Shropshire Routes to Roots

Trade directories: The railway and River System of Shropshire (Kelly's Directory, 1895)

The railway and river system of Shropshire, 1895 [Shropshire Archive reference: Kelly's Directory, 1895]

The railway system centres in Shrewsbury, and is chiefly belonging to the Great Western and London and North Western Companies, other lines being the North Staffordshire on the north-east, the Cambrian on the north-west and a local company at Bishop's Castle. The Great Western entering the county near Bewdley, whence it has a branch to Tenbury, runs through Coalbrookdale, where branches leave for Shifnal and Wellington to the east and south-west to Craven Arms; the main line continues to Shrewsbury, and trending north-west, leaves the county near Gobowen, whence is a branch to Oswestry. From Wellington, in continuation of the Coalbrookdale line, one runs north-east to Market Drayton (where it joins the North Staffordshire to Stoke), and on to Nantwich and Crewe; and from Shrewsbury a line runs east through Wellington to Shifnal. The Great Western and London and North Western railways work a joint line from Ludlow through Craven Arms to Shrewsbury, whence they send branches to Welshpool and Minsterley, and on the north to Wem and Whitchurch, and here the Cambrian leaves for Oswestry and Welshpool, through Ellesmere. The London and North Western railway has lines from Craven Arms to Knighton, Wellington to Stafford and Woofferton to Tenbury, and a local company work a line from Craven Arms to Bishop's Castle.

The Severn is the main navigable channel, flowing through the heart of the shire; and it is connected with the Donnington Canal, the Shropshire Union Canal, the Shrewsbury Canal, the Birmingham and Liverpool Canal, the Chester and Ellesmere Canal. By these canals Shropshire has access to Chester, Birmingham, Staffordshire and Liverpool, and by the river to Gloucester and Bristol.