The Railways of Telford

Railways

Site contents © Richard Foxcroft 1996-2000

Aqueduct to Hollinswood

The London and North Western Railway

From the former level crossing at the top of Aqueduct Lane, the railway runs due north under the relatively modern Southall Road bridge, more-or-less following the line of the canal it replaced, all the way to the pass between Snedshill and Ketley Bank at the Greyhound Island above Oakengates. It is engineered on a steady climb all the way from Coalport, although progressively less steep. It is crossed by a number of bridges and pathways which served to connect works of various kinds which existed alongside the line, as well as those which carried thoroughfares.

Almost immediately there is a high bridge across this deep cutting, which as far as I can tell simply connected the road at Tunnel Cottages with the ground opposite.

At Stirchley Lane there is a bridge, and a little way north of the bridge the brickwork of the platform can be seen, much overgrown, on the west side. Before that, on the same side, is the remains of a strong post with an arm and a couple of staples - perhaps a telegraph pole with provision for hanging railway lamps?

The next couple of bridges are in an area which was once industrialised - now Town Park - and connected sections of the works; the second gave access from Hinkshay to Stirchley Furnace.

In between these two remaining bridges, closer to the first, are the two buttress-ends of another bridge. Both sides of the line here are impenetrable woodland now. But this is a good, substantial bridge - has Stirchley Lane been diverted at some point? There is evidence - ths station moved from south to north of the bridge between 1854 and 1921, and the road to the west of the station appears straighter on the one map than the other. But there is no sign on an "old road" on the Stirchley side.

From here the line ran straight on, along the side of Randlay Pool and past the amphitheatre to Hollinswood. Here, near Malinslee Hall but some way from the village, stood Malinslee Station - an indication of railway-builder's social priorities, perhaps! All traces of the station and the line from there to Greyhound Island have disappeared under later road and housing development.

It crossed Hollinswood Estate to Hollinswood Interchange on the Queensway, then took the same line as the Queensway to Greyhound Island, crossing the new housing development on Station Road and passing under Canongate before coming to a station at the bottom of Station Hill, Oakengates.


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