Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Franchise(s) | Open-access operator |
| Main region(s) | |
| Stations called at | 2025 proposed route (rejected):
|
| Parent company | Alstom |
| Dates of operation | 2025 (proposed)– |
| Other | |
| Website | www |
The Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway (WSMR) is a proposed open-access train operator in the United Kingdom.
In March 2024, it submitted an application to operate passenger train services between Wrexham General and London Euston via Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes Central, with services proposed to start in 2025. However, on 3 July 2025, the Office of Rail and Road rejected its application, with Network Rail also expressing its opposition to the current proposed route over concerns of a lack of capacity on parts of the West Coast Main Line.
If an application is approved, the operator would be run by Alstom, its first in the United Kingdom, with SLC Rail as consultants.
History and description
[edit]The proposed service was officially announced on 14 March 2024,[1] following the operator submitting its formal application to operate, to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).[2] If approved, it hopes to operate services from May 2025 and creating a possible 50 new jobs, mainly in North Wales and the English Midlands.[3][4][5] WSMR estimates its proposed service would have 1.5 million people in their catchment area outside London.[3][4] The plans received support from Huw Merriman, Minister of State for Transport.[6]
If approved, it would reinstate a Shropshire–London direct service, following Avanti West Coast's Shrewsbury–London Euston service being terminated on 2 June 2024.[7][8]
The open-access operator would be operated by Alstom, and it would be its first passenger rail operating service in the United Kingdom if approved.[3][9][10] The Birmingham-based[11] consultancy firm SLC Rail would advise Alstom in the development of the project.[7][5]
The proposed operator was compared to a previous train operating company, Wrexham & Shropshire, which also operated Wrexham to London services via Shropshire between 2008 and 2011.[5][9] Although Wrexham & Shropshire operated along the Chiltern Main Line to London Marylebone.[11] while WSMR proposes to use the West Coast Main Line to Euston.[12] WSMR has no links to Wrexham & Shropshire.[11]
The plan is for a daily, Monday to Saturday service between Wrexham General and London Euston of five trains in each direction, reduced to four on Sundays. Trains would call at Gobowen, Shrewsbury, Telford Central, Wolverhampton, Darlaston James Bridge (when re-opened), Walsall, Coleshill Parkway, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes. It would use the current freight-only (since 1965) Sutton Park line to bypass Birmingham, particularly the Wolverhampton–Birmingham New Street–Rugby corridor. The service would allow direct trains between Wolverhampton and Walsall to Nuneaton for the first time.[3][4][11][13]
The estimated travel time between Wrexham and London is three hours, while between Shrewsbury and London is two hours.[13]
Telford and Wrekin Council have requested that trains also call at Wellington.[14] A new station at Aldridge may be opened; the line passes through the site of the former Aldridge railway station.[15] Members of Parliament in Shropshire and Wrexham, stated their support for the proposal following its announcement.[16]
In March 2024, Alstom stated that details on the operator's fleet, branding and service timetable would be announced at a later date.[7] Although it was later reported that the operator's train fleet would have "infrastructure monitoring equipment", and are planned to have first and standard class seating. The company's mobilisation director, Darren Horley, stated WSMR is planning to have features such as "instant delay repay" if any of their trains are delayed, a "seat selection facility", and possibly an "advance ordering" system for food and drinks before passengers travel on their trains. The company also stated they aspired to invest in infrastructure, such as funding enhancements at stations, and possibly a new parkway station near Shrewsbury to ease congestion.[13]
In June 2025, Network Rail said it could not support the Alstom/SLC Rail application for open-access due to congestion on infrastructure, lack of timetable capacity, current passenger traffic and how the service would increase such traffic.[17] On 3 July 2025, the ORR rejected WSMR's application reiterating concerns of insufficient capacity and the subsequent impact on existing services, particularly along the southern end of the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between Rugby and Euston.[18][19][20] Two other open-access operator proposals by Lumo and Virgin Trains, using the same southern section of the WCML, were also rejected on the same day.[21] Following the rejection, WSMR stated they intend to "reengage" with the ORR and determine what "next steps" the company should take.[20] Julia Buckley, Labour MP for Shrewsbury, voiced her continued efforts for the service and stated she would work with Alstom to create an revised bid "as soon as possible",[19] as did Andrew Ranger, Labour MP for Wrexham in working with WSMR in developing a revised bid.[21] Shaun Davies, Labour MP for Telford and the Telford and Wrekin Council also expressed their disappointment in the decision.[22]
References
[edit]- ^ "Direct train from Wrexham to London Euston on the table". ITV News. 14 March 2024.
- ^ Gascoigne, Emma (14 March 2024). "WSMR submits formal application to the ORR with passenger service sought from 2025". WSMR. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d "New direct train service planned between Shropshire and London". BBC News. 14 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ a b c Longhorn, Danny (14 March 2024). "Alstom plans to run new direct train services between North Wales, Shropshire, the Midlands and London". RailBusinessDaily. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ a b c Mansfield, Mark (14 March 2024). "New rail services planned between London and Wrexham". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ Atack, Patrick Rhys (14 March 2024). "Alstom moves towards service provision in the UK". Railway Technology. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ a b c Stubbings, David (14 March 2024). "Five Shropshire to London trains a day proposed as new operator submits plans to regulator". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ Avanti to yield direct Shrewsbury - London services to WSMR] Rail issue 1004 6 March 2024 pages 16/17
- ^ a b Topham, Gwyn; correspondent, Gwyn Topham Transport (14 March 2024). "Hollywood connection: Wrexham lines up three-hour direct rail service to London". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
{{cite news}}:|last2=has generic name (help) - ^ Hughes, Owen (14 March 2024). "New train operator proposes fresh service between North Wales and London". North Wales Live. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d Miles, Tony. "Plan to welcome open access back to Wrexham". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "Train manufacturer announces ambitious plans to run 5 a day service between Wrexham and London". Deeside.com. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ a b c "Alstom and SLC partner for open access bid". www.modernrailways.com. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
- ^ Jones, Megan (1 February 2024). "'Don't forget Wellington' message to train operator hoping for new Shropshire to London service". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "Work under way to pave the way for the construction of new Aldridge Railway Station". www.wmca.org.uk. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ Robertson, Dominic (15 March 2024). "County MPs back new train service linking Shropshire to London". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
- ^ Powell, Luke (4 June 2025). "MPs and council determined Network Rail's verdict on Wrexham to London rail link won't bring scheme to the end of the line". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "ORR rejects five open access bids". www.railnews.co.uk. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Direct Wrexham to London rail link rejected". BBC News. 3 July 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ a b "ORR REJECTS WCML open access bids". www.modernrailways.com. 3 July 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Wrexham Shropshire and Midlands Railway bid for Wrexham to London service rejected by Office for Rail and Road". Wrexham.com. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ Zaidi, Afroze (3 July 2025). "MPs disappointed by rail regulator's rejection of Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway bid | TheBusinessDesk.com". West Midlands. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
