A HISTORY OF PEMBRIDGE RAILWAY STATION

CONSTRUCTION

Pembridge railway station was originally opened by the Leominster & Kington Railway Company (L&KR) formed by several local businessmen and led by the Chairman Lord Bateman of Shobdon Court. Their plans were to link Leominster station on the newly opened Shrewsbury & Hereford Railway to the town of Kington allowing rail access through the Arrow valley. The initial meeting took place at Shobdon Court on 24th October 1853.

            The Leominster & Kington Railway Bill was passed by the Parliamentary Committee in London on 25th May 1854 and the Leominster & Kington Railway Act was duly incorporated by the Bill receiving Royal Assent on 10th July 1854 with an authorised capital of £80,000.

            On 14th November 1854, the contract for building the line and associated stations at Kingsland, Pembridge, Marston Halt, Titley and Kington was given to Messer’s Brassey & Field who were to construct the line for £70,000. On 30th November 1854, the first sod was cut at Kington by Lady Bateman and the engineering contract with Brassey & Field was sealed on 5th May 1855.

            Land purchases along the route commenced and construction work started during the summer of 1855. Pembridge was reached on 18th October 1855. Steam locomotives were first used on the line in January 1856 and was opened for construction trains as far as Pembridge on 2nd September 1856. Construction continued – the Pembridge station was nearing completion, the ballast laid as far as Pembridge and the rails reaching Marston Halt crossing by 9th August 1856.

OPENING

            Before Pembridge station and the line could open, the line and buildings had to be inspected and passed by the Board of Trade (BOT). The original plans submitted showed a bridge over the Pembridge to Milton Road, however a level crossing had been constructed instead. This caused the BOT to disallow the opening of the line until this had been rectified. To receive BOT authority to open the line to passenger traffic an additional Act "The Pembridge Level Crossing Act" was drawn up on 22nd July 1857.          On 25th July 1857, an urgent meeting took place between Lord Bateman and the President of the Board of Trade to ask for a retrospective Act to be passed for the Pembridge Level Crossing to allow the line to open for passenger traffic.

            On 27th July 1857, the first ceremonial passenger train ran from Leominster to Kington passing through Pembridge. The train was formed of 2 engines and 30 coaches carrying the railway company shareholders.

            Pembridge station officially opened for regular passenger and goods traffic on 20th August 1857. After some delay going through, the Leominster & Kington Railway (Amendment) Act otherwise known as the “Pembridge Level Crossing Act” finally received Royal Assent on 19th April 1859.

            The Leominster & Kington Railway amalgamated with the Great Western Railway in July 1898 and from this date the GWR took full responsibility for running the line through Pembridge.

Pembridge Station circa 1897

TRACK & SIGNALLING

A new loop line west of Pembridge station, alongside  the existing main line, was planned on 14th May 1879 but not approved. The loop plan was subsequently altered by a new approved loop line west of the station which became the "main line" with  the original main line reduced to a siding on 13th April 1880.       

            Meanwhile, Pembridge’s first signal box was opened in 1879 located on the platform.  This was later replaced by a new second signal box positioned at the start of the main loop in October 1900 by the Great Western Railway (GWR Type 7b with 33 levers) - its GWR signal box nameboard being ordered in May 1901.

            In November 1924 the main loop signal box closed.  It was replaced by a third (second hand) signal box (transferred from Kilkewydd), positioned near to the level crossing. This third signal box remained in use until August 1958.

            Between Pembridge and Titley the Electric Train Staff (ETS) signalling system (used since 1904) was replaced by the Key Token system in 1952.

From 29th August 1958, due to line track rationalisation, Pembridge station loop line was removed, and the siding became the "Main Line" again as it was pre-1880. The signal box located next to the level crossing was also closed from this date.  The branch then became a one engine in steam operation and all the level crossing gates were opened and closed by the train’s guard.

Pembridge crossing loop with 1900-1924 Signal box

PASSENGER TRAFFIC

For many years prior to World War II, some of the Leominster to New Radnor and return trains through Pembridge were worked by locomotives from the Worcester shed.  These  were through trains from Worcester to Leominster (via the Bromyard line), then through Pembridge to Kington and New Radnor. These “through” trains were not publicly advertised as such but passengers could stay on the train at Leominster for onward journey each way.

This practice, however, ceased by October 1941 when the GWR introduced diesel railcars on the Bromyard branch. From this date Kington branch trains used locos from Hereford shed, with Kington branch passenger trains starting and terminating at Leominster.

Pembridge Station circa 1939

PASSENGER CLOSURE

            After nationalisation in 1948 British Railways (BR) took over running the line, but passenger numbers were gradually depleting. The national coal shortage of early 1951 required passenger trains to be temporarily stopped on 5th February 1951. However, although passenger trains resumed from Kington to Leominster through Pembridge from 2nd April 1951, trains from Kington to New Radnor and Presteigne were stopped permanently from the same date. New Radnor to Dolyhir closed completely to all traffic from 31st December 1951.

