Railways in Hereford

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Hereford has seen a history of expansion and decline in its railway history.

Contents 1 Hereford Railway 2 Newport, Abergavenny & Hereford Railway 3 Shrewsbury & Hereford Railway 4 Hereford, Ross & Gloucester Railway 5 Worcester & Hereford Railway 6 Hereford, Hay & Brecon Railway 7 West Midland Railway

[edit] Hereford Railway

Incorporated in 1826. Bought by the Newport, Abergavenny & Hereford Railway in 1846.

[edit] Newport, Abergavenny & Hereford Railway

Incorporated in 1846. Formed by the amalgamation of the Hereford Railway, the Llanfihangel Railway and the Grosmont Railway. A joint opening with the Shrewsbury & Hereford Railway Company took place on 6 December 1853.

The company was taken over by the West Midland Railway in 1860.

The terminus of the Newport to Hereford line was Barton Street Station in the east of the city. It was closed on the 2 January 1893, with all services transferred to the Barrs Court Station (the current station). Barton Street Station was demolished in 1913.

[edit] Shrewsbury & Hereford Railway

Incorporated in 1846. The Hereford section of the line officially opened at Barrs Court Station on the 6 December 1853, although the line had been used for goods traffic since the earlier in the year.

It was leased jointly by the LNWR and GWR from 1862 and was transferred to joint ownership in 1868.

[edit] Hereford, Ross & Gloucester Railway

Incorporated in 1851. The final section from Hopesbrook to Hereford section opened 1st of June, 1855. It was a broad gauge track, linking eventually to London through a 22 mile section from the Grange Court Junction in the Forest of Dean.

On July 29th, 1862 the line was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway. In 1869 the line was converted from broad gauge to standard gauge in a 5 day period.

As part of the Beeching Axe the Gloucester to Hereford line was closed on the 2 November 1964.

[edit] Worcester & Hereford Railway

Incorporated in 1853. This railway was opened by the Worcester and Hereford Railway in stages from 1859 to 1861 with the final section Malvern Wells to Shelwick Junction (Hereford) opened on 17 September 1861.

The Worcester and Hereford Railway became part of the West Midland Railway on 1 July 1861 and the GWR on 1 August 1863.

[edit] Hereford, Hay & Brecon Railway

Incorporated in 1859. Opened between Hereford and Moorhampton to goods traffic on the 24 October 1862, to Eardisley for goods and passengers on the 30 June 1863 and reached Hay-on-Wye on the 11 July 1864.

Initially the company used the Moorfields Station to the west of the city but later used Barrs Court Station. The railway was taken over by the Midland Railway in 1874.

The line closed to passengers on 31 December 1962, and was shut finally in 1964.

[edit] West Midland Railway

Incorporated in 1860.

An amalgamation of several English Midlands lines with the Newport, Abergavenny & Hereford Railway. Operated in conjunction with the Great Western Railway from 1861.