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Proposal to relocate the rare K4 telephone kiosk to a covered location at The Engine House
==Legal Charge==
On 8 August 1988 [[Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC]] gave a Legal Charge in favour of the County Council of Hereford & Worcester in respect of "All that land at Bewdley containing six point seven acres or thereabouts together with the buildings erected thereon." The charge was given as security against "All monies due or to become due from the company to the chargee under the terms of agreement dated 10.5.88." {{As of|20212024}} its status is shown as 'Outstanding'.<ref>[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01046274/chargesCompanies House] (Retrieved 13 December 202029 February 2022)</ref> The Council itself was abolished in 1998 and reverted to the two separate historic counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
==Facilities==
Bewdley has limited public pay parking, which moved from Pay and display parkingDisplay to ANPR in 2023. Three Four [[List of shops | sales coaches]] run by support groups are adjacent to the car park.
In March 2018 the buffet adjacent to Platform 1 (but not the more recent toilet block and kitchen) was closed pending demolition of the buffet building, which took place from 16-19 July. [[BR 4593 Tourist Standard Open]] was moved to the dock in front of the buffet to be used as seating for staff and the public, with table service provided from the kitchen. In January 2020 a prefabricated timber buffet building was installed on the concrete plinth of the old buffet building, and 4593 was removed.
The main passenger access to island platforms 2 and 3 is via the [[Bewdley Station Footbridge|footbridge]], but the only access route for those with restricted mobility is via a barrow crossing at the opposite end of the platform, accessed through the [[Bewdley Down Yard]]. A 2021/22 project funded primarily by the [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd|Charitable Trust]] to improve access includes a reinforced concrete path between the gates protecting the rail crossing and the yard gates adjoining the car park, with a branch to the existing disabled toilets; removal of the obtrusive GWR water tower on the island platform; improvements to the crossing itself; and appropriate signage.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/bloct21 Branch Lines, October 2021]</ref> In October 2022 the SVR announced:'' "it is hoped that external funding can also support the creation of a disabled toilet facility on the station platform. This will hugely improve facilities for our less-abled visitors"''<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/bloct22 Branch Lines October 2022]</ref>.
== Points of interest ==
====Phone box====
The phone box outside the station is an a rare example of the K4 type, introduced in 1930. The K4, nicknamed the Vermillion Giant, was a combined telephone and post box. Only 50 were ever produced.<ref>[http://www.redphonebox.info/galleryK4.html RedPhoneBox.info]</ref> The box is Grade II listed by Historic England and described as "Intact but not on original site".<ref> [https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1100700 Historic England listing entry for the phone box] </ref> It arrived on the SVR in winter 1981-82 on permanent loan from the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust<ref>SVR News 62</ref> and was originally situated on Platform 1.<ref>SVR News 66</ref> A planning application proposal to relocate it to a covered location at [[The Engine House]] 'to better protect and display this artefact' was approved in November 2023<ref>[https://planningpa.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=RVZ3FGSILXW00&activeTab=summary Wyre Forest District Council planning application 23/0418/LBC] (Retrieved 14 March 2024)</ref>.
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File:Phone box at Bewdley Station - geograph.org.uk - 1454715.jpg | Phone box at Bewdley
==== Water towers ====
Two water towers at the southern end of Platforms 2&3 and in the MPD area allow watering of locomotives. The tower on the island platform is of GWR origin and was recovered from Stow Heath yard, Bilston in 1969. The tower next to the MPD is of LNWR origin and was retrieved from Hadley, near Wellington, in October 1972.<ref>SVR News 29</ref>. Both columns were installed during the winter of 1973-74.<ref>SVR News 31</ref>. Unlike at Bridgnorth and Kidderminster, the water supply at Bewdley is not specially treated, and so the columns are only used on rare occasions such as galas.
