Changes

'''Ironbridge and Broseley''', re-named "Iron Bridge and Broseley" in 1895 and often abbreviated to simply "Ironbridge", was a station situated 27 miles from [[Hartlebury]] and 13¾ miles from [[Shrewsbury]].

Ironbridge, like all the stations north of [[Victoria Bridge]], was built on the west bank of the [[River Severn]]. The river runs almost due east-west at Ironbridge, and thus the station was situated on what was effectively the south bank, immediately south of Abraham Darby’s bridge after which the town was named. The Gorge is very narrow at this point, and much of the station lay on an embankment and plateau supported by a 15 metre high retaining wall.<ref name = "Vanns38">[[Bibliography#Books|Vanns (1998/2013)]] p. 38.</ref>

The station was probably used more by the people of Broseley, situated about &frac12; mile away on the same side of the river, and the site of tile and clay pipe making industries. The 1861 census showed the population of Broseley as 4,724, larger than Ironbridge (3,154). Ironbridge town itself is on the north bank, and crossing the bridge required payment of a toll until 1950, a fact that undoubtedly would have discouraged passengers from Ironbridge using the station.<ref name = "Vanns38" /> Nearby [[Coalbrookdale]], also on the north bank, had its own station on the [[Wellington to Craven Arms Railway|Wellington-Much Wenlock line]].

The station had a footbridge, adjacent to the station building, connecting the two platforms. The station building was on the platform to the north of the line (nearer Ironbridge), while the goods shed was to the south of the line. A road level crossing was situated immediately west of the station; this can be seen beneath which led to the carriages in the Sellick photograph. The road led Iron Bridge and also to [[Bower Yard Lime Kilns Siding | Bower Yard]] and also to the Iron Bridge.

A Great Western Type 5 brick signal box On 9 November 1895 the name of the station was commissioned in 1894 at a cost changed from 'Ironbridge and Broseley' to 'Iron Bridge and Broseley' on the recommendation of around £1,545the General Manager.<refName=Marshall110>[[Bibliography#Books | Marshall (1989)]] p. 131110.</ref> This was located adjacent The reason for this is unclear as the town is normally referred to as 'Ironbridge'; however the level crossing latter name for the station continued in use as may be seen in [[Timetable: Severn Valley and Tenbury Lines 1959 | working timetables]] and on the west siderunning-in board in the Sellick photograph.

On 9 November 1895 5 October 1898 the name GWR's Traffic Committee approved the installation of a telephone between the station was changed from 'Ironbridge , [[Jackfield sidings]] and Broseley' to 'Iron Bridge [[Maw and BroseleyCo' on the recommendation s Siding]] at a cost of £22, with Maw & Co being responsible for half the General Managerongoing maintenance cost.<ref Name = Marshall110/>. Maw & Co made extensive use of the goods facilities at Ironbridge, and in 1905 their Board of Directors gave stationmaster Charles William Coldicott a retirement gift of £10 in recognition of "Marshall110…his long connection with the Company, and his untiring courtesy…"<ref>[[Bibliography#Books | Marshall Vanns (19891998)]] p. 110100.</ref> The reason for this is unclear as the town is normally referred to as 'Ironbridge'; however the latter name for the station continued in use as may be seen in [[Timetable: Severn Valley and Tenbury Lines 1959 | working timetables]] and on the running-in board in the Sellick photograph.

The commercial postcard below shows a view of the station in the early 1900s, with a Shrewsbury-bound 2-4-0 standing on the station's level crossing. The 1894 signal box (see below) is on the left, and the wooden goods shed is on the right behind the footbridge. <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Ironbridge_Postcard_1900s.jpg | Early 1900s postcard of Ironbridge station </gallery> Provision of an additional goods siding at Ironbridge at a cost of £90 was authorised in April 1908, and the signal box interlocking frame, level crossing gates, point and signal connections were renewed in 1916<ref Name = "Marshall110" />.

On 25 November 1956 the signal box at Ironbridge was closed and the down line and platform were taken out of use, ending the station’s Ironbridge's use as a crossing point.<refname=MS91>[[Bibliography#Books | Mitchell & Smith (2007)]] 91</ref> By 1962 the upper floor of the box had been removed and a small ground frame was installed outside the door.

The station closed to passenger traffic on 9 September 1963 when through traffic ended on the Severn Valley Line between Shrewsbury and Bewdley. However the goods yard remained open until 1 December 1963when all goods services ended.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books | Mitchell & Smith (2007)]] 93</ref>

The site today has become a pay and display car park for Ironbridge visitors, with few . Few traces of the station remainingremain, apart from sections of rail in the road crossing and a level crossing gatepost. <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Ironbridge_Station_view_south_20161130.jpg | View south from the former station Ironbridge_Crossing_20161130.jpg | The level crossing, looking southIronbridge_Station_gatepost_20161130.jpg | Level crossing gatepost, looking northIronbridge_Station_view_north_20161130.jpg | The track bed looking north</gallery>

|Charles William Coldicott||26 June 1844, Honeybourne, Gloucestershire|| October 1871|| October 18971905||Joined West Midland Railway July 1859.

==Signalling==From opening in 1862, trains on the Severn Valley branch were worked using a single needle telegraph. Primitive signals, operated from the platform, controlled entry into the station, but departure into the section was authorised by verbal instruction only, given to the footplate crew after the appropriate telegraph messages had been exchanged. Starting signals began to be introduced in the early 1870s; those at [[Bewdley]] and Ironbridge were authorised by the GWR Board on 30 August 1871 at a cost of £55.  The first 'proper' signal boxes on the branch were those at Bewdley which were authorised in 1877. All the other signal boxes dated from after 1880. At Ironbridge, a Great Western Type 5 brick signal box was commissioned in 1894 at a cost of around £1,545.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books | Marshall (1989)]] p. 131.</ref> This was located adjacent to the level crossing on the west side, and can be seen in the postcard view of Ironbridge above. Electric staff working came into use between [[Hartlebury]] and [[Buildwas]] in the same year. [[Single line working using tokens |Electric token working]] (of the type used on the present day SVR between Bridgnorth and Bewdley North) was not introduced until after the Second World War.<ref name=Marshall134>[[Bibliography#Books | Marshall (1989)]] p. 134.</ref> The signal box interlocking frame, level crossing gates, point and signal connections were renewed in 1916 at an estimated cost of £1,050.<ref Name = "Marshall134" />.  The box was closed on 25 November 1956 when crossing of trains at Ironbridge ended.<ref name=MS91>. By 1962 the upper floor of the box had been removed and a small ground frame was installed outside the door. ==Traffic statistics===

 *1883 map with original 1862 passing loops*1902 map with 1894 signal box *1927 map with additional goods siding <gallerymode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">File: OS_Ironbridge_1883.JPG | 1883map with original 1862 passing loopsFile: OS_Ironbridge_1902.JPG | 1902map with 1894 signal boxFile: OS_Ironbridge_1927.JPG | 1927map with additional goods siding