wales to Shrewsbury in the West Midlands region of England by way of Abergavenny, Hereford and Craven Arms and thence (by some definitions) to Crewe via Whitchurch. The line thus links South Wales to north-west England via the Welsh Marches region, bypassing Birmingham. Through services from South West Wales, Swansea and Cardiff to Manchester (hourly in each direction) and from Cardiff to Wrexham, Chester, the North Wales Coast and Anglesey (every two hours in each direction) constitute the bulk of passenger operations on the route.

Welsh Marches Line
Legend
West Coast Main Line Crewe to Manchester Line North Wales Coast Line Crewe Crewe to Derby Line West Coast Main Line Gresty Willaston Newcastle Crossing Nantwich Nantwich and Market Drayton Railway Wrenbury Whitchurch and Tattenhall Railway Whitchurch Oswestry, Ellesmere and Whitchurch Railway Prees Wem Yorton Hadnall Shrewsbury to Chester Line Shrewsbury Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line Shrewsbury Abbey Coleham Severn Valley Railway Cambrian Line Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway Condover Cound Brook Dorrington Leebotwood All Stretton Halt Church Stretton Little Stretton Halt Marsh Brook Wenlock Edge Railway Wistanstow Halt River Onny Bishops Castle Railway Craven Arms Heart of Wales Line River Onny Onibury Bromfield River Corve Clee Hill Junction Ludlow Ludlow Tunnel River Teme Ashford Bowdler Tenbury and Bewdley Railway Woofferton Berrington and Eye Leominster and Kington Railway Leominster River Arrow Worcester, Bromyard and Leominster Railway Ford Bridge Dinmore Tunnel Dinmore Moreton-on-Lugg Cotswold Line Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway Hereford Hereford Barton River Wye ROF Rotherwas Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway Tram Inn St Devereux Golden Valley Railway Pontrilas England Wales Pandy Llanvihangel Abergavenny Junction Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway Abergavenny Penpergwm Nantyderry Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway Little Mill Junction Pontypool and New Inn line to Crumlin Panteg Lower Pontnewydd Cwmbran Eastern Valley Branch Llantarnam Ponthir Caerleon River Usk South Wales Main Line & Gloucester to Newport Line River Usk Newport South Wales Main Line

History

The line that exists today is the amalgamation of two lines, both with influence from the LNWR. The southern section from Newport to Hereford is formed from the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway, while the northern section from Hereford to Shrewsbury is formed from the joint GWR/LNWR Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway. From Shrewsbury north to Crewe, the line runs over the LNWR-owned Crewe and Shrewsbury Railway.

When the two railways arrived in the important market town of Hereford, the LNWR had already built Hereford Barton. The S&HR and the GWR agreed to build the Hereford Barrs Court, which was then also used by the Midland Railway's Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway. After Hereford Council put pressure on the LNWR, they closed Hereford Barton to passengers, using it as a joint goods depot.

Under the 1960s Beeching Axe, many of the supporting branch lines were closed and the Hereford Barton loop closed. The remaining Hereford station was renamed Hereford Station and, to this day, retains its Victorian Gothic architecture.

Route

The cities, towns and villages served by the routes are listed below from south to north:

• Newport
  • connections with the South Wales Main Line and line to Gloucester
• Cwmbran
• Pontypool and New Inn
• Abergavenny
• Hereford
  • connection with Cotswold Line to Worcester
• Leominster
• Ludlow
• Craven Arms
  • connection with the Heart of Wales Line to Llanelli
• Church Stretton
• Shrewsbury
  • connection with Cambrian Line to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli, and the line to Wolverhampton.
  • through services via the Shrewsbury to Chester Line to Wrexham for trains to London Euston and Liverpool via Bidston, Chester then to Holyhead or Manchester.
• Yorton
• Wem
• Prees
• Whitchurch
• Wrenbury
• Nantwich
• Crewe
  • connection with West Coast Main Line, and North Wales Coast Line to Holyhead (for ferries to Dublin)
  • through services to Manchester

Services

Arriva Trains Wales operate all passenger services on the line. Typically, there is an hourly service from Manchester Piccadilly to Cardiff Central, Carmarthen, Milford Haven, calling at principal stations. A service every two hours from Holyhead to Cardiff also uses the Marches line from Shrewsbury southwards. Additionally, local stopping services operate between Crewe and Shrewsbury and services via the Heart of Wales Line use the Marches line between Shrewsbury and Craven Arms.

The line is very popular for railtours, both steam and diesel. During Autumn 2007, 6201 'Princess Elizabeth' visited the route on two returns and one single run from Bristol to Shrewsbury and Crewe. Also, a few railtours hauled by Class 37s and Class 47s travelled along the line during the same time of year.

