WW2 event to take place in Shrewsbury's Abbey Foregate this Sunday
Shrewsbury is set to step back in time this May as the Abbey Station transforms into a living museum, honouring the town's pivotal yet often overlooked contribution to the war effort.
On Sunday, 3rd May, the Shropshire Council Car Park adjoining the historic Abbey Foregate site will play host to a spectacular array of vintage military hardware, offering a rare glimpse into the region’s wartime grit. From 10am until 4pm, visitors can immerse themselves in a display of historic military vehicles and equipment that serves as a tribute to the building’s vital role as an Air Raid Precautions (ARP) post.
During the darkest days of the Second World War, this very site acted as a nerve centre for the community, directing Fire and Rescue services to incidents across the town. While many locals are aware that the ARP Headquarters sat within the elegant Claremont Buildings overlooking The Quarry, the story of the Abbey Foregate post remains a hidden gem of local heritage that the Shrewsbury Railway Heritage Trust (SRHT) is eager to share.
David Morris, a Director and Trustee of the SRHT, has spearheaded the exhibition alongside his fellow trustees.
David Morris said: “We are always 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 are always collecting 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, and 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 200,000 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.
“Our Station Building was an ARP depot during the war, and we will display a lot of artefacts from locations along the original line. The Shropshire & Border Counties Military Vehicle Trust will provide some interesting historic military vehicles, parked next to the building, and ALL of this is entirely free of charge to all our visitors.”
The events collectively provide an opportunity for the community to reflect on the sacrifices made during World War 2 and to celebrate the decades of peace that have followed.
