Changes

A set of sidings between [[Highley]] and [[Hampton Loade]] opened on 30 January 1939, built to serve [[Collieries served by the Severn Valley Railway#Alveley Colliery| Alveley Colliery]], which was located across the river. The sidings were opened in the 1930s, and were kept in use beyond the closure of the line between [[Bewdley]] and [[Shrewsbury]] in 1963, accessed from Bewdley. However, the mine became uneconomical to work and was closed in 1969, with the sidings and line North of Bewdley being closed at the same time, as no other source of traffic remained. The sidings were adjacent to a [[Alveley Miners Halt level crossing | halt]] used by miners travelling to the colliery by railway. == Alveley Colliery == The shaft at Alveley was sunk in 1935 to a depth of 360 yards by the Highley Mining Company, and was connected with their workings from their Highley shaft, which had proceeded under the river by this point. Initial work was completed in 1937, and production starting in 1938. The new shaft replaced the one at Highley, which was closed in 1939, with all production being brought to the surface at Alveley, although the old shaft was retained for ventilation and as an emergency evacuation route. The workings were very modern, with full use being made of electrical power, including completely mechanical working of the coal face. Coal was brought across the river by a rope-worked tramway across a bridge built to serve the mine, which was later replaced with an aerial ropeway in 1961. This served the washeries and sidings. Production was fairly consistent, reaching full output in 1944 with 275,000 tons raised, with that year's record being 5,547 tons in one week, and a peak of 300,000 tons per year reached in the late 1950s. Employment was 741 in 1947, rising to over 1,250 in the mid 1950s, and falling to around 700 by the mine's closure. A major expansion was undertaken in the late 1950s and early 1960s, completed in 1962, after large reserves of coal were found to the East of the current workings. These were purported to be enough to last the mine between 50 and 100 years, but a drop in the quality of coal combined with a reduction in demand forced the closure of the mine in 1969, with the last coal being lifted on the 31st of January.