World War 2 event to commemorate Abbey Station's role as ARP HQ

Abbey Station Visitor Centre will be open on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th May, to commemorate the building’s role as Shrewsbury’s ARP post during WW2 when it directed the Fire and Rescue services to any incident.

The trustees of Shrewsbury Railway Heritage Trust have been most fortunate to have the valuable assistance of local collector and WW2 enthusiast, Nick Holden who will be displaying some of his artefacts, for example an original a Shropshire & Montgomery Railway lamp (in original condition!); an unrestored 1930’s Hercules ARP military bicycle, a 1947 Mercury Army bicycle and a Royal Enfield WW2 Dispatch / Airborne motorcycle.

SRHT Director and Committee Member, David Morris has been planning the event with Nick Holden and Pip Robinson of the Shropshire & Border Counties Area Military Vehicle Trust.

David said: “We are keen to tell people about the use of the Abbey Station building as an ARP post during the World War 2 period.

"We know that Shrewsbury’s ARP HQ was situated in the Grade II Listed Claremont Buildings overlooking Shrewsbury’s Quarry, but very little is known about the ARP’s use of The Trust’s building in Abbey Foregate, during this period of time.

"We hope to gather more information, about the building during the war period. Abbey Station was re-opened to service the line which the War Department had re-laid the line, which took staff and armaments to the large camp at Nesscliffe.

"This small railway played an important role in the ‘big picture’ of winning the war, with 200million tons of ammunition transported to and from the Nesscliffe Central Ammunition Depot.

"Abbey Station will play host to what promises to be a splendid exhibition of World War 2 memorabilia, to commemorate what must have been the busiest time for our railway.”

Pip Robinson of the Shropshire & Border Counties Area Military Vehicle Trust said: “Since 1974, the Military Vehicle Trust has provided help and support to members and members of the public, who have preserved thousands of military vehicles after their active lives with the Armed Forces.

"We are delighted to be celebrating our 50th anniversary this year. The Trust sets out to achieve its charitable aims, by promoting a range of activities that support our members and advance public knowledge and understanding of how our historic vehicles have contributed to our military heritage. You don’t need to own a vehicle to join us as many re-enactors, living historians and vehicle enthusiasts are active members, so please contact me by email Pip.speeedster@gmail.com or call 07784 553 386."

"We are aiming to have a variety of about a dozen historic military vehicles attending on the Sunday, and they range from a VW Kubelwagen 181, an Austin Champ and a Willys Jeep to a Land Rover FFR, Ford CMP lorry, and a Land Rover Air Portable”.

David Morris continued: “Working with Shropshire-based enthusiast - Nick Holden, we are intending to re-create the atmosphere of the period, by transforming the inside of the Station Building into an ARP depot, with appropriate memorabilia, which will include mannequins wearing ‘authentic clothing of the period’; artefacts from locations along the original line, display material, and historic military vehicles from the Shropshire & Border Counties Area Military Vehicle Trust parked alongside the Abbey Station. We certainly intend it to be a fun-filled trip down memory lane, which will be entirely free to all of our visitors”.

Anyone with any information about the WW2 role of the S&M, (maybe someone related to a National Service veteran) who has any family stories to tell us, or perhaps photographs to loan is welcome to contact the SRHT at: abbeystationshrewsbury@gmail.com