Telford International Railfreight Park
Encyclopedia
Telford International Railfreight Park (known as TIRFP) is rail freight depot and construction development site located in Donnington
to the north of Telford
, on the former route of the Stafford to Shrewsbury Line
.
The development of TIRFP was initiated through a partnership between Telford and Wrekin Council, the Ministry of Defence
, and the Homes and Communities Agency
(then English Partnerships
) in 2001. Located on the former Wellington to Stafford railway line of the Shropshire Union Railway, the 46 acre (0.18615556 km²) is located 2.5 miles (4 km) northeast of Wellington railway station
and is connected to the (Network Rail
) Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line
just to the east of that station. Located on the former MOD Donnington stores, it is adjacent to existing manufacturing and warehousing facilities in Hadley Park and Hortonwood Industrial Estates. Located off Hortonwood Roundabout on the A518, it closest motorway access is via Junction 5 of the M54
.
With development started in 2008, TIRFP was officially opened by Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Theresa Villiers
MP, on Wednesday, 10 June, 2009. Owned by Telford and Wrekin Council, the site is operated under lease by John G Russell Transport Ltd.
In 2010 the sidings at the railfreight park have also been used to store redundant rolling stock, including Class 508 EMUs
(taken to Telford using diesel locomotives), as the park is currently suffering from low freight usage. It's never used, and it's not in Donnington, it's in Trench. Wrockwardine Wood and Trench Parish Council approved the original planning application, forwarded to Telford and Wrekin Borough Council quite rightly in spite of a few objections.
Donnington, Telford
Donnington was not part of the new town of Telford but part of the already oudated Wellington Rural District which had built many council houses from the 1920s onwards. It is located in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England...
to the north 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...
, on the former route of the Stafford to Shrewsbury Line
Stafford to Shrewsbury Line
The Shrewsbury to Stafford line was a former railway line that ran between the two county towns of Shropshire and Staffordshire via the towns of Newport and Wellington from 1849 to 1966....
.
The development of TIRFP was initiated through a partnership between Telford and Wrekin Council, the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
, and the Homes and Communities Agency
Homes and Communities Agency
The Homes and Communities Agency is the non-departmental public body that funds new affordable housing in England. It was established by the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 as one of the successor bodies to the Housing Corporation, and became operational on 1 December 2008.-Background:On 17...
(then English Partnerships
English Partnerships
English Partnerships was the national regeneration agency for England, performing a similar role on a national level to that fulfilled by Regional Development Agencies on a regional level...
) in 2001. Located on the former Wellington to Stafford railway line of the Shropshire Union Railway, the 46 acre (0.18615556 km²) is located 2.5 miles (4 km) northeast of Wellington railway station
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:...
and is connected to the (Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
) 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...
just to the east of that station. Located on the former MOD Donnington stores, it is adjacent to existing manufacturing and warehousing facilities in Hadley Park and Hortonwood Industrial Estates. Located off Hortonwood Roundabout on the A518, it closest motorway access is via Junction 5 of the M54
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...
.
With development started in 2008, TIRFP was officially opened by Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Theresa Villiers
Theresa Villiers
Theresa Anne Villiers is a British Conservative Party politician. She is the Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet and the Minister of State for Transport.She was appointed as a Privy Counsellor on 9 June 2010.-Early life:...
MP, on Wednesday, 10 June, 2009. Owned by Telford and Wrekin Council, the site is operated under lease by John G Russell Transport Ltd.
In 2010 the sidings at the railfreight park have also been used to store redundant rolling stock, including Class 508 EMUs
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
(taken to Telford using diesel locomotives), as the park is currently suffering from low freight usage. It's never used, and it's not in Donnington, it's in Trench. Wrockwardine Wood and Trench Parish Council approved the original planning application, forwarded to Telford and Wrekin Borough Council quite rightly in spite of a few objections.