The first 60-foot rails from Tata Chemicals Europe's disused Northwich sidings have reached Llangollen and Corwen Railway. Updated November 2026.

Railway track that once served industry at Northwich is being lifted and sent to North Wales, where it could keep steam trains running for a generation. Tata Chemicals Europe has donated what is described as a substantial quantity of track from the disused sidings at its Winnington site, and the first 60-foot rails have now been delivered to Llangollen and Corwen Railway.

Neither organisation has put a length or a value on the gift, and the railway stresses that the track still has to pass engineering checks. A caption on one of the railway’s own pictures says it “will be claiming miles of track”.

Four men standing on a paved area under a broken cloudy sky, three of them in orange high-visibility jackets
David Hennigan, Tim Pulford and Neil Evans from Llangollen Railway with Graham Hughes, Head of Northwich Operations. Photo: supplied by Llangollen and Corwen Railway

It started with a chance meeting

The deal began with a conversation between Pauline Yould, HR and Communications Manager at Tata Chemicals Europe, and Neil Evans of Winsford, a long-serving volunteer and former board member at the railway. The railway credits his “enthusiasm, connections and determination” with turning it into an offer.

The industrial line at Northwich is no longer used, and the company wanted the materials to go somewhere useful rather than be disposed of.

“When we considered the future of the railway track at our Northwich site, which is no longer in use, we wanted these valuable materials to benefit an organisation that could give them a meaningful new purpose,” Yould said. “A chance meeting with Neil Evans opened up a wonderful opportunity, and it is fantastic to see the first rails already arriving at Llangollen and Corwen Railway.”

There is a personal link as well. Many of the railway’s volunteers travel from Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester, and some used to work for ICI and Tata Chemicals.

“What makes this donation particularly special is the connection between our company and the Railway’s volunteers, some of whom previously worked for ICI and Tata Chemicals and now dedicate their time and expertise to keeping this wonderful railway alive,” Yould said.

“The Tata group’s commitment to communities goes right back to our founder, Jamsetji Tata, more than 150 years ago. He believed that communities were at the very heart of business, and that philosophy continues to guide us today.

“We are delighted that materials which once supported industry in Cheshire can now help preserve railway heritage in North Wales.”

Rusty rails and concrete sleepers on stone ballast, running away between trees and cleared banks under a blue sky
Some of the track Llangollen Railway will be claiming. Photo: supplied by Llangollen and Corwen Railway

Why track matters so much to the railway

Llangollen and Corwen Railway runs for eleven miles through the Dee Valley, and it says track renewals are among its most expensive jobs. Renewing the track through the 690-metre Berwyn Tunnel alone cost more than £100,000.

Tim Pulford, the railway’s Heritage Engineering Manager, called the donation “an extraordinary act of generosity”.

“Track is the very foundation of our Railway. Without it, we simply cannot run trains, and maintaining eleven miles of heritage railway is a constant and extremely expensive undertaking,” Pulford said. “To be offered such a substantial quantity of good-quality track is a remarkable opportunity.

“Subject to the necessary engineering inspections and assessments, these materials could help us undertake track renewals for a generation. That is a tremendous prospect for any heritage railway, and it gives us the opportunity to plan for the future with greater confidence.

“It is wonderful to think that railway track which once served industry in Northwich could soon be helping carry steam trains through the Dee Valley.”

What happens next

The rest of the track still has to be recovered and moved from Northwich, which the railway says will take specialist lifting equipment, loading and heavy haulage. Each length is then inspected and assessed before it is prepared for future renewal work.

The railway says its team has already carried out positive inspections of the track on site, though the formal assessment comes before any of it is used. Reusing it could also cut the cost and environmental impact of buying newly made track.

People in orange high-visibility clothing crouched and standing beside railway lines at the edge of a birch wood
The team from Llangollen and Corwen Railway inspecting the track. Photo: supplied by Llangollen and Corwen Railway

Pulford said the gift reached beyond the engineering. “Every piece of track we renew helps protect the Railway for the future, ensuring that children enjoying a steam train journey today can hopefully return with their own children and grandchildren to experience that same magic,” he said.

“What began as a chance conversation has become a remarkable example of the Tata group’s longstanding commitment to communities.”

What it means for you

If you worked at Winnington or know the sidings, this is where part of that site is going: a working steam line between Llangollen and Corwen. The railway’s website has its services, and its volunteer page is the place to start if you would like to join the people from Cheshire who already help keep it running.