Wellington and Drayton Railway
1862 Company incorporated. Plans were developed for a line connecting Wellington to Market Drayton, together with extensions northwards towards Manchester, to provide the Great Western Railway with access to Manchester.
Circumstances changed and alliance was made with the Nantwich and Market Drayton Railway together with running powers from Nantwich to Crewe and onwards to Manchester. The amalgamation of the Great Western Railway with the West Midland Railway meant that the northern extensions were no longer needed by the GWR for access to Manchester.
The line ran from Drayton Junction on the Shrewsbury and Wellington Joint Railway at Wellington to Market Drayton a distance of 16 miles.
1864 Construction started
1867 the line was opened. The Consulting Engineer was John Fowler.
1868 Engineer is William Baker.[1]
After the first meeting at Malvern, Worcestershire, all subsequent Directors' Meetings were held at Paddington station, with Directors supplied by the GWR, and an Act of 14 July 1864 authorised the transfer of the Wellington and Drayton Railway to the GWR on completion of the line. However, this
1877 The line was transferred to the GWR.
1963 passenger service was withdrawn. Freight service continued until 1967.