Wolverhampton–Shrewsbury line | |
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Overview | |
Locale |
Shropshire Wolverhampton Staffordshire Shrewsbury and Atcham West Midlands (region) Telford and Wrekin |
Operation | |
Owner | Network Rail |
Technical | |
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The Wolverhampton–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.
Electrification from Stafford Road Junction to Oxley, is provided solely to enable electric stock to access Alstom's Oxley TRSMD, and is therefore constructed as a "tram wire" suitable for low speeds only.
Signalling is centred at Madeley Junction. Towards Wolverhampton, the West Midlands Signalling Centre, Oxley Workstation, takes over (previously Oxley signal box until it closed on Saturday 27 November 2010 under the West Midlands Resignalling scheme) and towards Shrewsbury, Abbey Foregate signal box.
The towns and villages served by the route are listed below, East to West.
Arriva Trains Wales, London Midland and Virgin Trains operate passenger trains on this line. Westbound, some trains go beyond Shrewsbury to Chester, Holyhead, Aberystwyth and Wrexham General while eastbound, services continue beyond Wolverhampton to Birmingham New Street and/or Birmingham International.
As of December 2014, Virgin Trains run two daily services between Shrewsbury and London Euston.
There are no London Midland services in operation on this line on Sundays. Virgin Trains services only operate one of their direct trains in each direction on Sundays. Arriva Trains Wales services operate as normal with infrequent additional stopping services in lieu of the London Midland services.