In October 2020 the [[Charitable Trust]] announced a project to improve wheelchair access to the island platform via the barrow crossing next to the MPD. The announcement noted that "''The SVR also aim to remove the water tower at the base of the platform ramp as it is causing an obstruction and puddles on the access route. This water tower is not an original feature, but was a later addition, installed during the preservation era, that is no longer essential to operations. This will be relocated to [[Highley|Highley Station]]''."<ref>[https://www.svrtrust.org.uk/index.php?page=News Charitable Trust 2020 News page]</ref>
</gallery>
==== Gent's urinal Urinal ====
An open roofed cast iron gentlemen's urinal is located on Platforms 2 and 3 on the site of the original urinal which was built in 1896. The replacement was relocated from Melrose in Scotland by SVR volunteers and formally opened in [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979#1977 | September 1977]]. See 'Links' below for two copyrighted images of the urinal at Melrose.
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====Token catcher====
The token catcher opposite Bewdley North signal box was originally located opposite Bewdley South signal box, where it could be used by locomotives on the former [[Stourport Branch]]. It was moved to its present location during the 1974-75 close season.<ref>SVR News 36</ref>. It is not currently in use, tokens instead being exchanged by hand.
<gallery mode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">
*1862 Bewdley has a population of 2900<ref>[[Bibliography | Handbook to the Severn Valley Railway, J. Randall, 1863]]</ref> (Population; 10869 in 2001)<ref>[http://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/things-to-see-do-and-visit/tourism-and-travel/guide-to-bewdley.aspx 2001 census]</ref>
*1862: When the Severn Valley Line opened, Bewdley was a crossing point and was deemed a principal station, being provided with a goods shed and goods yard. Construction of the [[Wyre Forest Line | Tenbury and Bewdley Railway]] and the [[Kidderminster Loop Line]] had already been authorised, and the station was always planned to be a junction.
*Around 1864: The Tenbury and Bewdley Railway opened on 13 August. Around that time turntable is was moved from Bewdley and re-erected in the goods yard at [[Wyre Forest Line#Tenbury_Wells|Tenbury]]
*1877: In preparation for the delayed opening of the Kidderminster Loop, authorisation was given to enlarge the island platform and provide a shelter and footbridge. New Bewdley North and Bewdley South signal boxes were also built.
*1878: The Kidderminster Loop opened on 1 June.
*1900: Authorisation was given for additional siding space including the [[Rock Siding]] at the back of Platform 3 and the siding along the far side of the yard.
*1911: Great Western Magazine included a photograph of Bewdley Ambulance Class taken by TJ Ricketts of Bewdley. The Mayor had presented awards - supervised by HK Woodward, Divisional Engineer.<ref>Great Western Magazine, January 1911</ref> A 1935 GWR plan of Bewdley shows an "Ambulance" in the Down Yard. This was a grounded M&SWJR coach body used as a First Aid training centre.
*1922: [[SVR staff in 1922#Severn Valley Railway (Kidderminster to Bridgnorth)|GWR staff records]] show the station had a staff of 19.
*1924: The island platform was extended from 400 to 515 feet to serve excursion traffic. Subsidence, landslip and sand washed onto the line between Arley and Kidderminster and Hartlebury - including Bewdley - affected services from 31 May to 3 June.<ref>Great Western Railway Magazine, July 1924</ref>
*1927: A new 20 ton cart weighbridge for motor vehicles was provided.<ref>Great Western Railway Magazine, June 1927</ref>
*1932: A small warehouse was added.<ref>Great Western Magazine, January 1933</ref>
*1939: It was announced that "A new warehouse is being provided at Bewdley", probably referring to the Provender Shed at the far end of the yard.<ref>Great Western Railway Magazine, February 1929</ref>
*1962: Passenger services to Tenbury ceased on 31 July<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Beddoes and Smith ((1995)]] p. 193.</ref> (services beyond Tenbury to Woofferton had ended a year earlier).
*1963: Passenger services towards Shrewsbury ceased on 9 September, with through freight services ending at the end of November. The Public Notice announcing closure of the line can be seen behind the ‘Platform 1’ sign in the photograph to the right (a copy of the closure notice is on display in [[The Engine House]]).
*1970: Passenger services to Kidderminster and Hartlebury ended on 5 January, ending the pre-preservation use of Bewdley Station.
