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A set of sidings between [[Highley]] and [[Hampton Loade]] opened on 30/01/1939, built to serve File:Alveley_Sidings-1959-10-07.jpeg|thumb|300px|right|6388 passes large numbers of coal wagons at Alveley Colliery, which was located across the river. The sidings were opened in the 1930s, and were kept Sidings in use beyond the closure of the line between October 1959 ([[BewdleySellick Collection]] 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.
== '''Alveley Sidings''' were located between [[Highley]] and [[Hampton Loade]], and opened on 30 January 1939 to serve [[Collieries served by the Severn Valley Railway#Alveley Colliery ==| Alveley Colliery]], which was located across the river. [[Alveley Miners Halt level crossing | Alveley Halt]], which was located at the south (Highley) end of the sidings, was used by miners travelling to the colliery by railway.
Coal was brought across The area at the river by a rope-worked tramway across a bridge built north (Hampton Loade) end of the sidings is usually referred to serve the mine, which was later replaced with an aerial ropeway in 1961. This served on the washeries and sidingsRailway as '''Alveley Woods'''.
Production == Operations ==[[File:GWRplanAlveleySidings.jpg|thumb|300px|right|GWR plan of Alveley Sidings]]A concrete arched bridge was fairly consistentbuilt across the [[River Severn]] between 1936 and 1937. Coal was brought from the colliery to the sidings and colliery, initially by a 21" cable-worked tramway across the bridge, reaching full output in 1944 with 275and from 1960 by an aerial ropeway above it.<ref name ="Marshall101">[[Bibliography#Books | Marshall (1989)]] p. 101.</ref><ref>[https://www.shropshirecmc.org.uk/below/2002_4w.pdf Poyner,000 tons raisedGeorge and David, with that year's record being 5The surface haulage at Alveley colliery', Below!, Winter issue 2002.4,547 tons in one weekp.16] (Retrieved 2 April 2024)</ref> <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Colliery6 Robert Evans.jpg|The river bridge and tramway.Alveley_ropeway_Jim_Clemens.jpg|The ropeway as seen from the Severn Valley branch</gallery> The sidings were accessed via two ground frames, [[Alveley Sidings (North) ground frame|Alveley Sidings (North)]] and a peak of 300[[Alveley Sidings (South) ground frame|Alveley Sidings (South)]],000 tons per year reached in which were unlocked by the late 1950s[[Highley signal box|Highley]]-[[Hampton Loade signal box|Hampton Loade]] token. Employment An intermediate token instrument was 741 provided in 1947a cabin between the two ground frames, rising with direct telephone lines to over 1Highley Signal Box and Hampton Loade Booking Office,250 as well as the Worcester Exchange-[[Bridgnorth signal box]] omnibus line. The intermediate instrument allowed trains to be locked in so that other traffic could pass on the main line whilst shunting took place in the sidings. The layout on the mid 1950sGWR side consisted of a front loop line, with a capacity of 50 wagons, and a number of other sidings and falling headshunts. Two connections to around 700 by the mine's closure. A major expansion was undertaken in private sidings were provided, one at the South end leading to the late 1950s empty wagon sidings, which held 40 wagons, and early 1960sanother at the North end leading to the loaded wagon sidings, completed holding 36 wagons. The two rakes of private sidings were connected internally via the coal screens (opened in 19621939), after the large reserves of buildings visible in the [[Sellick Collection|Sellick]] photograph, where coal was loaded into the wagons. GWR locomotives were found used to set down and pick up wagons on these sidings, but were otherwise not allowed in the East of private sidings. The GWR locomotives which operated coal trains from the current workings. These sidings were purported subject to be enough to last the mine Severn Valley Branch's [[GWR Power and Weight Classification#GWR route classification colours|'dotted blue' route]] classification between 50 Bewdley and [[Ironbridge]]. Heavier [[GWR Power and 100 yearsWeight Classification#GWR route classification colours|'Red' locomotives]] were banned, but although on at least one occasion the running department accidentally allocated a drop [[Tales from the Severn Valley#The overweight locomotive| GWR 5600 class locomotive which reached the sidings before the footplate crew realise that it should not have been there]]. ==Preservation==The sidings were acquired by the SVR as part of the southern section of the line to [[Foley Park]] which was purchased from BR in December 1972, subject to Light Railway Orders being granted. In November 1973 the quality sidings was one of coal combined with a reduction the locations used in demand forced the closure of television series [[Carrie's War]], with the mine evacuees' train filmed making several run pasts there. The LRO allowing passenger services between Hampton Loade and Bewdley was eventually granted in 1969[[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979#1974 |March 1974]], with the last coal being lifted line opened from Hampton Loade to Highley on the 31st of JanuaryEaster weekend, 13 April.
The sidings were accessed via two ground framesIn 1996, [[Alveley North ground frame|Alveley NorthCountry Park Halt]] and was opened on the site. The river bridge linking the main country park on the east bank with the Halt on the SVR was replaced in 2006.<ref>[[Alveley South ground frame|Alveley South]https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/7072/highley-alveley-footbridge-shropshire News article on www.transportxtra.com], which were unlocked </ref> It is also used by the [[Highley signal box|HighleyNational Cycle Route 45]]-[[Hampton Loade signal box|Hampton Loade]] token. An intermediate token instrument was provided in a cabin between the two ground frames, with direct telephone lines to Highley Signal Box and Hampton Loade Booking Office, as well as the Worcester Exchange-Bridgnorth Signal Box omnibus line. The intermediate instrument to allow trains to be locked in so that other traffic could pass on the main line whilst the sidings were being shunted.
