We are raising funds to enable us to apply for a Transport and Works Act Order which will allow us to run trains with fare-paying passengers on our 1.5 mile railway line. Our target is £35,000.
Who We Are
We are a registered charity, not-for-profit organisation, powered by a group of volunteers committed to retaining and sharing the history of our unique location. Based near Oswestry in North Shropshire, we are at the very end of the Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway at the Nant Mawr Lime Kilns. The freight-line opened in 1872 and finally closed in 1977.
We have five historic attractions on our site, including what are claimed to be the tallest lime kilns in England, a unique industrial monorail collection, carriages from the closed Coventry Electric Railway Museum and an award-winning environmentally significant open area.
Our main feature is our 1.5 mile railway line that runs from the lime kilns at Nant Mawr down to the Tanat Valley line at Llandu.
The lime kilns were built in the Victorian period and raised to boost production. They had to have the buttresses added to support the extra weight and are claimed to be the tallest in England.
We are custodians of the Richard Morris monorail collection which includes over 70 of these unusual machines. The star is the only steam monorail engine in the world which is currently undergoing restoration.
Several years ago we created “The Green Stage” which includes a Land Art feature containing a spiral path to a viewpoint. This feature is built to look like an eyeball from above, and includes footpaths and an outdoor stage for use in amateur dramatics, acoustic music, recitations and similar events.
Two of the top 200 wildlife sites in Shropshire border the Land Art Field and in 2010 we won the Pride of Shropshire Environmental Award.
Why we need your help
Like most heritage sites our income collapsed last year and to increase visitor numbers to provide a stronger financial base to allow us to maintain and develop the site, we are working to run trains on the full length of our line. To do this we have a legal requirement to apply for a Transport and Works Act Order and this is why we are asking for your support.
Our target is £35,000 which is primarily to cover the cost of a Parliamentary Solicitor who will undertake the work.
Specific projects are in progress maintaining the lime kilns and installing a visual display including trolleys and rail track and to fully restore the industrial monorail equipment, which includes the only monorail steam engine in the world. These projects are funded separately.
As with all heritage sites, income is key to sustainability and the Covid crisis has had a major impact. This Crowdfunding project will allow us to get trains running along our beautiful piece of track for all generations to enjoy together and will be a major boost to the site's restoration.
Thank you!