Buildwas Station

Buildwas Junction was an important and bustling interchange station serving both the Severn Valley and Much Wenlock branches. The station had platforms at two different levels and, at its peak, had a total of eleven staff, including the Station Master. Up to 1923 Buildwas Junction was controlled by two signal boxes, the Station Signal Box controlled the station area and the Junction Signal Box controlled the junction between the Severn Valley line and the double track line that crossed the Albert Edward Bridge towards Wellington. These were replaced with a single signal box approximately midway between its predecessors in 1923. This box was subsequently enlarged to accommodate a frame containing 113 levers in 1931. The station building was in a similar style to those of Bewdley and Stourport. The track layout was altered several time during its existence, including the additional sidings serving the Buildwas A power station which opened in 1932.

Although thought by some to have been closed as part of the Beeching axe in 1963, the planned closure of the Station pre-dated his report. Doctor Beeching issued the “Reshaping of British Railways” report on the 27th March 1963. However, planning permission for Ironbridge B Power Station (the towers of which were built on the track-bed of the railway), was granted on the 1st April 1963 and had already been approved by the Minister for Power in November 1962. Work started on the power station in June 1963 whilst the track from Shrewsbury remained in place until 1966 to allow the boilers to be delivered by rail. The Power Station finally ceased to generate electricity on the 20th November 2015, raising the prospect that the old Buildwas Station could be rebuilt to serve the community once more.

Ex-GWR 5700 class 0-6-0PT number 9639 at the high-level platform of Buildwas Junction station, Shropshire, with a stopping train from Much Wenlock heading for Wellington. The low level platforms to the right are for the Severn Valley line looking towards Shrewsbury. Photograph: Unknown/Kidderminster Railway Museum

A general view of Buildwas station looking south with the Much Wenlock platform at the higher level on the right. Photograph: P Garland/Kidderminster Railway Museum

Buildwas Signal Box with track removed prior to demolition.