Difference between revisions of "Rifle Range Halt"
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− | Rifle Range Halt was located between Kidderminster and Bewdley | + | Rifle Range Halt was a short-lived halt located between Kidderminster and Bewdley. |
− | The | + | ==The Rifle Range== |
+ | The rifle range which gave the halt its name was situated on the open heathland near "The Devil's Spittleful", the large sandstone outcrop on the right just before the Safari Park as you travel towards Bewdley. During the First World War it was used mainly by volunteers from the Yeomanry.<ref name=NR>Nature Reserve information boards</ref> Its location is shown on the extract from the Ordnance Survey Map of 1888-1929. The map of that time still referred to the railway between Kidderminster and Bewdley as the "[[Kidderminster Loop]]". | ||
− | + | ==The Halt== | |
+ | The Halt was located immediately on the Kidderminster side of the [[Devil's Spittleful (Rifle Range) Bridge]]. Its construction at a cost of £145 was authorised by the GWR on 12 April 1905, and it opened in June of that year. It was initially served by a [[GWR Steam Railmotor | steam railmotor]] service which had begun in January 1905.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] p. 92.</ref> | ||
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+ | The halt was closed on 4 October 1920 and no traces of it remain today. Despite this closure, the area retained a military connection. In late 1943 two large hutted camps were built along nearby Burlish Top (the wooded area on top of the hill on the opposite side of the line from the Rifle Range). These held some 6-7000 American troops, the headquarters of the US Army VIII Corps (Dec 1943 to Apr 1944) and IX Corps (Apr 1944 to July 1944). During World War 2 the easterly part of the heathland became a tented camp used by the 297th U.S. Army Hospital. The area towards the west, between the Safari Park and the SVR, was also used for tank training.<ref name=NR/> | ||
Today the heathland area is a nature reserve, managed by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. | Today the heathland area is a nature reserve, managed by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
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<references /> | <references /> | ||
==Links== | ==Links== | ||
Worcestershire Wildlife Trust [http://www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/reserves/devils-spittleful-and-blackstone-farm (Link)]<br> | Worcestershire Wildlife Trust [http://www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/reserves/devils-spittleful-and-blackstone-farm (Link)]<br> |
Revision as of 08:47, 4 October 2017
Towards Kidderminster | Towards Shrewsbury |
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Kidderminster via Foley Park Halt |
Bewdley |
Rifle Range Halt was a short-lived halt located between Kidderminster and Bewdley.
The Rifle Range
The rifle range which gave the halt its name was situated on the open heathland near "The Devil's Spittleful", the large sandstone outcrop on the right just before the Safari Park as you travel towards Bewdley. During the First World War it was used mainly by volunteers from the Yeomanry.[1] Its location is shown on the extract from the Ordnance Survey Map of 1888-1929. The map of that time still referred to the railway between Kidderminster and Bewdley as the "Kidderminster Loop".
The Halt
The Halt was located immediately on the Kidderminster side of the Devil's Spittleful (Rifle Range) Bridge. Its construction at a cost of £145 was authorised by the GWRGreat Western Railway on 12 April 1905, and it opened in June of that year. It was initially served by a steam railmotor service which had begun in January 1905.[2]
The halt was closed on 4 October 1920 and no traces of it remain today. Despite this closure, the area retained a military connection. In late 1943 two large hutted camps were built along nearby Burlish Top (the wooded area on top of the hill on the opposite side of the line from the Rifle Range). These held some 6-7000 American troops, the headquarters of the US Army VIII Corps (Dec 1943 to Apr 1944) and IX Corps (Apr 1944 to July 1944). During World War 2 the easterly part of the heathland became a tented camp used by the 297th U.S. Army Hospital. The area towards the west, between the Safari Park and the SVRSevern Valley Railway, was also used for tank training.[1]
Today the heathland area is a nature reserve, managed by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Nature Reserve information boards
- ↑ Marshall (1989) p. 92.
Links
Worcestershire Wildlife Trust (Link)