Coalbrookdale

Coalbrookdale is a village in the Ironbridge Gorge. It was the site of the furnace where Abraham Darby first smelted iron ore using "coking coal", a major factor in the start of the Industrial Revolution. The furnace is now preserved as part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum.

Coalbrookdale is situated on the opposite bank of the River Severn from the Severn Valley Railway and was served by a station on the GWR's Wellington to Craven Arms Branch which crossed the Severn Valley Branch at Buildwas. Albert Edward Bridge provided the river crossing between Buildwas and Coalbrookdale.

The first plans for the Severn Valley Railway proposed that the north end of the line should proceed towards Coalbrookdale. However following public meetings in October 1852, a route towards Shrewsbury was ultimately built instead.

See also

Ironbridge power station

Links

• Coalbrookdale on Wikipedia
• Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron page