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==The Stationstation==
Arley station has two platforms and a [[Arley signal box|signal box]], allowing trains travelling in opposite directions to pass.
Barrow crossings are located at both ends of the platforms, but may not be used by the general public. [[Arley Station Bridge|Bridge 17]] is located at the south end of the station, immediately south of the barrow crossing, and is the main passenger route between the platforms. [[Skeet's Farm foot crossing|Skeet's Farm crossing]] is also located in the station area, immediately north of the goods yard.
During periods of lighter traffic, when [[Arley signal box]] is switched out, all trains use the platform adjacent to the main station building.
From January to Easter 2011 the SVR's winter works dealt with severe damage at Arley due to ground movement caused by failed drainage, in turn occasioning track twist. The Up platform was rebuilt, drainage installed and track relaid at a cost of £367,000.<ref>Railway Magazine September 2010</ref><ref>SVR(H) Report and Accounts for year ensding ending 31 December 2011, page 3.</ref>
In February 2017 the waiting room at Arley Station became licensed to hold civil marriages and partnerships, with space for up to 21 people. Further information on the SVR's wedding packages may be found on the [httphttps://www.svr.co.uk/Weddings_Day_Package.aspx experience/weddings/ SVR website Wedding Day Packages Weddings page].
Arley was until 2018 also the site of [[Santa's Grotto]] for the [[Christmas services|Santa Special services]]. From 2020 it hosted the plays that formed part of the SVR's Christmas services.
==Arley village==
The village itself is named Upper Arley (also historically Over Arley<ref>[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17612/17612-h/17612-h.htm Handbook to the Severn Valley Railway, by J. Randall 1863]</ref><ref>[http://www.shropshirestar.com/entertainment/2016/05/03/the-first-ever-map-of-shropshire-up-for-sale/ 1579 map of Shropshire on the Shropshire Star web site]</ref>), which differentiates it from the similarly named, but differently spelled Areley Kings less than six miles away near Stourport.
==Facilities==
Arley station does not have a public car park. There is a small café building behind the station (sometimes referred to as ''Tom's Cabin'', after an earlier building) which serves hot and cold drinks and snacks. It remained closed after the [[2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic]] until reopened in time for the 2023 [[Spring Steam Gala]] by station volunteers. The [[Arley Station Fund]] has a shop next to the refreshment kiosk in the station yard.
==Film and TV productions filmed at Arley==
Several [[List of film and TV productions filmed on the Severn Valley Railway|film and TV productions]] have scenes from, or filmed at, Arley. The station has temporarily carried other identities for filming purposes, including:
*[[Candleshoe]] 1977 (''Hambleden'')
*[[Silver Blaze]] 1977 (''Tavistock'')
*[[The Good Soldier]] 1981 (''Branshaw'')
*[[L For Lester]] 1982 (''Barrow Gurney'')
*[[The Box Of Delights]] 1984 (''Condicote'')
*[[A Wreath of Roses]] 1987 (''Hampton'', for which a dummy footbridge connected platforms 1 and 2)
*[[The Halt]] 1987 (''Newton Halt'')
*[[Oh Doctor Beeching!]] 1995-97 (''Hatley'', see below)
*[[Goodnight Mister Tom]] 1998 (''Weirwold'')
*[[Enola Holmes]] 2020 (''Ferndell'')
===Oh Doctor Beeching!===
The signalbox had a name plate above the door.
<gallerymode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
File:Hatley1.jpg | Hatley (Arley) signal box
File:Hatley2.jpg | Film prop cottages at Arley
</gallery>
==Points of Interestinterest==
===Station buildings===
The shelter on Platform 2 is also original, dating from the opening of that platform in 1883.
The café building behind the station was built during the summer of 1992 on the site of the former weighbridge. It replaced a similar building known as 'Tom’s Cabin' (named after volunteer Tom McGee who ran the cabin and did much restoration at Arley over many years) that had become dangerous.
In 2016, a number of stone sills, coping stones and quoins were replaced.
During maintenance works in 2023 volunteers uncovered the old water pump beside the station building, believed to have been manufactured by Joseph Evans of Wolverhampton. Reportedly Mrs Jones was still using this pump for the house water when the early preservationists first came to Arley.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/ArleySVR Arley Station Facebook page, 6 March 2023] (Retrieved 24 April 2023)</ref> <gallerymode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">
File:Arley SVR Station, northbound platform - geograph.org.uk - 699616.jpg | Shelter on Platform 2 (Wikimedia Commons)
File:Arley kiosk.jpg | Refreshment kiosk
</gallery>
In 2018 an [[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries|SVRA raffle]] raised over £7,000 for new facilities including a workshop and storage for Santa equipment to replace a small corrugated metal shed next to the gift shop.<ref>SVR News 200</ref> In late 2019 construction started on the new building at the north end of the station, with the roof coming from part of the old [[Bewdley]] platform canopy. It was also partly funded by the [[Arley Station Fund]]<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/epfeb20 Express Points, February 2020] (Retrieved 4 February 2020)]</ref>.
