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[[File: CR_828_Safari_Park_20120325.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Gala visitor CR 828 passes the Safari Park in 2012]]The '''West Midland Safari and Leisure Park''', often referred to as Bewdley Safari Park, opened in adjoins the spring of 1973 under its original name of the West Midland Safari ParkSVR. It attracted 700,000 people in 2018 and features a four-mile safari drive through. In January 2019 it was acquired by the Looping Group, a French amusement park operator, which intends to "develop the park into an even more exciting family destination".<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-46813530 'West Midland Safari Park bought by French firm', BBC News, 9 January 2019] (Retrieved 13 January 2019)</ref> It is situated located north of the SVR Railway between [[Bewdley Tunnel]] and [[Bewdley]], and can be seen on the right when travelling towards Bewdley from [[Kidderminster]]. The curve in the line at that point has become known on the railway as "'''Safari Park Curve'''".

==History of the area==The OS Map of 1883 shows that the northern half of the area now occupied by the Safari Park was formerly the large estate of '''Spring Grove'''.<ref>[https://maps.nls.uk/view/101586016 OS Map Worcestershire XIV.NW, Published: 1883]</ref> Spring Grove House was built by local chemical manufacturer Samuel Skey between 1787 and 1790.<ref>[https://www.revolutionaryplayers.org.uk/the-wyre-forest/ RevolutionaryPlayers.org.uk] (retrieved 4 March 2021)</ref> The house was badly damaged by fire in 2006.<ref>[https://www.expressandstar.com/news/2006/12/26/blaze-wrecks-christmas-day/ Express and Star] (retrieved 4 March 2021)</ref> Skey's chemical works was situated on the west bank of the River Severn, about half a mile north of the current Bewdley bridge<ref>[https://wfhrg.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ForestClearingFeb2016.pdf Wyre Forest Historical Research Group] (retrieved 4 March 2021)</ref> and the same distance south of [[Dowles Bridge]]. The same map shows the area south of Spring Grove to have been open heathland, much as it is today.  ==The Safari Park==The Safari Park opened in the spring of 1973 under its original name of the West Midland Safari Park. It attracted 700,000 people in 2018 and features a four-mile safari drive through. In January 2019 it was acquired by the Looping Group, a French amusement park operator, which intends to "develop the park into an even more exciting family destination".<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-46813530 'West Midland Safari Park bought by French firm', BBC News, 9 January 2019] (Retrieved 13 January 2019)</ref>  Two areas of the park are visible from the railway, both lying within the "Safari Drive Through".<ref>[https://www.wmsp.co.uk/safari-drive-through/ WMSP website]</ref>. Travelling towards Bewdley, the first area is the '"African Plains'", which most notably includes the Park’s southern white rhinos. The  After passing the [[Stourport Triangle]], the second area is '"Elephant Valley'", home of the Park’s three African elephants. The young bull elephant ''Sutton'' was born in May 2014 and was named in memory of West Midlands teenager Stephen Sutton. Stephen established a Teenage Cancer Trust charity and hugged Sutton's mother ''Five'' as part of his 'bucket list' of things to do before he died. The third elephant is Sutton's aunt ''Latabe''<ref>[https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/west-midlands-safari-park-baby-7256738 Birmingham Mail] (retrieved 11 March 2020)</ref>.  <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Safari_Park_Rhinos_20140712.jpg|Southern white rhinosSafari_Park_Elephants_20190819.jpg|Elephants</gallery>

On [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2010-2019#2012 | Thursday 24 May]] the Olympic Torch arrived on the SVR. [[GWR 7812 Erlestoke Manor | 7812 Erlestoke Manor]] carried the torch between Bewdley and Kidderminster, pausing for a photo opportunity with the two cow elephants, ''Five'' and ''Latabe''.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18194673 BBC News] ''Flag-waving Elephants join Olympic torch relay'' (includes iPlayer clip)</ref> A bull calf was born to ''Five'' in May 2014 and named ''Sutton''.

*[http://www.wmsp.co.uk/ Safari Park web site]<br> [[Category:Featured articles]]