Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1977

1977 timetable

This page provides a timeline of events on the Severn Valley Railway during 1977. For the first time, the SVR ran limited services in January and February, on Sundays between Bewdley and Arley.

Passenger numbers for the year (excluding schools parties) fell slightly to just under 100,000, but SVR Membership increased by 1,609 to reach 7,034 by the year end.

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Early 1977

On the night of 1 January, Bridgnorth signal box suffered a fire that started in the mains electricity switchgear, which was situated in a large wooden box under the staircase. From there, the fire quickly spread to the staircase and surrounding floorboards. Bridgnorth Fire Brigade attended promptly and managed to save most of the structure, confining damage to the southern end. The resulting damage to the structure and equipment took several months to repair.

Over the winter, intense cold followed by heavy rain resulted in the line at Sterns dropping 2ft 6" and moving 4ft nearer the river. Work on Borle Viaduct was suspended while this was resolved, and through services over the viaduct were 3 weeks late starting as a result. A large part of the front car park at Bridgnorth had also collapsed.

Erection of the steelwork (ex-Portskewett) for the new Bridgnorth Loco Works began on 21 February.

During spring, work continued to remove the track work from Alveley Sidings. Two sets of switches were taken to Foley Park and installed as trap points, one in each direction, to prevent unauthorised movements over the connection between the SVR and BR. Other lengths of track were used to lengthen the siding at Eardington to form the rear siding at Arley.

March 1977

Viscount Cobham died on 20 March. A staunch supporter of the SVR, he was the first President of the SVR during the public floatation of the Holdings Company in 1972.

Following the first working to Foley Park which had taken place during the previous year's Enthusiasts Gala, permission to run trains to Foley Park in 1977 was refused until the whole of the Bewdley signalling had been completed and inspected. Signalling work at Bewdley North and Bewdley South signal boxes was completed in time to be commissioned on 20 March.. Maj. Olver of the Railway Inspectorate carried out an ispection on 25 March and approved the upgrade the section of line from Bewdley to Foley Park for passenger working, although in the absence of run-round facilities, services would be required to be 'top and tailed'. The Railway intended to run trains over this section on "Enthusiasts' Days and Public Bank Holidays", with the 1977 timetable advertising running to Foley Park on 10-12 April (Easter), 5-7 June (The Queen's Silver Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend) and 28-30 August (August Bank Holiday).

April 1977

Bridgnorth Loco shed was completed and brough into use just before Easter.

After a 6-year restoration, BR Standard 4MT 80079 entered traffic on 17 April during the Spring Steam Gala, working the 12:00 Foley Park to Bridgnorth service.

11 SVR coaches were used on a main line trip to Chester on 23 April. 48773 hauled the service from Bridgnorth to Bewdley, other motive power during the day included the locomotives King George V and Princess Elizabeth.

May 1977

6960 Raveningham Hall arrived on 13 May.

A 'Vintage Weekend' was held on 21-22 May, staged jointly with the Birmingham Museum of Transport Society.

June 1977

Cowans Sheldon 30-ton steam crane RS 1091/30 was acquired from Chester West, arriving on 24 June.

August 1977

'German Tank' DRG 64 305 was sold to the Nene Valley Railway and left the SVR after it was found that issues with clearances meant it could not be used on the SVR without substantial modification.

September 1977

The Enthusiasts Weekend on 10-11 September saw 10 SVR locos in steam including 7819 Hinton Manor and 6960 Raveningham Hall. The Saturday also saw the grand opening of the cast iron gentlemen's toilet on Bewdley’s island platform, following its relocation from Melrose in Scotland. The ceremony was carried out by the Mayor of Bewdley, who congratulated the Railway on opening the town's first public urinal on that side of the river.

A major project began to carry out track repairs and alterations at Bridgnorth over the winter. As well as replacing worn out sleeprs and pointwork, this would involve removing redundant point work, particularly at the south end of the station, to provide a layout more suited to the use of Bridgnorth as a terminal station and reducing future maintenance costs. The signal box was closed on 25 September with all movements in the station controlled by flagmen and the token machines moved to the stationmasters office. Rodding and fitments for redundant points were then removed. The connection to 'George's Siding' was severed during the second week of October, and the crossovers at the South end removed on 20 November.

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  Plan of the 1977-78 alterations at Bridgnorth
  Roger Norfolk / SVR News

November 1997

45000 arrived on loan from the NRM on 19 November.

December 1997

Christmas services ran from Bewdley to Santa's Grotto at Arley on weekends from 3 to 24 December inclusive, with three departures each day. Post-Christmas 'Mince Pie Specials' ran daily from 26 December to 2 January inclusive.

Date not recorded

The Severn Valley Country Sound released an LP Just For You through Tank Records, with a cover featuring the band posing on 43106.

During the year the ex-Stourbridge Junction platform station clock was installed under the canopy on the island platform at Bewdley.

Steam locomotives used

A table of steam locomotives used and their mileages can be found on the Steam Locomotive Mileages page.

See also

• The Severn Valley Railway in preservation

Severn Valley Railway

British Rail or British Railways

Major Peter M. Olver of the Royal Engineers served with the DoT's Railway Inspectorate between 1965 and 1989. He regularly carried out the annual inspections and approved new works on the SVR.