29 Apr 2025
A heart-warming celebration took place recently at Plas Pentwyn, Coedpoeth, as residents gathered to honour the railway heritage of Minera.
Once the lifeblood of the area in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, Minera’s mineral railway lines were brought back to life during a special launch event for Timeless Tracks, a beautifully curated booklet of memories, history and creative expression.
The event was delivered in partnership with the 3 Counties Connected Community Rail Partnership, Minera’s Coffee Companions Group and the Minera Community Agent. It marked the culmination of weeks of workshops held at Minera Lead Mines, where members of the local community shared stories, wrote poetry and created artwork that now live on in Timeless Tracks.
As part of the nationwide Railway 200 celebrations, commemorating 200 years of modern railways, the event also paid tribute to the enduring impact of the rail industry in shaping communities, careers and connections.
Visitors were treated to displays of creative and historical works, including poetry, photography, artefacts and an impressive large-scale map of the Minera Lime Works. One of the event’s highlights was a nostalgic collection of model trains and lorries exhibited by local resident Brian, who carried the final load of materials from Minera Quarry before its closure in 1994.
Brian said: “I was pleased to be invited to take part in the event. It was a real privilege to display my models of the trains and lorries, they represent a big part of Minera’s history. The quarry and railway gave me, and many others, a good, honest living for nearly 37 years. I’m proud to have been involved and to see that part of our working lives recognised and remembered.”
Among Brian’s models was a faithful replica of the Leyland lorry he drove on that final day, a vehicle he now owns and has lovingly restored after more than three decades.
Josie Rayworth, Community Rail Officer for the 3 Counties Connected Community Rail Partnership said: “It’s been a real privilege to get to know this community, I’ve felt truly welcomed. We’ve shared so many laughs over the past few months, and I really looked forward to our Tuesday mornings together. The project has become a beautiful album of memories, full of warmth, humour and history. I’ve absolutely loved being part of it.”
Susan, a member of the Coffee Companions Group, added: “The Tuesday coffee mornings were something we all really looked forward to. It gave everyone a buzz and brought people together. I was glad to help Josie with the event, it was nice to be part of it. It felt good to see the village come together and to share memories of how things used to be.”
The Timeless Tracks booklet, unveiled at the event, helped raise nearly £200 for the Coffee Companions Group. The funds will go toward supporting the group’s ongoing activities and long-term sustainability. A dynamic digital version of the booklet is now available to view on the 3 Counties Connected website: https://3countiesconnected.org.uk/projects/timeless-tracks/
Notes to editors
The 3 Counties Connected Community Rail Partnership covers the rail services and engages with the communities along the line of route between Chester - Shrewsbury – Crewe via Wrexham operating across the Wales and England Border, covering the local authorities of Cheshire West, East & Chester, Wrexham County Borough and Shropshire Council.
3 Counties Connected is a new Community Rail Partnership established in April 2022, funded by Transport for Wales and Avanti West Coast, and hosted by Groundworks North Wales. The overall purpose of the Community Rail Partnership is to encourage greater use of sustainable travel on rail services through increased participation of local communities in their rail line.
This is achieved through a range of activities at and surrounding local train stations to provide economic, social and environmental benefits to the region’s residents and visitors.
The aim is to engage people with a green way of living, encourage different community groups to get involved in station adoption and investing in the Chester – Shrewsbury – Crewe line as a gateway to show what all North Wales and the border areas have to offer.
Groundwork North Wales is a charity who aims to work with local communities to improve wellbeing. They support people facing challenges, struggling with isolation, health issues or limited employment through a diverse range of projects and services. Their work is largely focused on the environment and sustainability.
