Notes: Pool Quay was situated on the Cambrian Railway (CR) main line that linked Whitchurch and Aberystwyth. The section of line on which Pool Quay stood was authorised as part of the Oswestry & Newtown Railway (O&NR) on 26 June 1855 and work began on it on 4 August 1857. By 1860 the section of line between Oswestry and Pool Quay was almost complete. It was inspected on 18 April 1860 by Colonel Yolland who recommended some modifications. The modifications were carried out and the line opened between Oswestry and Pool Quay on 1 May 1860.
A short distance to the west of the small settlement of Wern the Oswestry – Welshpool road (The A483) crossed the railway by means of a level crossing. Pool Quay station was located immediately to the south of the crossing on the west side of the line. The road turned sharply southwards on the west side of the crossing and then ran parallel to line for a short distance. The station building stood between the small space between the road and the railway. It consisted of a handsome brick-built villa with a gable standing forward, facing the platform, the ground floor having a canted bay window, and a smaller attic gable was provided to the south on this elevation. The office and waiting range was in a single-storey wing to the north, its tall roof carried forward as far as the protruding gable to provide shelter. The rectangular door and window openings were given stone surrounds. Distinction was given to Pool Quay and some other station buildings on the route by the provision of decorated bargeboards with finials; at this station the design of the southern gable, facing the level crossing, contrasted with those on the platform and northern elevations.
The line was single track so the station was provided with only one platform which had a stone face backfilled with earth and topped off with cinders.
When the station opened on 1 May 1860 it was the southern terminus of the O&NR and to allow engines to be turned it was provided with a turntable. It is assumed that the turntable would have been to the south of the station. What is known is that the turntable was not large enough to turn an engine and its tender at the same time; engines were therefore separated from their tenders and both were turned separately.
The O&NR operated four trains in each direction on Monday-to-Saturday and two on Sunday. An omnibus operated between Pool Quay and Welshpool a distance of just over 4 miles. The trains were based at Oswestry where there were facilities for servicing them.
By August 1860 the line between Pool Quay and Welshpool had been completed and it was inspected and passed for use by Colonel Yolland on 4 August 1860. Regular services between Oswestry and Welshpool began on 14 August 1860. It is assumed that the small turntable was removed and possibly used elsewhere.
As a through station Pool Quay was provided with a siding and loading ramp a short distance to the south on the west side of the line; the loading ramp was adjacent to road.
On 25 July 1864 the O&NR merged with the Llanidloes & Newtown Railway (L&N), the Oswestry, Ellesmere & Whitchurch Railway and the Newtown & Machynlleth Railway to form the CR (which also absorbed the Aberystwyth & Welch [sic] Coast Railway in 1865). The merger of the companies created the through route between Aberystwyth and Whitchurch.
In December 1895 Pool Quay was served by six trains in each direction on Monday-to-Saturday but a number of them called by request only. There was an extra up train on Wednesday and one train in each direction on Sunday. The up train on Sunday called by request only.
During the 1890s improvements were made along the CR main line which resulted in better timekeeping and faster services. In the first half of 1896 a passing loop was opened at Pool Quay. It was provided so that the line capacity could be increased. The new line located on the east side of the original became the down line (Welshpool direction) and the original became the up (Oswestry direction). A new platform was provided on the down line. It was constructed from timber and included a simple waiting shelter at roughly its mid-point.
To control the passing loop a signal box was built in the space between the level crossing and the down line platform.
On 1 January 1922 the CR was absorbed into the Great Western Railway (GWR).
The July 1922 timetable showed 4 up and 5 down trains on Monday-to-Friday. There were extra up trains on Wednesday and on the first and third Monday of the month as shown in the table below. There was an extra down train on the first and third Monday of the month. No trains called on Sunday.
Up Trains – July 1922 |
Destination |
Down Trains – July 1922 |
Destination |
7.43am |
Whitchurch |
8.46am |
Aberystwyth |
8.35am (Wednesdays Only) |
Oswestry |
10.29am (1st and 3rd Monday of Month) |
Welshpool |
10.50am |
Whitchurch |
11.38am |
Aberystwyth |
1.50pm (1st and 3rd Monday of Month and by request only) |
Oswestry |
3.28pm |
Aberystwyth |
4.41pm |
Whitchurch |
5.34pm |
Aberystwyth |
6.18pm |
Whitchurch |
8.15pm |
Welshpool |
The GWR made further improvements to the CR main line which speeded up journey times.
At nationalisation on 1 January 1948 Pool Quay became part of British Railways [Western Region] (BR[WR]). The 19 September 1955 timetable showed six trains in each direction on Monday-to-Saturday but one of the up and four of the down called upon request only. On Sunday there was just one up train.
At some point during the 1950s the down platform was rebuilt in concrete.
On 1 January 1963 Pool Quay passed to the operational control of British Railways [London Midland Region] (BR[LMR]). Three months later the Reshaping of British Railways (the ‘Beeching Report’) was published. It recommended that the line from Buttington Junction to Whitchurch, and the branch to Llanfyllin should lose their passenger service, and the intention was that the line should close completely between Buttington and Llynclys (including the Llanfyllin branch). The intention to withdraw passenger services was published on 11 March 1964, and the TUCC report on the closure hearings was received by Ernest Marples, Minister of Transport, on 13 July 1964. His consent to the closure was announced on 11 September 1964.
The Pool Quay goods siding was closed on 4 May 1964.
The 7 September 1964 timetable showed 6 up and 5 down trains on Monday-to-Friday as seen in the table below. On Saturday there was one less up train. On Sunday there was just one up train.
Up Trains – 7 September 1964 to 16 January 1965 |
Destination |
Down Trains – 7 September 1964 to 16 January 1965 |
Destination |
7.15am |
Whitchurch |
8.40am |
Aberystwyth |
10.19am |
Whitchurch |
11.07am |
Aberystwyth |
12.15pm |
Oswestry |
2.44pm |
Welshpool |
4.24pm (Saturdays Excepted and not in school holidays) |
Oswestry |
6.11pm |
Welshpool |
5.35pm |
Oswestry |
8.31pm (Saturdays Excepted and by request) |
Welshpool |
8.49pm |
Whitchurch |
9.38pm (Saturdays Only and by request) |
Welshpool |
The last trains ran to and from Pool Quay on Saturday 16 January 1965 and on Monday 18 January the line through the station, between Buttington and Llynclys closed completely. Track-lifting followed later in the year and the station was demolished by 1978.
The A483 road was later straightened to run through the station site and along part of the course of the railway.
Ticket from Michael Stewart and route map by Alan Young
Sources:
- A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain - Volume II North & Mid Wales - Peter E Baughan - David & Charles 1980.
- Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies - Christopher Awdry - Guild Publishing 1990.
- Railway Passenger Stations in Great Britain - A Chronology - Michael Quick - Railway & Canal Historical Society 2009.
To see other closed stations on the Whitchurch - Welshpool line click on the station name: Whitchurch STILL OPEN, Fenn's Bank, Bettisfield, Welshampton,
Ellesmere, Frankton, Whittington High Level, Tinkers Green Halt,
Oswestry (Cambrian), Llynclys, Pant (Salop), Llanymynech, Four Crosses, Arddleen Halt, Buttington, Welshpool 1st, Forden, Montgomery and Abermule |