Changes

Following the closure of the Severn Valley Branch in 1963, the condition of the footbridge deteriorated and by 1967 owners Bridgnorth Rural Borough Council had announced plans for its demolition.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] p. 105.</ref> In January 1969 SVR News reported that a public “Save the Footbridge” appeal had been launched and that Sir Alfred Owen, Managing Director of the Rubery Owen organisation who built the original footbridge, had visited Bridgnorth. The ‘Footbridge Appeal Fund’ was organised by Bridgnorth member Roger Sellick and was independent of the SVR Company.<ref>SVR News 11, “The Station Footbridge”</ref> £1,500 had been raised by early 1971.<ref>SVR News 19, “Matters of Moment”, R.H Dunn</ref>

The footbridge was closed to the public in 1970, the same year in which the SVR opened in preservation. As part of an agreement in December 1973 between the SVR Company and Rubery Owen (under which they become [[Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC#Notable shareholdings|shareholders in the SVR]]), the SVR acquired the Hollybush Road Footbridge from Bridgnorth Council for a nominal sum of £1, and the 1984 budget included a capital project for the reconstruction of the bridge.<ref>SVR News 31, ‘Boardroom Notes’</ref> Following the demolition of the bridge in 1976, interest appears to have waned. However in 1982 Bill Hinkley happened on the copies of SVR News reporting on the old bridge and the attempts to save it and began to canvas opinions on building a new bridge.<ref name=SVR112>SVR News 112, “The Bridgnorth Footbridge Saga”, Bill Hinckley</ref> . Following an agreement between the SVR Company and Rubery Owen (under which they become shareholders in the SVR), the 1984 budget included a capital project for the reconstruction of Hollybush Road Footbridge.<ref>SVR News 31, ‘Boardroom Notes’</ref> By 1995 a committee had been formed and over the next three years designs were drawn up and planning permission obtained.<ref name=SVR112/>

The Trust was formed in the late 1980s<ref name=SVR112/> and was granted charitable status on 1 June 1989 as Charity number 701636.<ref name=CC>[http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/RemovedCharityMain.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=701636&SubsidiaryNumber=0 Chatity Charity Commission website] (retrieved 22 March 2018)</ref> On 30 March 1990 the Trust’s president, Sir William McAlpine, launched the Bridgnorth Footbridge Appeal seeking to raise £275,000 towards the cost of constructing a new footbridge.<ref>SVR News 96</ref>