Derwen College was proud to be among the passengers on a special charter train bound for London, backing plans for a new direct rail link between Wrexham and the capital.
The Gobowen‑based specialist further education college joined the high‑profile journey to support Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway’s (WSMR) proposal for a direct Wrexham–London service, even bringing along homemade cakes baked by the College’s Hospitality & Food team.
Commercial Development Manager Pete Evans and teacher Teresa Richards, who runs the Derwen College‑led café at Gobowen Station, joined the train at Gobowen before travelling on to London Euston. They had just three minutes to load on a dozen delicious cakes, made at College, before the charter service carried on its journey, stopping at key stations across Shropshire and the West Midlands. Stops included Gobowen, Shrewsbury, Wellington and Wolverhampton, before arriving in the capital, where supporters delivered a letter to 10 Downing Street in support of the proposed route.
Passengers included local members of parliament including Shrewsbury MP Julia Buckley. MP for North Shropshire Helen Morgan joined to support the campaign once they arrived in London.
Derwen College has 182 students from across England, as well as many local learners. Families often travel long distances to reach the college, and a direct rail connection would make these journeys much easier. Students returning after holidays, parents visiting, and young people learning to travel independently would all benefit from a route that avoids changing trains at Shrewsbury or Chester.
Staff and students also make regular trips to Birmingham and London for conferences, placements and events. A direct service would reduce journey times, remove the risk of missed connections and create a clearer, more accessible link between this rural area and the capital.
Principal and CEO Meryl Green said:
“A direct Wrexham–London rail link would be a significant step forward for accessibility in our region. Many of our students travel long distances to study here, and a simpler, faster journey would have a huge impact on their independence and wellbeing. We fully support WSMR’s proposal and look forward to the positive opportunities it could bring for our learners and the wider community.”
The College is in discussions with WSMR about expanding work experience opportunities for learners. Derwen already offers real‑life training through its on‑site café, restaurant and training hotel (in partnership with Premier Inn), as well as its busy café at Gobowen Station. An increase in passenger numbers at Gobowen would create valuable opportunities for students to develop hospitality and customer service skills.
WSMR has expressed enthusiasm for broadening partnership opportunities, which could lead to new work experience placements and potential employment routes for learners in the future.
Hospitality students prepared homemade cakes for passengers to enjoy during the charter journey. Pete Evans also made his debut as a train announcer, welcoming everyone who boarded at Gobowen and sharing the story of Derwen College.
Pete said: “It was a real privilege to be on board and to share Derwen College’s story with passengers. It was brilliant to see people enjoying the cakes made by our Hospitality students too. They were a real hit across the carriages.”
He also thanked Severn Dee Travel, who run the Gobowen ticket office and have enabled Derwen College students to work at the Station Café for more than a decade.
Derwen College is proud to back the proposed direct service and hopes to see the WSMR bid move forward for the benefit of students, families and the wider community.
The petition currently has 2,500 supporters. To add your name, visit:
www.change.org/p/restore-direct-trains-to-london-from-wrexham-shropshire-and-the-midlands
