Enjoy a great weekend at WW2 event to commemorate Abbey Station's role as Shrewsbury's air raid recautions HQ.

Visitors will be able to see a fantastic display of memorabilia including original WW2 ARP cycles, mannequins, an ‘unexploded bomb’, historic military vehicles and much more.

The exhibition will commemorate the building’s role as Shrewsbury’s ARP post during WW2 when it directed the Fire and Rescue services to any incident. It takes place from 10am to 4pm on 31 May and 1 June 1 at Abbey Station, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury with free admission.

SRHT Director and Trustee; David Morris has been planning the WW2 Exhibition at the Abbey Station Visitor Centre; and the trustees of Shrewsbury Railway Heritage Trust have been most fortunate to have the valuable assistance of local collector and WW2 enthusiast Nick Holden, who will be displaying some of his artefacts, for example an original Shropshire & Montgomery Railway lamp (in original condition!); an unrestored 1930’s Hercules ARP military bicycle, a 1947 Mercury Army bicycle and a Royal Enfield WW2 Dispatch / Airborne motorcycle.

David Morris said: “We are always keen to tell people about the use of the Abbey Station building as an ARP post during the World War 2 period.  We know that Shrewsbury’s  ARP HQ was situated in the Grade II Listed Claremont Buildings overlooking Shrewsbury’s Quarry, but very little is known about the ARP’s use of The Trust’s building in Abbey Foregate, during this period of time.  We are always collecting more information about the building during the war period. Abbey Station was re-opened to service the line; which the War Department had re-laid, and which took staff and armaments to the large camp at Nesscliffe. This small railway played an important role in the ‘big picture’ of winning the war, with 200,000 tons of ammunition transported to and from the Nesscliffe Central Ammunition Depot. Abbey Station will play host to what promises to be a splendid exhibition of World War 2 memorabilia, to commemorate what must have been the busiest time for our railway.

David Morris concluded: “Working with Shropshire-based enthusiast - Nick Holden, we are intending to recreate the atmosphere of the period, by transforming the inside of the Station Building into an ARP depot, with appropriate memorabilia, which will include mannequins wearing ‘authentic clothing of the period’; artefacts from locations along the original line, and display material. The Shropshire & Border Counties Military Vehicle Trust will provide some interesting historic military vehicles, parked near the Abbey Church, which will be entirely free to all of our visitors”.

For more information, visit: abbeystationshrewsbury.com