Shrewsbury in Steam Days, by Michael Griggs
Booklet, c.13cm by 21cm, 20 pages, published privately by the author. (S8311NOTWSO)
From the opening page: The history started in the year 1846 when the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway was formed and commenced construction of a line from Shrewsbury to Hereford vis Craven Arms.
On the same day as the S & HR was formed,three smaller companies which together owned lines from Newport to Hereford were amalgamated to form the Newport and Hereford Railway. The first railway to reach Shrewsbury was the Shrewsbury and Chester on October 16th 1848. This railway was an extension of the North Wales Mineral Railway which had opened in 1846 to carry coal from the mines around Wrexham to the Dee atSaltney and on into Chester over the Chester and Holyhead Railway.
On June 1st 1849 the Shropshire Union's railway from Stafford via Wellington to Shrewsbury was opened,the Wellington to Shrewsbury section had been constructed jointly with the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway. The S & BR formed in 1846, was to have running powers over' the Stour Valley Railway from Birmingham to Wolverhampton, then operate over their own line to Wellington and finally over a joint line to Shrewsbury. Having completed their own line from Wolverhampton to Wellengton, 'the S & BR commenced services on 12th November 1849.
Meanwhile the L.N.W.R.,which had absorbed the stour Valley Railway and the Shropshire Union's railway from Stafford to Shrewsbury,had a monopoly of traffic between the Birmingham area and Shrewsbury via the Grand Junction Railway. The L.N.W.R. delayed the opening of the Stour Valley Railway' thus robbing the S & BR of valuable traffic from Birmingham area.
In 1852 the G.Vi.R.,which had constructed a line from London to Birmingham and built it's station at Snowhill, took over the S & BR and the S & CR to provide a northern outlet for their line. The connecting line from Snowhill to Wolverhampton was opened in 1854. This take-over was opposed by the L.N.W.R. who themselves has wanted to take-over the line,but the L.N.W.R. managed to pursuade the G.W.R. not to construct the broad gauge north of Wolverhampton.
Two years before the take-over the 5 & HR was opened in 1852, the line 51 miles long had taken 6 years to build. In August 1853 the Severn Valley Railway was incorporated, this was for a line from Hartlebury station in Worcestershire on the Worcester to 'tVolverhampton line, via Bridgnorth to Shrewsbury. In 1856 the Shrewsbury and Welshpool Railway was incorporated, to build a line from Shrewsbury westward to meet the Oswestry and Newtown Railway, which was under construction....
The condition of the booklet is generally good. The cover has several minor scuffs and blemishes, and light creasing and wear along the edges and corners, but the staple spine is intact, and all pages are intact, unblemished and tightly bound.
From the opening page: The history started in the year 1846 when the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway was formed and commenced construction of a line from Shrewsbury to Hereford vis Craven Arms.
On the same day as the S & HR was formed,three smaller companies which together owned lines from Newport to Hereford were amalgamated to form the Newport and Hereford Railway. The first railway to reach Shrewsbury was the Shrewsbury and Chester on October 16th 1848. This railway was an extension of the North Wales Mineral Railway which had opened in 1846 to carry coal from the mines around Wrexham to the Dee atSaltney and on into Chester over the Chester and Holyhead Railway.
On June 1st 1849 the Shropshire Union's railway from Stafford via Wellington to Shrewsbury was opened,the Wellington to Shrewsbury section had been constructed jointly with the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway. The S & BR formed in 1846, was to have running powers over' the Stour Valley Railway from Birmingham to Wolverhampton, then operate over their own line to Wellington and finally over a joint line to Shrewsbury. Having completed their own line from Wolverhampton to Wellengton, 'the S & BR commenced services on 12th November 1849.
Meanwhile the L.N.W.R.,which had absorbed the stour Valley Railway and the Shropshire Union's railway from Stafford to Shrewsbury,had a monopoly of traffic between the Birmingham area and Shrewsbury via the Grand Junction Railway. The L.N.W.R. delayed the opening of the Stour Valley Railway' thus robbing the S & BR of valuable traffic from Birmingham area.
In 1852 the G.Vi.R.,which had constructed a line from London to Birmingham and built it's station at Snowhill, took over the S & BR and the S & CR to provide a northern outlet for their line. The connecting line from Snowhill to Wolverhampton was opened in 1854. This take-over was opposed by the L.N.W.R. who themselves has wanted to take-over the line,but the L.N.W.R. managed to pursuade the G.W.R. not to construct the broad gauge north of Wolverhampton.
Two years before the take-over the 5 & HR was opened in 1852, the line 51 miles long had taken 6 years to build. In August 1853 the Severn Valley Railway was incorporated, this was for a line from Hartlebury station in Worcestershire on the Worcester to 'tVolverhampton line, via Bridgnorth to Shrewsbury. In 1856 the Shrewsbury and Welshpool Railway was incorporated, to build a line from Shrewsbury westward to meet the Oswestry and Newtown Railway, which was under construction....
The condition of the booklet is generally good. The cover has several minor scuffs and blemishes, and light creasing and wear along the edges and corners, but the staple spine is intact, and all pages are intact, unblemished and tightly bound.