[2] The GWR immediately made the Cambrian Railways/London & North Western Railway engine shed its divisional base for the new Oswestry locomotive division, allocating it code: OSW.

[2] After a legal tussle between the two competing companies, LNWR and GWR, Parliament authorised building the CR/LNWR sponsored line to Whitchurch in August 1861, driven by the need to regenerate Ellesmere.

However, the proposed route was heavily fought over by land owners, with the eventual tracks running via Fenn's Moss, requiring additional civil engineering, support and drainage to overcome the local bog conditions.

Its construction of 22 locomotive roads and an 11 carriage and wagon works sidings, hastened Oswestry's boom as a railway town: from a population of 5,500 in 1861; to nearly 10,000 40 years later.

In the review under the Beeching cuts the Cambrian Railways line from Whitchurch to Welshpool was decreed surplus to demands, and listed for closure.

During their redevelopment of the car park adjoining the building (which covered the land that previously carried the Oswestry to Gobowen line) a large air raid shelter was uncovered which had tunnels running off it to the old railway works.

[8] CHR has agreed leases with Shropshire Council for an 8.5-mile (13.7 km) section of the Oswestry & Newtown Railway between Gobowen and Blodwel.

[8][9] The CHR applied for a Transport & Works Act Order for transfer of Network Rail's residual rights to itself and this was granted on 28 February 2017.

This permits the CHR to reopen the route from Gobowen to Blodwel Quarry subject to level crossings of the A5 and A483 being replaced by a tunnel and overbridge respectively.

[11] Displays include photographs, signs, lamps, signal box fittings, and artefacts related to the history of the Cambrian Heritage Railways.