Place Whitchurch, Shropshire Station code WTC DfT category F1 Number of platforms 2 | Grid reference SJ549414 Managed by Arriva Trains Wales 2011/12 108,120 | |
 | ||
Address Whitchurch SY13 1RL, United Kingdom Original company Crewe and Shrewsbury Railway Similar Wrenbury railway station, Wem railway station, Craven Arms railway st, Yorton railway station, Oswestry railway station | ||
Whitchurch (Shropshire) railway station serves the town of Whitchurch in Shropshire, England. The station is 18¾ miles (30 km) north of Shrewsbury on the Welsh Marches Line. The station is maintained and served by Arriva Trains Wales.
Contents
History
The station opened on 2 September 1858 by the LNWR-backed Crewe and Shrewsbury Railway. It was once the junction for the Cambrian Railways Oswestry, Ellesmere and Whitchurch Railway line to Oswestry and Welshpool, and the Whitchurch and Tattenhall Railway. The former was closed as a result of the Beeching Axe in January 1965, whilst the latter was closed to passengers by the British Transport Commission in September 1957 and completely in January 1963.
The site of the former junctions can still be seen from passing trains.
Operation
The station has two side platforms and a footbridge. There used to be a large signal box here (which was latterly switched out of use, although operational if required) but this was closed and demolished in 2012 whilst the one-time goods shed has been turned into a garage. The station is unstaffed with a canopy providing shelter that dates back to when there were four working platforms.
One whole side of platform 2 is fenced off from what would be platform 3 and the track has been removed from the track bed.
The last major work carried out on Whitchurch station was the replacement of the original railway bridge that had become damaged by an oversized lorry load.
Services
Monday to Saturdays, the station is served both by the local stopping service between Shrewsbury and Crewe (every two hours each way) and certain longer distance trains between Manchester Picadilly and Cardiff Central. The latter stops were introduced at the May 2011 timetable change and offer through journey opportunities to Swansea and West Wales. On Sundays, the service is somewhat infrequent and irregular (5 trains each way) but runs through to Manchester & Cardiff.