Oswestry's Cambrian Railway building drop-in event to take place

A drop-in event is being held at Oswestry’s Cambrian Railway building on Wednesday 12 June between 3pm and 6pm, to give people the chance to find out more about the current roof repairs, and Shropshire Council’s plans to return the building to full use.

It will also be a chance for people to see memories and photos of the building that have been shared as part of the current engagement exercise – plus work by local schoolpupils.

Staff from Shropshire Council and historic building specialist Donald Insall Associates will also be on hand to explain more about potential uses for the building – and to share the results of recent studies of the building and its condition.

Memories and stories of the building can be submitted via the Shropshire Council website, or by completing a paper form that can be collected from Oswestry Library and returned to the Cambrian Railway building, photos or longer stories can be sent via email: consultancy@insall-architects.co.uk

Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for housing and assets, said:

“Shropshire Council took possession of this historic building last year, to help secure a viable long term use for it, and I’m delighted that work to repair and bring it back into use is progressing. We’re looking forward to showing and telling people more at this event on Wednesday 12 June.”

Kate Martyn, practice director and head of heritage consultancy north at Donald Insall Associates, said:

“To help secure a sustainable future for Oswestry’s Cambrian Railway building, it’s important we understand its history and what it meant to people in the past. Visitors will have an opportunity to see the various memories that local people have of the building, along with emerging plans of how it will be repaired and what sort of use it could have in the future. Our team is looking forward to speaking with people about the future of this much-loved Oswestry landmark.”

The Grade II-listed building, originally opened in 1866, is understood to have had multiple uses since it ceased operating as a railway station in 1966. Following many years of neglect Shropshire Council took possession of the building in early 2023, after it had suffered storm damage the previous year. The ground floor is currently let to Cambrian Heritage Railways, a local railway charity, and the first floor is vacant and unlet.

Due to deterioration, the building requires repair and a plan for sustainable future use.

Urgent exterior work, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and with match funding from Shropshire Council, is currently underway to make the exterior of the building safe and waterproof. Once that this is completed the council will lead internal work that is required to bring the building back into a suitable end use.

Funding has been secured to undertake more detailed building surveys and to commission a Conservation Management Plan (CMP). These surveys and the CMP are being undertaken in parallel to the essential external works before a recommended end-use(s) and business case is brought back to Shropshire Council’s Cabinet in the second half of 2024.