            Passenger numbers continued to fall and BR finally gave notice on the 7th January 1955 of its intention to close the line to regular passenger services. Although there was a great effort to save the passenger service, British Railways went ahead with their plans and the Leominster to Kington passenger service was withdrawn from Monday 7th February 1955. Pembridge station (along with Kingsland, Titley, Kington Dolyhir and Presteigne) would remain open for goods traffic and parcels.

The last regular Passenger Train ran on Saturday, 5th February 1955 leaving Leominster at 8.25pm to Kington hauled by 0-4-2T No.1413 with a 70ft auto-trailer coach W67W carrying 70 passengers and driver Mr. E. Chapman of Leominster in charge. This last Passenger Train returned from Kington as a special additional advertised train leaving Kington at 9.11pm to Leominster carrying 55 passengers.

                                                 BR Passenger Closure notice January 1955

EXCURSIONS   

            Following regular passenger traffic being withdrawn in 1955, British Railways did run several special through excursions on the line during the following 3 years, with the specials stopping at all stations to destinations of mainly Porthcawl and Barry Island.

            On 27th July, 1957, a special Stephenson Locomotive Society (Midland Area) Centenary Special headed by Loco no. 1455 ran from Tenbury Wells, Woofferton and Leominster to Kington, Dolyhir and Presteigne celebrated 100 years since the line opened on 27th July 1857. It was booked to arrive at Pembridge at 3.55pm, departing at 4.00pm and the return stop at Pembridge was 6.54pm before heading back to Leominster and Woofferton.

On Wednesday 27th August 1958, the last  ever excursion passenger train was an August Bank Holiday Week special to Barry Island. It travellled from Kington calling at all stations (including Pembridge at 11.00am) and returning in the evening (Pembridge arrive 10.32pm). The fare from Pembridge was 9 shillings and 3 pence (9s/3d). Afterwards, no more excursions took place because of the branch signalling and track rationalisation which followed.

SLS Centenary Special at Pembridge 27th July 1957

FINAL LINE CLOSURE

Local goods traffic continued with mainly quarry traffic from Dolyhir quarry until this contract was terminated and goods traffic ceased west of Kington from 9th June 1958.

From July 1958 the line was now used for only one daily pick-up freight service Mondays to Saturdays between Leominster, Kingsland, Pembridge, Titley, Kington & Presteigne.

            From October 1963 the goods service was reduced to three times a week pick up freight service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays only between Leominster, Kingsland, Pembridge, Kington & Presteigne.

Finally, the line closed to all goods traffic which was withdrawn from Monday 28th September 1964.

Pembridge station circa 1962

The final branch pick up freight train ran up the line from Leominster through Pembridge to Kington and Presteigne and then returned through Pembridge to Leominster on Thursday, 24th September 1964 pulled by 0-4-2T No. 1420 departing Leominster 8.20am and arriving back at Leominster 3.40pm.

            The tracks were subsequently lifted by contractors during the Autumn of 1965.                                                   

The last goods train leaves Pembridge for Leominster 24th September 1964

THE ARROW VALLEY RAIL FREIGHT SERVICE

            Following the complete closure of the line in September 1964, a group of local businessmen put forward a plan to purchase the 22 miles of remaining track from British Railways and to run it as freight only service which they had named “The Arrow Valley Rail Freight Service”.

            It was even advertised nationally, appearing as a news article in the Daily Mail on 6th January 1965. Head of BR, Richard Beeching, initially asked for a payment of £80,000 cash or £7,000 a year rent. However, it is understood that eventually BR increased the price with the purpose of blocking the sale. In the event, the plan fell through, and the track lifted later that year.

Pembridge Station circa 1970’s

POST-CLOSURE

            On 8th November 1968, Pembridge station building was sold by British Railways to E.H. Roberts together with the associated right of way. The track bed from Pembridge level crossing to Kingsland was sold to Herefordshire County Council on 25th March 1970. The disused Pembridge goods yard area was sold by British Railways to C.I. Bowen on 29th November 1978.

AUTHOR: KEITH WATSON

MAY 2024.

FOOTNOTE:

Although a native of the city of York, I have strong connections with the village of Pembridge. I have spent many happy holidays in the area all my life and still visit every year.

My late Father’s family originated from the Pembridge area. He was born at Staunton-on-Arrow, my Grandmother was born at Marston, she married my Grandfather who was from York, and I have several relatives buried in Pembridge churchyard.

My late Aunty & Uncle, Doris & George Burton, lived at Church House in Pembridge (opposite the New Inn) – George was the local baker and my Aunty Doris was a signal woman who worked in the Pembridge station level crossing signal box during WWII.

I have had an interest in the Kington railway line for many years and have spent a long time researching it – this article forms a small part of that research.

KW.