See also

• Map of places on 'Welsh Marches Line' compiled from this article

Further reading

• Clark, Rhodri (8–21 October 1997). "The North & West - The jewel in South Wales and West's crown". RAIL. No. 315. EMAP Apex Publications. pp. 40–45. ISSN 0953-4563. OCLC 49953699. 
• Allen, David (22 April – 5 May 1998). "Signalling the Marches Line". RAIL. No. 329. EMAP Apex Publications. pp. 34–39. ISSN 0953-4563. OCLC 49953699. 

Gallery

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Welsh Marches Line.

• 
  The Welsh Marches Line at Craven Arms in Shropshire
• 
  Steam train approaching Harlescott Crossing near Shrewsbury
• 
  A Class 158 DMU running northwards from Shrewsbury in the direction of Crewe
• 
  Pontrilas railway station currently closed in the very long section without an intermediate station between Abergavenny and Hereford.

Railway lines in the West Midlands
Main lines	West Coast Main Line Cross Country Route Chiltern Main Line
Inter-regional	Birmingham to Peterborough Line Crewe to Derby Line Cotswold Line Shrewsbury to Chester Line Stafford to Manchester Line Welsh Marches Line
Local	Birmingham to Worcester via Bromsgrove Line Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster Line Chase Line Coventry to Leamington Line Coventry to Nuneaton Line Cross-City Line Leamington to Stratford Line North Warwickshire Line Northampton Loop Line Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford Line Stone to Colwich Line Stourbridge Town Branch Line Trent Valley Line Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line
Freight only	Camp Hill Line South Staffordshire Line Sutton Park Line Walsall to Wolverhampton Line
Heritage	Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Severn Valley Railway Telford Steam Railway

Railway lines in the North West
Primary to London	West Coast Main Line
Other	Inter-regional Buxton Line Calder Valley Line Chester to Manchester Line Crewe-Derby Line Glossop Line Hope Valley Line Huddersfield Line Leeds to Morecambe Line Mid-Cheshire Line Morecambe Branch Line Ribble Valley Line Stafford-Manchester Line Tyne Valley Line Intra-regional Blackpool Branch Lines Borderlands Line Crewe-Manchester Line Cumbrian Coast Line East Lancashire Line Ellesmere Port to Warrington Line Furness Line Kirkby Branch Line Liverpool to Manchester Lines Liverpool to Wigan Line Manchester to Preston Line Manchester to Southport Line Northern Line (Merseyrail) Ormskirk Branch Line Settle–Carlisle Line Stockport to Stalybridge Line Styal Line Windermere Branch Line Wirral Line
Heritage	East Lancashire Railway Eden Valley Railway Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway Ribble Steam Railway

Transport in Newport
Road	M4 motorway European route E30 A48(M) motorway New M4 A48 road A449 road A468 road A4042 road
Bus	Newport bus station Newport Transport National Express Stagecoach in South Wales Cardiff Bus
Railway lines	South Wales Main Line Welsh Marches Line Gloucester to Newport Line Ebbw Valley Line
Railway stations	Newport Pye Corner Rogerstone Proposed: Caerleon Llanwern Newport West Newport West Central
Cycle	NCR 4 NCR 46 NCR 47
Walk	Wales Coast Path Usk Valley Walk Cistercian Way
Waterways	River Usk Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal Fourteen Locks
Sea	Newport Docks
Transporter bridge	Newport Transporter Bridge

Transport in Monmouthshire
Road	M4 motorway European route E30 M48 motorway A40 road A449 road A465 road A472 road A4042 road A4136 road
Bus	Stagecoach in South Wales Stagecoach West Newport Transport
National Cycle Network	Celtic Trail National Cycle Route 4 National Cycle Route 47 National Cycle Route 42
Railway lines	South Wales Main Line Gloucester to Newport Line Welsh Marches Line
Railway stations	Abergavenny Caldicot Chepstow Severn Tunnel Junction
Waterways	Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal River Wye

Transport in Torfaen
Road
Bus	Stagecoach in South Wales Newport Transport
Railway lines	Welsh Marches Line
Railway stations	Cwmbran Pontypool and New Inn
Heritage Railways	Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway
Cycle	Celtic Trail NCR 49 NCR 423 NCR 466 NCR 492
Walk	Cambrian Way Celtic Way Cistercian Way
Waterways	Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal Pontymoile Basin

Coordinates: 52°5′14″N 2°41′23″W / 52.08722°N 2.68972°W / 52.08722; -2.68972