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[[File:Sterns_20160723.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The telegraph pole at Sterns (summer)]][[File:Sterns_20180325.jpg|thumb|300px|right| The telegraph pole at Sterns (spring)]]'''Sterns ''' is a location situated between [[Hampton Loade]] and [[Bridgnorth]], at the foot of [[Eardington Bank]] , at approximately MP [[Gradient profile and mileages|milepost 147]]. It is the point at which a place where the [[River Severn]] is closest approaches close to the railway, and is notorious as a maintenance trouble spot, due to the ground regularly slipping towards the river many times on numerous occasions over the history of the railway, especially after periods of heavy rain. The line of telegraph poles adjacent to the railway vividly illustrates this, with ; one post having been carried away from which stood next to the line by ground movements since the mid-1970strack until shortly before 1979<ref>SVR News 52 p26 notes that the poles were adjacent to the track until shortly before 1979.</ref>, has been carried a significant distance towards the river by ground movements since that time and is now only just visible in the trees towards the river. The post is mentioned in the Railway's [[From The Window]] booklet as one of the items to see during the journey and it carries a yellow flash to make it more visible.
==Repair work==
SVR News and newsletters regularly refer to repair work at Sterns. Some examples are as follows:
*Over the winter of [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979#1977 | 1976-77]], intense cold followed by heavy rain resulted in the line dropping 2ft 6" and moving 4ft nearer the river.
*In [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1990-1999#1995|1994-95]] ten feet of river bank was washed away, triggering further slippage. 3,000 tons of rock was deposited on the river bank as a temporary measure.
*In the [[2007 Storm Damage|Summer 2007 storm damage]], the first severe thunderstorm did not affect Sterns, but further slips began in the following weeks as the wet weather continued. Part of the solution involved building a 150 foot long piled concrete retaining wall alongside Sterns Cottage, the house alongside the line on the side nearer the river.
<gallery>Sterns_20160514.jpg| The cap of the 150 foot retaining wall alongside Sterns Cottage</gallery>*In February 2014, evidence of further subsidence appeared with a significant dip in the line. Pictures of the repair Repair work in progress can be seen in this news archive page on was undertaken over the [http://wwwfollowing months.svrlive.com/Pages/News0414.aspx <ref>SVR Live] web siteApril 2014</ref><gallery>Sterns_20140316.jpg|Dip in the line in 2014 seen from the DMU</gallery> *Following [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2020-2029#2020|extensive flooding in February 2020]] land movements were again observed. A comprehensive drainage network was proposed to collect rainwater and transport it to the river in an efficient manner before it can could get down to the slip planes and exacerbate the problem.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/bljun20 Branch Lines, June 2020] (Retrieved 26 June 2020)</ref> Contractors Walsh Construction completed this water management work by 29 July as planned, with the final item being the lining of the existing drainage ditch with concrete canvas.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/blaug20 Branch Lines, August 2020] (Retrieved 3 August 2020)</ref>
The section of line through Sterns was for many years under a strict 5mph speed limit, with drainage improvements and earthworks in 2013/14 finally allowing for the limit to be increased to 15mph (although further ground movement led to the reinstatement of a lower temporary speed limit soon after). A consequence of this speed restriction is that northbound trains are made to work harder as they are prevented from ‘taking a run’ at Eardington Bank.
<gallery>
File: Sterns_1_20150228.jpg|The Another view of the displaced telegraph pole (highlighted)
File: Sterns_2_20150228.jpg|Evidence of 2014 repair work is still visible
</gallery>
==See also==
*[[From The Window]]
==References==
<references />
