Trustworthy, administrator
11,876
edits
Changes
m
formatting (due to display error not shown when previewing)
:On Friday 25 June 1965, the 'Kidderminster Shuttle' reported that BR had withdrawn the 8.30am 'Cathedrals Express' service from Kidderminster to London. Keith Beddoes, a local railway enthusiast, discussed this with a group of colleagues at work. The subject changed to the attempts to reopen part of the Bluebell line, and Beddoes suggested that the same could be done here.<ref name=MagnerBeddoes>[[Bibliography#Books|Magner (1997)]], pp 60-64, "Personal memories of Mr Keith Beddoes"</ref>
:Letters were written to the local press over that weekend, and on Monday they responded, suggesting a meeting. This took place at the house of Tony Tuite, a colleague of Beddoes, on the evening of Tuesday 29 June. Those present decided to organise a public meeting and arrangements to advertise this were put in hand.<ref name=MagnerBeddoes/><br>
'''July 1965'''
:On Sunday 25 July, the Society made a second visit to inspect the line between [[Hampton Loade]] and Bridgnorth. They discovered that since their first visit, BR had resumed the removal of track from Bridgnorth Station towards [[Kidderminster]]. The Society authorised John Garth to send a telegram to British Rail asking them to stop taking up the line. This was sent on Monday 26th, and at 5pm on 28 July BR agreed to a stay of execution while negotiations took place.<ref name=Magner43/>
<br>
'''August 1965'''
:Another public meeting took place at Bridgnorth on 31 August, attended by between 50-80 people. The proposals were generally well received.<ref name=Magner43/><ref name=Cleaver/>
<br>
'''September 1965'''
:The first working party took place at Bridgnorth station on Sunday 26 September.<ref name=Magner43/> Regular Sunday afternoon de-weeding of the track and painting of the buildings continued throughout the 1960s as the station was gradually restored to working condition.
<br>
'''October 1965'''
:Having obtained a professional valuation of the station buildings, the Society posted a tender to BR Estates on 21 October offering £25,000 for the line from Bridgnorth to milepost 144½. On 26 October four members of the Society, led by John Garth, met with BR to discuss this.<ref name = SVR191/><ref name=Magner43/>
<br>
'''November 1965'''
