SHROPSHIRE & MONTGOMERYSHIRE LIGHT RAILWAY - An Illustrated History of

The origins of the Shropshire & Montgomery Light Railway date back to the 1860s and an impecunious line called the Potteries, Shrewsbury & North Wales Railway that initially opened its main line in 1866. The route stretched from a separate station in Shrewsbury as far as Llanymynech on the Cambrian line from Welshpool to Oswestry; there was also a branch from Kinnerley Junction to Criggion.

Like many rural lines, the Potts, as it was nicknamed, struggled to make ends meet and was to suffer regular periods of closure during the late 19th century and indeed was practically shut down in the 1880s. Despite this, it survived and was to be greatly revived in the first decade of the 20th century under the influence of the great Colonel Stephens, king of light railways in Great Britain.

The line was later passed to the control of the army during World War II, with a large number of camps being constructed along the route, and it was to remain under military control before being largely closed once more in 1960. The final section survived until the 1880s, and the site of Shrewsbury Abbey station itself is today the focus of a conservation scheme.

Tracing this intriguing line from its origins in the 1860s through to the role of the military in World War II and its subsequent closure, this book is certain to be popular with social historians as well as railway enthusiasts. Including many rare photographs, intricate line drawings and other memorabilia such as tickets and timetables, this is one not to be missed!