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When During February 1966, BR ran an inspection train from Bewdley to Bridgnorth via the Society took possession of the line between Bridgnorth and Alveleytunnel, weeds and saplings were sprouting everywhere, with Knowlesands Tunnel and hauled by BR Standard Class 4 76039. In March 1967 [[Sterns3205]] being "''particularly bad spotswas the SVR''".<ref>SVR News 16</ref> Work s first locomotive to tidy and improve arrive at Bridgnorth via the track between the station and tunnel. The first passenger rides through the tunnel was completed by February 1969,<ref>SVR News 12</ref> at the same time work to Hampton Loade took place during first full 'Steam Weekend' on improving the track south of the tunnel was also under way14-15 October 1967.
During February 1966When the Society took possession of the line between Bridgnorth and Alveley, BR ran an inspection train from Bewdley to Bridgnorth via the tunnelweeds and saplings were sprouting everywhere, hauled by BR Standard Class 4 76039. In March 1967 with Knowlesands Tunnel and [[3205Sterns]] being "''particularly bad spots''".<ref>SVR News 16</ref> Work to tidy and improve the track between the station and the tunnel was the completed by February 1969,<ref>SVR's first locomotive to arrive News 12</ref> at Bridgnorth via the tunnel. The first passenger rides through same time work on improving the track south of the tunnel to Hampton Loade took place during first full 'Steam Weekend' on 14-15 October 1967was also under way. The SVR officially opened as a preserved railway in May 1970.
tidy wording
The tunnel was part of the first section of the SVR to be preserved. At the time of the [[Severn Valley Railway Society]]'s first visit on 11 July 1965, BR had taken up the track working southwards through [[Bridgnorth Tunnel]] as far as the north end of the station. The society returned on 25 July to find that BR had resumed taking up the track towards Knowlesands Tunnel; after a telegram was sent to BR work was suspended on 28 July.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Magner (1997)]] p. 100.</ref>
On 28 November 1971, an earth slip was discovered in the embankment immediately south of the tunnel. A temporary repair was carried out to allow works trains to carry out relaying work further south, with more permanent work following at a later date.<ref>SVR News 22</ref>
In 1987 the fishplate bolts were replaced on the flat bottom section through Knowlesands Tunnel, to eliminate some non-standard hexagonal nuts.<ref>SVR News 85</ref> The following year a fall of sand in the cutting led to a temporary speed restriction until it was cleared.<ref>SVR News 88</ref>
In March 1999 contractors carried out an inspection and repointing work on the tunnel itself.<ref>SVR News 130</ref> The following year, torrential rain on [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2000-2009#2000|5 November 2000]] caused the stream that runs on the top of [[Eardington Bank]] to burst through, depositing around 100 tons of sand onto the track. The water then flowed down through the tunnel, and disappeared through a hole at the side of the track. The entire railway formation alongside the lorry park (at the site of the former [[Knowlesands Sidings]]), around 300 yards north of the tunnel, eventually gave way, washing away the bank on the river side. Three lengths of track were left hanging in space and the embankment spread across the field below. Contractors completed the reinstatement allowing the railway to re-open later that month, with Shropshire Council providing significant assistance in rectifying the damage outside the SVR's land.<ref>SVR News 134, 135</ref>. The flood left the ballast inundated with sand which resulted in further problems of 'wet beds' and 'pumping sleepers', with the affected section being re-laid in winter 2002-03.<ref>SVR News 143</ref>
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