An historic railway station may become part of a tourism trail under plans put forward by a heritage trust group.
Mansell Williams, chairman of Shrewsbury Railway Heritage Trust, will meet with Shropshire County Council officials to discuss a planning application for a heritage centre and trail at the old Abbey Foregate Railway Station.
The move follows a meeting between the trust and its board of directors for a £100,000 open-air exhibition, similar to the courtyard area at the nearby Shropshire Wildlife Trust.
Mr Williams will discuss this plan, along with a second phase to transform the existing railway building into a heritage centre, with the help of additional funding. He will also put forward the idea of the council helping the trust to open up the old Shrewsbury and Montgomeryshire Light Railway line, in operation in the 1860s.
Mr Williams said: “I am in discussion with SCC to see whether we can get support from them for the much wider scheme of developing the old railway line as a cycleway, walkway and heritage trail.
“We are looking for extra funding for the whole idea of a heritage trail which would give us off road cycling and make it safe for walkers all the way between Shrewsbury and the line’s Welsh terminus Llanymynech.
“This is relatively low cost and so in these economic strained times this is a real opportunity for the new council and for Shropshire to develop something invaluable and low maintenance in to the future.
“It is also a place where we would organise people’s days and weekends out and provide detailed cycle route information.”
Last year the trust submitted plans to Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council for a heritage centre at a cost of £350,000. But trust members have since revised the plans to bring the first phase in line with money already allocated for the project by the borough..”