Place Gobowen Station code GOB DfT category E Number of platforms 2 Original company Shrewsbury–Chester line | Grid reference SJ303333 Managed by Arriva Trains Wales 2011/12 0.205 million | |
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Address Gobowen, Oswestry SY11 3JS, United Kingdom Similar Wrexham General railway st, Chirk railway station, Shrewsbury railway station, Ruabon railway station, Chester railway station | ||
Gobowen railway station appeal
Gobowen railway station is a railway station on the Shrewsbury to Chester Line of the former Great Western Railway's London (Paddington) to Birkenhead via Birmingham (Snow Hill) line, serving the small town of Gobowen in Shropshire, England. It is the nearest station to the town of Oswestry.
Contents
Gobowen station is 17 3⁄4 miles (28.6 km) north west of Shrewsbury railway station.
History
The station building was designed by Thomas Mainwaring Penson, and is a Grade II listed building. The station was built between 1846 and 1848 by the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway in a notable Florentine (or Italianate) style with white stucco facing and a small turret. The awnings and the footbridge were added later by the Great Western Railway (the footbridge was demolished in 1987). Although a very small village, Gobowen was the junction station for the much larger regional town of Oswestry some three miles away. When rail services to Oswestry ceased in November 1966, Gobowen was retained as the railhead for the surrounding area. There is a scheme in progress to open this branch as a heritage railway. Until 1967 Gobowen was served by the GWR, latterly BR Western Region, express services between London Paddington and Birkenhead Woodside.
Severn-Dee Travel was established in 1995 and managed by the late David Lloyd, who was also a keen campaigner for the restoration of a direct rail link between the area and London. Following his death, the Wrexham & Shropshire locomotive 67015 was named in his honour, and a replica nameplate from the locomotive can be seen in the booking office.
Future
Gobowen station may become the northern terminus of the proposed Cambrian Heritage Railways line to Llynclys, Pant and Blodwel via Oswestry. Shropshire Council was to acquire the coal yard at Gobowen for railway-related uses, including car parking for the station. If the plans are fully realised, the station would have three platforms, one of which would be for the Heritage Railway.
Facilities
The main building, which was renovated in 2005, is used as small business space. The booking office is now located in the waiting room on the southbound platform. Unusually, it is not operated directly by the train operating company but by an independent travel agent, Severn-Dee Travel.
The station has two platforms:
Services
As of May 2016, train services run on two routes;
These combine to give a basic hourly frequency between Shrewsbury & Chester (Mon - Sat). Two early morning northbound trains terminate short at Wrexham General on weekdays (one of which connects with the Virgin Trains West Coast service to London Euston), whilst one morning & one evening train start from there. Others at the start & end of day run between Chester & Shrewsbury only, though there is also one late evening weekday through train to Manchester Piccadilly. On Sundays, there is a two-hourly service (with occasional extras) each way, mostly running between Chester & Birmingham International (though there are three trains to Holyhead and two to Cardiff).