FOUNDER members of a society that has led to the railways returning to Oswestry were able to celebrate 50 years with a trip on the restored line.

They were there to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Cambrian Railways Society on Sunday, July 10 to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the group which laid the foundations of the current heritage railway operation.

And to commemorate the occasion on the day, there was a tree-planting event for people travelling from far and wide, as well as trip from Oswestry to Weston Wharf.

A spokesman for the group said: "In 1972 British Rail was in the process of demolishing and tearing up most of Oswestry’s large railway infrastructure to leave just a single track running though the station site for stone trains.

"A group of local enthusiasts got together to try to preserve just some of the heritage and the Cambrian Railways Society officially came into being on July 12 that year.

"The Society secured the tenancy of the goods shed in Oswald Road and Oswestry South signal box on Coney Green as well as buying all the sidings on the south western side of the station and began the task of forming the museum and acquiring rolling stock.

"Surviving members of the Society approached the Cambrian Heritage Railways (CHR) board with the suggestion that the important anniversary be marked in an appropriate way and it was agreed that a commemorative oak tree be planted at Weston Wharf station.

"Members travelled from as far away as Cumbria and Preston to board the 11am departure from Oswestry station to Weston Wharf where the tree was planted.

"It was dedicated by Glyn Evans, a former trustee of Cambrian Heritage Railways and a Church in Wales lay reader, to mark not only the 50th anniversary of the Cambrian Railways Society but the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and the Centenary of the amalgamation the of the original Cambrian Railways Company with the Great Western Railway."

Those present were invited to place some soil around the young Quercus ilex (Holm Oak) which had been sourced by Cambrian Railways Orchard Project, a sub group of CHR which runs an orchard in land adjacent to the Gobowen branch line.

A commemorative plaque was unveiled by Lionel Price, the original Minutes Secretary and who still volunteers as a booking clerk.

Among those who attended was Peter Miller, the original vice chairman of the society who, at the time, was a teacher at Oswestry Boys’ High School.