Welsh Marches Line

The Welsh Marches Line at Craven Arms in Shropshire.

Steam train approaching Harlescott Crossing near Shrewsbury.

A DMU running northwards from Shrewsbury in the direction of Crewe.

The Welsh Marches Line is the railway line from Newport to Shrewsbury via Abergavenny, Hereford, Craven Arms, and then, either to Crewe and Manchester via Whitchurch or alternately via the Shrewsbury and Chester Line to Wrexham and Chester with services continuing to Holyhead. The line in this way links South Wales to northwest England via the Welsh border region of the Welsh Marches, bypassing Birmingham, it is sometimes known as the "North and West route". Most trains to Chester, the North Wales Coast and Holyhead start from Cardiff, while many services to Crewe and Manchester now start from Milford Haven or Carmarthen and also serve Swansea and Cardiff.

The cities, towns and villages served by the routes are listed below from south to north:

• Newport
  • connections with the South Wales Main Line and line to Gloucester
• Cwmbran
• Pontypool and New Inn
• Abergavenny

• Hereford
  • connection with Cotswold Line to Worcester
• Leominster
• Ludlow
• Craven Arms
  • connection with the Heart of Wales Line to Llanelli
• Church Stretton
• Shrewsbury
  • connection with Cambrian Line to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli, and the line to Wolverhampton.
  • through services via the Shrewsbury to Chester Line to Wrexham, Chester and Holyhead.
• Yorton
• Wem
• Prees
• Whitchurch
• Wrenbury
• Nantwich
• Crewe
  • connection with West Coast Main Line, and North Wales Coast Line to Holyhead
  • through services to Manchester

Arriva Trains Wales runs services on the line and many continue to Manchester Piccadilly, via Stockport or else to Holyhead via Wrexham and Chester.

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Railway lines in Wales:
Main lines:	Gloucester-Newport Line   North Wales Coast Line   Shrewsbury-Chester Line   South Wales Main Line   Welsh Marches Line
Valley lines:		Butetown Branch		City Line		Coryton Line		Ebbw Valley Line		Maesteg Line
		Merthyr Line		Rhondda Line		Rhymney Line		Vale of Glamorgan Line
Rural lines:	Borderlands Line   Cambrian Line   Conwy Valley Line   Heart of Wales Line   West Wales Line

Railway lines in Central England:
Main lines:	Cross-Country Route   Midland Main Line   West Coast Main Line  Birmingham-Peterborough via Leicester Line   Birmingham-Worcester via Bromsgrove Line    Birmingham-Worcester via Kidderminster Line   Cherwell Valley Line   Chiltern Main Line    London-Aylesbury Line   Trent Valley Line   Welsh Marches Line   Wolverhampton-Shrewsbury Line
Commuter lines:	Birmingham-Rugeley "Chase" Line   Birmingham-Stratford Line   Birmingham-Walsall Line    Coventry-Nuneaton Line   Cross-City Line   Leicester-Loughborough "Ivanhoe" Line    Northampton Loop Line   Robin Hood Line   Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line    Stourbridge Junction-Stourbridge Town Line   Walsall-Wolverhampton Line
Rural lines:	Cotswold Line   Crewe-Derby Line   Derwent Valley Line   Leamington-Stratford Line    Marston Vale Line   Nottingham-Lincoln Line   Nottingham to Grantham Line    Oxford-Bicester Line   Princes Risborough-Aylesbury Line   Shrewsbury-Chester Line