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Wrexham Central to Ellesmere Line 1962

The last passengers to travel the Wrexham Central to Ellesmere Line on 8/9/1962 are recorded by a railway and film enthusiast.

Amateur film 1962 12 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales

Overview

The Wrexham and Ellesmere Railway was opened in 1895 but the last passengers were carried on 8/9/1962 – as recorded here - and the line between Ellesmere and Pick Hill Halt was then pulled up, part of the railway restructuring of the 1960s. Freight was carried on what was left until the 1980s. The line had run from Wrexham Central to Ellesmere via Marchwiel, Bangor-on-Dee and Overton-on-Dee with halts (request stops) at Hightown, Sesswick, Pick Hill, Cloy, Trench, Elson.

Brian T Cowlishaw was born overlooking the Shrewsbury railway tracks and became a train enthusiast and a keen member of Ruthin Cine Club, uniting the two interests in a number of films recording railways that were closing during the era of sweeping cuts to mainly rural and industrial railways implemented by Dr Richard Beeching, first chair of the British Railways Board. Cowlishaw worked as a medical laboratory technician and later in lighting/stage management with Theatr Clwyd.