Engineered by David Wylie of Shrewsbury, Lady Bateman cut the first sod at Kington, with a silver spade into a special built barrow that can be seen preserved today at the Leominster Museum.

Eventually, it was agreed to open the line under a temporary order, subject to retrospective application and government approval of the level crossing.

When they reached Kington, the directors retired to the Oxford Arms Hotel, where with 300 guests then Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Hastings CB presided over lunch.

The return journey was completed with dinner for the same 300 guests at the Royal Oak Hotel, Leominster, presided over by Lord Bateman.

As the line was rural, and based in the Welsh Marches farm district, the main revenue was earned from transporting goods to the various markets.

Sheep and cattle which had been driven to Kington on the various drovers trails, were now transported to their original destination of Hereford by train.

Often on market days, seven or eight cattle trucks were attached to the Hereford-bound passenger service, specifically for bull transportation.

With need for new hospital capacity out of the reach of Nazi Luftwaffe bombers, the British government looked at sites in the Welsh Marches, which had the convenience of being accessible.