Welshpool Raven Square railway station

Infobox UK station
name = Welshpool Raven Square
code =


caption =
manager = Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
locale = Welshpool
borough = Powys
owner = Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
latitude =
longitude =
gridref =
start = 1981
platforms = 1
years =
events =

Welshpool Raven Square railway station located in Welshpool is the eastern terminus of the narrow gauge Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway.

History

The W&LLR was one of the few narrow gauge branch lines to be built under the provisions of the 1896 Light Railways Act, and opened for operations on 4 April 1903 to aid economic development in a remote area. Originally operated by the Cambrian Railways, it started from a simple set of sidings located alongside the standard gauge line at Welshpool railway station, and traversed the town by means of a twisting section of track which required continual use of the trains bell and whistle.

After nationalisation to the Great Western Railway in the 1923 grouping, on 9 February 1931 the line lost its passenger service, and became a freight-only line. It was temporarily re-opened to passengers between 6 and 11 August 1945 for the Eisteddfod. Freight traffic lingered on until 1956, by which time British Railways decided to close the line.

A group of volunteers and enthusiasts took the line over and started raising money to restore it. On 6 April 1963 the first section of the line was re-opened as a tourist railway. The line through Welshpool however could not be reopened, and so Raven Square was developed on the western edge of the town, opening on 18 July 1981.

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