The layout on Following [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2020-2029#2020|extensive flooding in February 2020]] land movements were observed in Alveley Woods. Electronic ‘tilt monitoring’ equipment was fitted in February 2021.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/blmar21 Branch Lines, March 2021] (Retrieved 7 March 2021)</ref> In March 2021 contractors installed a small drainage system adjacent to the GWR side consisted landslip to assist with removal of a front loop linerainwater, with to reduce the amount of water reaching the slip plane and take a capacity degree of 50 wagons, and pressure off the embankment. A second phase envisaged a number mixture of other sidings soil nailing and headshuntspartial replacement of the embankment material. Two connections to the private sidings were provided<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/bljun20 Branch Lines, one at June 2020] (Retrieved 26 June 2020)</ref> In the South end leading to the empty wagon sidingsevent, which held 40 wagonsin August 2022 a geotechnical specialist company 'Geobear' instead trialled a pioneering geo-polymer injection stabilisation system, and another at the North end leading zero cost to the loaded wagon sidings, holding 36 wagonsSVR<ref>[https://www. The two rakes of private sidings were connected internally via the coal screens, where coal was loaded into the wagonssvrlive. GWR locomotives were used to set down and pick up wagons on these sidingscom/blaug22 Branch Lines, but were otherwise not allowed in the private sidingsAugust 2022]</ref>.
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The shaft at Alveley was sunk sidings remained in 1935 to a depth use for coal traffic after the closure of 360 yards by the Highley Mining Companyline to passengers between [[Bewdley]] and [[Shrewsbury]] in 1963, and was connected with their workings accessed from their Highley shaftBewdley. However, which had proceeded under the river by this point. Initial mine became uneconomical to work was completed in 1937, and production starting in 1938. The new shaft replaced the one at Highley, which was closed in 19391969, with all production the sidings and line north of Bewdley being brought to closed at the surface at Alveleysame time, although the old shaft was retained for ventilation and as an emergency evacuation route. The workings were very modern, with full use being made no other source of electrical power, including completely mechanical working of the coal facetraffic remained.
A number of scenes featuring static rolling stock were also filmed at the sidings for the television series [[Survivors]], Season 3 episode 3 ‘Law of the Jungle’ (first broadcast 30 March 1977). The sidings were deemed unsuitable for the storage of SVR stock due to the remoteness of the location and the resultant risk of vandalism.<ref name == Operations =="Marshall101" /> They were therefore eventually dismantled, with much of the rail and point-work later being re-used elsewhere on the line.
== Photographs ==
<gallerymode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
File:GWR_Alveley_Colliery_2.jpg|GWR Notice covering the opening and operation of Alveley Sidings. 1 of 2.
File:GWR_Alveley_Colliery_1.jpg|GWR Notice covering the opening and operation of Alveley Sidings. 2 of 2.
</gallery>
* A series of photos of 1420 and 4555 with an SLS railtour at Alveley Sidings, by flickr user "ricsrailpics", 19/09/1965. [https://www.flickr.com/photos/16749798@N08/5300686174/in/photostream/ Image 1], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/16749798@N08/5300171333/ Image 2], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/16749798@N08/6393731807/in/photostream/ Image 3]. The sidings were still in use at this time.
* A photo of the 4555 on the same railtour, by flickr user "Prof2940", 19/09/1965. [https://www.flickr.com/photos/78911862@N06/7837700982/ Link]. The sidings were still in use at this time.
* A series of photos of the SVR, including six at Alveley Sidings, Alan Thwaites, 1974. [http://www.hatspics.co.uk/type_years_photos.php?type=SVR&year=1974 Link].
* Two photos of 5764 and 45110 passing Alveley Sidings, RCTS Mystery Photographs. [http://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/show.htm?img=G-245-10 Image 1], [http://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/show.htm?img=G-245-07 Image 2].
==See also==
*[[Alveley Miners Halt level crossing]]
*[[Maps#Schematic maps of the pre-closure SVR | Pre-1963 map]]
*[[List of signal boxes#List of historical Signal Boxes and Ground Frames | List of historical Signal Boxes and Ground Frames]]
== References ==
<references />
* "Alveley". Wikipedia article. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alveley Link]. Accessed 09/01/2015.
* "Alveley Colliery". Shropshire History article. [http://shropshirehistory.com/mining/mines/alveley.htm Link]. Accessed 09/01/2015.
* Transactions of the Alveley Historical Society, 1995-2003. [http://www.alveleyhistoricalsociety.co.uk Link]. Accessed 09/01/2015
* "Railways of Highley". Highley.org.uk article. [http://www.highley.org.uk/railhist.html Link]. Accessed 09/01/2015.
==Links==
[http://www.highley.org.uk/page31.html "Mines and miners" on www.highley.org.uk]
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