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Arley

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Arley history before preservation: additional information
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 ending 31 December 2011, page 3.</ref>
Arley station does not have a public car park.
Until 2020 there was There is a small café building behind the station (sometimes referred to as ''Tom's Cabin'', after an earlier building) which served serves hot and cold drinks and snacks, but has not reopened . 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==
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>
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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===
*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.
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"
! !! colspan="3" | Passenger Traffic !! colspan="2" | Freight Traffic !!
|-
! Year !! Tickets issued !! Parcels despatched dispatched !! Revenue (&pound;) !! Tons received &amp; despatched !! Revenue (&pound;) !! Total revenue (&pound;)
|-
|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
X: Information not recorded <br>
(a): Information recorded under Bewdley
 
==Historic maps of Arley station==
*[[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].
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