Telford Central railway station
Encyclopedia
Telford Central railway station serves the new town
of Telford
, England
. It is situated close to the town centre, the main commercial district of the town. It is located on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line
and is operated by London Midland
.
and Wellington
, although Wellington was at one stage renamed "Wellington-Telford West" to indicate that it was located in the new town. The line through Telford also boasted a further station in the form of New Hadley Halt between Oakengates and Wellington until 1986, its closure coinciding with the opening of the nearby Telford Central station.
The situation changed in May 1986, when Telford Central opened. The new station was equipped with full-length platforms to accommodate inter-city trains, and a large car park, which took advantage of the station's location next to the M54 motorway
to provide a park and ride
facility. The £700,000 cost was jointly funded by British Rail
, the Telford Development Corporation and Shropshire
County Council.
, runs between Birmingham International
and Shrewsbury
, with alternate trains continuing to Aberystwyth
or Holyhead
. The other trains are London Midland services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street, which call at all stations between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton.
Although the station was built to accommodate inter-city trains to London Euston
, these services no longer operate; British Rail services ceased in the early 1990s, and Virgin Trains
withdrew a short-lived, trial, daily service between Shrewsbury and London in 2000. A new company, Wrexham & Shropshire, reintroduced express services (to London Marylebone
) on 28 April 2008; these were withdrawn following the last train on 28 January 2011.
New town
A new town is a specific type of a planned community, or planned city, that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are uncommon in new...
of Telford
Telford
Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is situated close to the town centre, the main commercial district of the town. It is located on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line
Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line
The Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line is the railway line from Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury via Wellington; it was originally built by the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway. The line is double track throughout, with rarely used relief sidings at Cosford and 4 tracks through Wellington station...
and is operated by London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
.
History
The new town of Telford was designated in the 1960s, but until the 1980s it was served only by two railway stations which predated it, OakengatesOakengates railway station
Oakengates railway station serves the town of Oakengates, part of the new town of Telford, England. It lies on the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton Line and has two platforms...
and Wellington
Wellington (Shropshire) railway station
Wellington railway station serves the town of Wellington, Shropshire, England. It is situated on the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton Line. Trains are operated by London Midland and Arriva Trains Wales.-History:...
, although Wellington was at one stage renamed "Wellington-Telford West" to indicate that it was located in the new town. The line through Telford also boasted a further station in the form of New Hadley Halt between Oakengates and Wellington until 1986, its closure coinciding with the opening of the nearby Telford Central station.
The situation changed in May 1986, when Telford Central opened. The new station was equipped with full-length platforms to accommodate inter-city trains, and a large car park, which took advantage of the station's location next to the M54 motorway
M54 motorway
The M54 is a 23 mile east-west motorway in the English counties of Shropshire and Staffordshire. It is also referred to as the Telford Motorway, after the road's primary westbound destination, the new town of Telford...
to provide a park and ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
facility. The £700,000 cost was jointly funded by British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
, the Telford Development Corporation and Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
County Council.
Services
Currently, the Monday-Saturday off-peak service comprises two trains per hour in each direction. One, operated by Arriva Trains WalesArriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
, runs between Birmingham International
Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station is located in the borough of Solihull, just east of the city of Birmingham in England.The station is on the Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line 14 km east of Birmingham New Street and serves both Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition...
and Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury railway station
Shrewsbury railway station is the railway station serving Shrewsbury, county town of Shropshire, England. It is the only remaining railway station in the town; Shrewsbury Abbey, as well as other small stations around the town, having long closed. The station was built in 1848 and has been extended...
, with alternate trains continuing to Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth railway station
Aberystwyth railway station is a railway station serving the seaside and university town of Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales. It is served by passenger trains operated by Arriva Trains Wales, being situated at the terminus of the Cambrian Line and also by the narrow-gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway.-...
or Holyhead
Holyhead railway station
Holyhead railway station serves the town of Holyhead on Holy Island, Anglesey. It is the western terminus of the North Wales Coast Line and is managed by Arriva Trains Wales, although Virgin Trains also serves it....
. The other trains are London Midland services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street, which call at all stations between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton.
Although the station was built to accommodate inter-city trains to London Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
, these services no longer operate; British Rail services ceased in the early 1990s, and Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
withdrew a short-lived, trial, daily service between Shrewsbury and London in 2000. A new company, Wrexham & Shropshire, reintroduced express services (to London Marylebone
Marylebone station
Marylebone station , also known as London Marylebone, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It stands midway between the mainline stations at Euston and Paddington, about 1 mile from each...
) on 28 April 2008; these were withdrawn following the last train on 28 January 2011.