The Station Which Awaits, Park Hall Halt, Gobowen, Shropshire

Close to the Welsh border, running from the village of Gobowen in Shropshire to the town of Oswestry is an abandoned railway. Between the two is Park Hall Halt station, a tiny crumbling shadow of it's former self. However, unlike the majority of Britain's disused lines and stations, this one, closed to passengers in the sixties, has a potentially optimistic future.

[@huleco1085]

Fascinating video! My father spent a lot of time as a patient in the Orthopaedic Hospital in the 1950’s and 1960’s and I remember Park Hall Halt very well indeed! We used to catch a train from the bay platform at Oswestry Station to Park Hall Halt, walk up the slope to the main road and along to the hospital

[@SueBuxton]

Thankyou for this video brought back memories for me. In 1958 my family lived at Park Hall Army camp and it was an adventure for me and friends to walk to the railway bridge and hang over as the steam trains passed under the bridge.. Then wander down to the station and chat with the station master

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Appreciate you watching Sue. The line has been given the green light to reopen in some capacity, so you may yet see trains running on it again.

[@jonb4020]

It would be brilliant to see this open again! - along with many of the other old lines and stations that were closed.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks for watching. Indeed it would, watch this space!!

[@terrylalley]

This is another scary visit to my past. I used to travel as a child on the Gobowen to Oswestry spur on a train powered by a small tank loco on a push n pull basis using a token system. My mum worked in the orthopedic hospital too before I was born. I now feel VERY old

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks Terry. May well see trains running again soon.

[@davidgrainger5378]

You did not mention the big army camp that was at Park Hall. My mother told me that my dad was stationed there for most of the war and that she used to visit him getting a train from Birmingham to Gobowen then what she called the 'little train' to Park Hall. About 20 years ago I visited and found a volunteer repainting the station name board. Attempt to reopen the line have so far come to nothing..

[@anthonymoore6009]

I would willingly dump the BBC and replace it with Pastfinder TV. Good research and delivery as usual Bob. The post next to the first station sign is a lamp holder as shown at about 1 minute into film.

[@jameswells6003]

Does Bob do test match commentary? If not we'll still need the BBC.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

@@jameswells6003 302 - 8 for and England are well and truly blowing it.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks, No subscription necessary!

[@jons822]

Stop off Halt for National Servicemen to be collected for Park Hall RA Training Camp with..'You're in The Army Now ! '

[@germancarfan]

Nice video on the station, just heard today they are re-opening it!

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thank you.

[@johnb6723]

All the old railroads need to be reopened. If they were needed in the 1950s, they're needed now.

[@22pcirish]

It can’t be done, nor do we on the railway need little trundling lines going from nowhere to somewhere just as remote.

[@openmicfraternity1946]

The photo at 7:35 is intriguing. It’s a parcels only diesel unit with a restored GWR auto trailer (probably 163 which is owned by the Cambrian Heritage Railways). I suspect this was a delivery run to Oswestry of the trailer, but if so that is strange that it is on the front facing Oswestry. A passenger special would not have used the parcels unit. Great video as ever.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Hi, The pic shows the train heading north to Gobowen so quite feasible that it could return to Oswestry and drop the coach off after. I remember seeing these around Reading back in the day.

[@openmicfraternity1946]

@@PASTFINDERexploring yes, I can remember them at Reading in the 1970s too 😀

[@cliveroberts5748]

The auto coach belongs to some of our members .The DPU came from Chester to run a special up and down from Oswestry to Park Hall Halt for the day.

[@bobsrailrelics]

Very good review of the station and let's hope it sees use soon.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Cheers Bob, looks quite optimistic

[@levelcrossing150]

A great video on this lost station.

[@andrewmiller9654]

Very interesting video Bob. Thanks for sharing ❤

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks for watching Andy.

[@davidberlanny3308]

Hi Bob, I thought for a moment you were going to show us a branch into the hospital grounds but on closer inspection it turns out there were three buildings that created the sensation of a curve, nothing on railmaps😅😅 It would be great if reopening provided a new service. Not heard of this line before thanks very much giving it some publicity. Have a great weekend!!

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Hi David, I thought that when Iooked at the hospital layout. I heard that at very least there is a plan to use the Pacers to run between Gobowen and Park Hall Halt in the near future. Thanks as always for watching.

[@joshuaethan]

The platform was shortened in the early 1960s the cut and slope at the Oswestry end shown in your photograph indicate where the platform was

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks Andrew, was the platform previously made from the original pre 1940s section and the post 1940s section together then shortened in the 60s?

[@richiep7812]

Very good video. Just shows you how stupid Shropshire council are and how disorganised they are to try and get things on track.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Thanks for watching. Most councils are equally incompetent. Despite the green light being given for reopening, I'm not hugely optimistic.

[@sarahjoyholden7856]

I live in Oswestry and theve just got government funding to reopen the line to Oswestry in the near future

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Yes, so I hear. Let's hope it comes to fruition.

[@robbenson4598]

Not until the A5 trunk road is modified....so unfortunatly, unlikely to happen in the next 5 years

[@markgriffin9230]

The future seems bright for this little line. Would this line's trains share CHR's terminus at Oswestry? Really enjoyed the video!

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Hi Mark, thanks for watching. That's a question I posed. Good news for the CHR to have a link to the national network though.

[@markgriffin9230]

@@PASTFINDERexploring Oh yes absolutely! Love visiting Oswestry myself, but it's not the most straightforward to get to from my location if you don't drive (which I don't 😟). Hoping for good things from the project and thanks again for the great content :)

[@garysmith1206]

I live near there and I don't think that crossing has ever been used. The Oswestry bypass was built after they closed the Oswestry Station.

[@PASTFINDERexploring]

Hi Gary, last train ran in 1988.

[@garysmith1206]

@@PASTFINDERexploring Thats seems about right the bypass was finished in 1990.

[@bernardjohnson474]

I think that part of the bypass opened in December 1986.@@garysmith1206