A Virtual Stroll Along the Mickle Trafford-Shotton Railway



passing trainAfter negotiating the steel fences at each end of the derelict bridge carrying the defunct railway over the Chester-Runcorn line- seen on the previous page- we pass through more fields and woodland to the environs of Mickle Trafford, where we meet the line once again- and, after travelling for so long on a peaceful, empty trackbed, are suddenly surprised by the roar of a real train rushing by!

We deemed it inadvisable to attempt to cross the live rails at this point- a view reinforced by the warning from the man in the signal box!- and therefore decided to call it a day and retraced our steps back to Chester.

We hope you have enjoyed the sights and sounds- and the peace and tranquility- of our stroll along the old railway, that you have been impressed by the improvements brought about by the construction of the superb greenway- and are as angry as the rest of its enthusiastic new users that it stands in danger of being wrecked by the ill-conceived council plan to construct the CDTS guided busway along much of it...

If you, in common with many, many more of Chester's citizens, feel you would like to see this old railway restored in a manner which would preserve its rural peace, but make it available to all to enjoy as a safe car-free route for efficiently getting around Chester and district, MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD NOW- before it's too late!

As the Government Office for the North West will be taking the final decision upon Chester's Local Transport Plan, we urge all those wishing to prevent the CDTS Busway destroying the new SUSTRANS route to write to: Eira Hughes, Director of Planning, Government Office for the Northwest, Sunley Tower, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester M1 4BE. Email: ehughs.gonw@go-regions.gov.uk

October 2009: This entire site is long overdue for a re-write in order to reflect the amazing changes that have come about since much of it was written. Over the years, I have been photographing the changes and collecting all the relevant material and now only require the financial means to get it done. Can you help?

mickle trafford station 1949
Mickle Trafford Station in 1949


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