The Ironbridge Railway Trust
The Ironbridge Railway Trust was formed in November 2005 and is a Company limited by Guarantee incorporated in 2007. It was registered as charity no. 1129939 on 2 June 2009 and is governed by a small number of trustees. Its income and expenditure are small, with a maximum raised of £2,151 in the years from May 2013-18.
Contents
Objectives
Its charitable objectives include to develop, construct, preserve, operate the railway between Buildwas and Bridgnorth via Ironbridge, connecting to the existing Severn Valley Railway.[1]
In 2018 the Trust launched a website with a proposal for a park and ride shuttle rail service rail link one mile in length from Buildwas to Ironbridge operated by a mixture of modern trains and historic steam trains on peak days.[2] As of October 2020[update] the trust proposed the reinstated rail link would include Jackfield and Coalport, and was preparing to make a bid to the government’s Restoring Your Railways fund which, if successful, would finance a full feasibility study[3].
Activities
The trust undertook three principal activities in support of its objectives during 2009/10. These being:
- completion of four technical studies in respect of the feasibility of the prospective Ironbridge railway;
- presentation of the case for and feasibility of the Ironbridge railway;
- liaison with the national railway industry.
In subsequent years The Trust has consulted with stakeholders such as e-on/Uniper (previous owners of the Ironbridge power station site), local Councillors and MPs, the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership and Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Councils to elicit support in principle for their proposals.
In June 2018 the Harworth Group announced that it had bought the Ironbridge power station site for an undisclosed sum. Following public consultation in May 2019, Harworth Group submitted an outline planning application for redevelopment of the site on 19th December 2019.[4] The Ironbridge Railway Trust objected to the outline planning application on 21 February 2020, essentially because it appears to make no provision for any form of rail connection to Ironbridge. A postscript to the objection noted that "...we advised Harworth Group of our comments and concerns in May 2019 following their public presentations. Regrettably, we have not received any acknowledgement of our communication despite their willingness to engage in constructive comment following their respective public consultations, or our various meetings to advise them of our position and philosophy."[5].
Relationship with the SVR
The Trust is independent from the SVR.
The SVR's stance on reopening this section is not straightforward. Its website states: "the railway land north of Bridgnorth has been long since sold, and there is now no possibility of Severn Valley trains reaching Ironbridge and Shrewsbury ever again."[6] However its official Souvenir Guide, after listing some of the obstacles needing to be addressed, ends "So, never say never...".[7] In 2002 SVR News reported that at a recent SVR(H) Board meeting Paul Fathers had agreed to monitor developments in the north and keep the Board informed.[8] The railway has at other occasions given its position as a 'watching brief', it will not on its own to seek to reopen the line, but possibly is open to providing technical support to any plans to reopen.
Former SVR directors serving the trust
- David Owen was appointed Secretary on 23 September 2017
- Paul Fathers was a Director between 2007-2008 and 2009-2020
Relationship with the Telford Steam Railway
The Trust is independent from the Telford Steam Railway ('TSR').
In late 2018 the TSR launched a website "Steaming to Ironbridge" with its own proposals for a connection to Ironbridge. The TSR proposals would use a narrow gauge tramway (rather than a standard gauge railway) between Ironbridge and a planned central station on the former power station site at Buildwas. The reasons given for this choice include the ability to share the trackbed with the existing footpath, the need for minimal station space in Ironbridge leaving the main car park intact, and the reduced cost of renewing/maintaining the 10-arch viaduct on the route.[9].
See also
References
- ↑ Charity Commission (retrieved 4 January 2017)
- ↑ Ironbridge Trust website
- ↑ Smith, R., 'Trust moves to re-instate historic railway link in Ironbridge', Shropshire Star, 10 October 2020 (Retrieved 11 October 2020)
- ↑ Shropshire Council: Planning Application Documents
- ↑ Shropshire Council: Planning Application Documents (IRT objection)
- ↑ SVR Website (retrieved 5 April 2018)
- ↑ Souvenir Guide Ninth Edition, 2012, p. 30.
- ↑ SVR News 142 p. 67.
- ↑ Steaming to Ironbridge website (retrieved 10 October 2018)