===Restoration===
When the SVR first re-opened the line between Hampton Loade and Bewdley in [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979 #1974 | 1974]], there was no facility to pass trains, the Up loop (the running line nearer the station building) having been removed by BR in the 1960s. This was re-laid over the next year and re-opened on [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979 #1974 | 25 May 1975]].
<gallerymode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
File:S0635 Arley Station 1972.jpg | Rebuilding platform 2 in 1972 (David Cooke)
File: S6842 Arley Station 1973.jpg | Relaying the Up line (David Cooke)
</gallery>
===Telephone Kioskkiosk===
The telephone kiosk on Platform 1, which can be seen in the main picture above, was acquired from the P.O. in Birmingham circa late 1981, having been vandalised ‘beyond economic repair’<ref>SVR News 62</ref>. Once at Arley it was duly repaired, and within a year had been returned to full working order<ref>SVR News 66</ref>.
<gallerymode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
File:Arley phone box.jpg
</gallery>
===Anderson Sheltershelter===An Anderson Shelter shelter was erected in the picnic garden in 2018, where it could be seen during that year’s ‘Step Back to the 1940s’ weekends. More than 3.5 million of these shelters were issued to the public before and during World War II to provide shelter from bombs and shrapnel. This particular example was originally installed at a house in Weoley Castle, Birmingham, and was donated to the SVR by Lisa Priest of Birmingham City Council and Mrs Dorothy Sigures of Weoley Castle.<ref>Information board next to the shelter</ref><ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_raid_shelter#Anderson_shelter Anderson shelter on Wikipedia]</ref>
<gallerymode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
Arley_Anderson_Shelter_20180705.jpg|Anderson Shelter
</gallery>
===GWR 446 6Ton Hand Crane6 ton hand crane===
[[GWR 446 6Ton Hand Crane]] is stabled with [[GWR 2501 'Rotank' 6-Wheeled Road Milk Tank Flat Wagon]] which arrived in July 2021 to replace the former [[BR 707261 Crane Runner | Crane Runner 707261]], 2501 being considered better suited to the crane.<ref>SVR Wagons Facebook 13 January 2019</ref> The crane and flat wagon will undergo cosmetic restoration.
</gallery>
==Station Mastersmasters==
Station masters at Arley since preservation have been as follows:
*C.P. May (1974-1975)
*1862: Arley station opened with the rest of the Severn Valley Line on 1 February, but had only one platform and no facility for crossing trains. Control of train movements was by single needle telegraph only
*1883: A second platform, authorised in August 1882, was brought into use in June 1883. Installation of a signal box and interlocking of points and signals were completed around this time.
*1891: ‘Train 'Train staff and ticket’ ticket' working in conjunction with a single-needle block telegraph was introduced throughout the line, replacing the earlier simple telegraph working arrangements. Henceforth drivers could not enter a section without possession of a physical staff, or a paper ticket stating the staff would follow on a succeeding train. Those used at Arley were for Arley to [[Bewdley North signal box|Bewdley North]] (hexagonal staff, yellow ticket) and Arley to [[Hampton Loade]] (square staff, red ticket). The 1893 Working Timetable noted that the persons authorised to exchange the staff and ticket were the Station Inspector J. Pugh (see below) and the Porter-Signalman on late duty.
*1894: ‘Electric staff’ working replaced staff and ticket working. [[Highley]] also became a staff station, breaking the long section to Hampton Loade.
*1898: An [[The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership#Accidents | accident]] occurred when a train overran signals when entering the station and was derailed.
*1938: A GWR [[Arley Camp Coach|camping coach]] was based at Arley.
*1950: By this date, [[ETT | Electric Train Token]] working had been introduced, becoming the fifth method of train control.
*1960: The loop capacity, for the purpose of crossing trains, was 27 wagons, plus engine and brake van.<ref>Sectional Appendix to the Working Time Tables and Books of Rules and Regulations, Birmingham Traffic District, October 1960</ref>
*1963: Through passenger services ceased on 9 September, with through freight services ending at the end of November.
*1964: The signal box closed on 28th 28 June. The up line and sidings were lifted, and the edge of the down platform was removed to give greater clearance for coal trains from [[Alveley Sidings|Alveley]]. The original signal box was later demolishedby SVR volunteers, and parts used to reinstate [[Bridgnorth signal box]] in 1969.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books | Marshall (1989), p. 200.]]</ref> ===Early Station Masters at Arley===The first description of 'Station Master' in GWR records is in 1897.
{| class="wikitable
|William Pearson||1835, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire|| September 1865||Retired ca.1885||Died 7 March 1886.
|-
|Joseph Pugh||28 September 1830, Stoke Prior, Worcestershire||January 1886||Resigned October 1900||Joined West Midland Railway December 1855. Formerly Booking Porter at Linley (1864 - 1880) Described as Station Inspector in the 1893 WTT (see above).
|-
|George Batchelor||1 April 1860, Honeybourne, Worcestershire||20 October 1900|| Retired 1920?|| Formerly Signalman at Hartlebury (1882) and Kidderminster (1887). Died 23 December 1942.
|-
|Joseph Thomas Hill||5 April 1877, Kinver, Staffordshire||1920?|| Before 1932||Formerly Porter at Bewdley (1896), Signal Porter at Hampton Loade (1897) and Bridgnorth (1899) and Station Master at Hampton Loade (1915?). Transferred to Fernhill Heath in the early 1930s. Died July 1943.|-
|}
George Batchelor and Joe Hill both won numerous [[Awards#Prior to preservation|awards]] for the gardens at Arley. Joe Hill was the last resident Station Master; after he left the station came under the supervision of [[Bewdley]] and the house was occupied by Fred Jones and his wife Diane who both served as Porter/signalman. Their son David became a fireman and regularly worked on the line, exchanging tokens with his mother for the last time on the final passenger train to run on the branch on 7 September 1963<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Geens (1985)]] p. 18.</ref>.
===Traffic statistics===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ [[The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership#Traffic statistics|GWR Traffic statisticsin commercial service]] for Arley, selected years prior 1903 to 1939<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Nabarro (1971)]] p. 54.</ref>1952
|-
! !! colspan="3" | Passenger Traffic !! colspan="2" | Freight Traffic !!
|-
! Year !! Tickets issued !! Parcels despatched dispatched !! Revenue (£) !! Tons received & despatched !! Revenue (£) !! Total revenue (£)
|-
|1903||style="text-align:right"|17,295||style="text-align:right"|2,453||style="text-align:right"|914||style="text-align:right"|881||style="text-align:right"|178||style="text-align:right"|1,092
|-
|1938||style="text-align:right"|11,623||style="text-align:right"|926||style="text-align:right"|526||style="text-align:right"|44||style="text-align:right"|24||style="text-align:right"|550
|-
|1942||style="text-align:right"|17,119||style="text-align:right"|X||style="text-align:right"|1,144||style="text-align:right"|159||style="text-align:right"|X||style="text-align:right"|X
|-
|1947||style="text-align:right"|16,030||style="text-align:right"|757||style="text-align:right"|1,136||style="text-align:right"|101||style="text-align:right"|X||style="text-align:right"|X
|-
|1952||style="text-align:right"|11,769||style="text-align:right"|763||style="text-align:right"|834||style="text-align:right"|(a)||style="text-align:right"|X||style="text-align:right"|X
|-
|}
X: Information not recorded <br>
(a): Information recorded under Bewdley
==Historic maps of Arley Stationstation==
*GWR plan of Arley station showing the original single line with later amendments in red*1885 OS map (survey date 1883) showing the single line through the station *1904 OS map showing the passing loop and second platform opened in June 1883*1927 OS map showing the 1907 extensions to both platforms *1960 OS map showing no significant changes in over 30 years* 1905 GWR schematic plan of Arley giving siding capacities and other details.
<gallerymode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">
File:GWRplanArley.jpg
File:Arley1885map.jpg | 1885
File:Arley1927map.jpg | 1927
File:Arley1960map.jpg | 1960
File:Arley plan 1905.png | 1905
</gallery>
== Gallery ==
<gallerymode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">
File:Arley-Prairie-1959-10-03.jpeg | An ex-GWR Prairie calls at Arley in October 1959 ([[Sellick Collection]])
File:Arley-1962-09-29.jpg|Pannier 3619 calls at Arley in September 1962 ([[Sellick Collection]])
== See also ==
*[[Variant spellings of SVR station names]]
*[[List of stations]]
*[[Christmas services|Santa Special services]]
*[[Santa's Grotto]]
*[[List of film and TV productions filmed on the Severn Valley Railway]]
*[[List of shops]]
==References==
==Links==
*[httphttps://www.svr.co.uk/Weddings_Day_Package.aspx experience/weddings/ SVR Wedding Day Packagespackages]*[https://www.facebook.com/ArleySVR/ Arley Station Facebook page].*[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Arley-railway-station/124216724289052 Arley Railway Station Facebook page].