<gallery mode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">
File:Bewdley1898.jpg|Bewdley Station in 1898
File:Bewdley_1910.jpg|Bewdley Station circa 1910
File:Railmotor_Bewdley.jpg | A GWR Steam Railmotor at Bewdley circa 1908-1911
File:Bewdley PW.jpg|Permanent Way gang at Bewdley
File:Bewdley Britain From Above 1930.jpg|Aerial view of Bewdley in 1930
!Name!!Born !! data-sort-type="date" | From !! data-sort-type="date" | To !! Comments
|-
|Thomas Appleton||26 April 1826 Newton-Le-Willows, Lancashire|| data-sort-value="1/8/1863" | August 1863||data-sort-value="31/1/1897" | 31 January 1897||Joined West Midland Railway October 1854. Retired 1897. Died 17 April 1906, Worcester|-|William John Curtis||16 July 1859 Salisbury, Wiltshire|| data-sort-value="1/2/1897" | February 1897||data-sort-value="1/8/1898" | August 1898 |||-|George Smith||14 January 1867 Shipton Oxfordshire||data-sort-value="1/9/1898" | September 1898||data-sort-value="1/12/1909" | 1 December 1909||Started work 6 November 1882. Later Station Master at [[Bridgnorth]]|-|Frederick William Augustus Hallett||12 August 1868 Batheaston, Somerset||data-sort-value="1/12/1910" | 1 December 1910||data-sort-value="23/7/1914" | 23 July 1914||Started work 9 January 1882. Died in 1914 aged 46 in a nursing home at Proud Cross, Kidderminster while awaiting an operation.<ref>Great Western Magazine, September 1914</ref>
|-
|George SmithErnest James Neate Carter||14 January 1867 Shipton Oxfordshire21 September 1879 Slough, Buckinghamshire||data-sort-value="1/9/18981914" | September 18981914||data-sort-value="1/12/19091927" | 1 December 19091927||Started work 6 November 1882. Station Master at Bridgnorth circa 1917
|-
|Frederick George William Augustus HallettLane||12 August 1868 Batheaston31 May 1872 Hartlebury, SomersetWorcestershire||data-sort-value="1/121/19101928" | 1 December 1910|After 1927|data-sort-value="23/7/1914" | 23 July 1914||Started work 9 January 1882. Died in 1914 in nursing home Previously station master at Proud Cross, KidderminsterHartlebury
|-
|Ernest James Neate CarterWilliam John Barton Banbury||21 September 1879 Slough11 June 1880 Teignmouth, BuckinghamshireDevon||data-sort-value="1/1/19141930" | 1914?1930s|| data-sort-value="1/12/19261937" | 1926?By February 1937||Started work 10 September 1894. Died 7 November 1959Previously station master at [[Wyre Forest Line#Cleobury_Mortimer|Cleobury Mortimer]], by 1937 station master at Stourport
|-
|George William LaneAlfred Walter Cooke||31 May 1872 Hartlebury15 September 1886 Witney, WorcestershireOxfordshire||data-sort-value="1/14/19241937" | After 1924April 1937|| ||Started work 31 May 1872. Employed Previously employed at Bewdley as a passenger clerk between December 1896 Bridgnorth, [[Wellington to Craven Arms Railway|Much Wenlock]] and October 1899[[Eardington]] and station master at Cleobury Mortimer. Died 9 January 1961
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ |+ [[Traffic statistics in commercial service]] for Bewdley (including Northwood Halt), selected years prior 1903 to 19391952
|-
! !! colspan="3" | Passenger Traffic !! colspan="2" | Freight Traffic !!
|1938||style="text-align:right"|60,251||style="text-align:right"|14,120||style="text-align:right"|3,748
|style="text-align:right"|10,874||style="text-align:right"|3,833||style="text-align:right"|7,581
|-
|1942||style="text-align:right"|93,092||style="text-align:right"|X||style="text-align:right"|7,325||style="text-align:right"|17,227||style="text-align:right"|X||style="text-align:right"|X
|-
|1947||style="text-align:right"|72,637||style="text-align:right"|12,251||style="text-align:right"|6,479||style="text-align:right"|13,376||style="text-align:right"|X||style="text-align:right"|X
|-
|1952||style="text-align:right"|64,647||style="text-align:right"|9,138||style="text-align:right"|5,328||style="text-align:right"|28,528||style="text-align:right"|X||style="text-align:right"|X
|-
|}
X: Data not recorded
==Historic maps of Bewdley Station==
* 1884 map showing scissors crossovers at both ends of the station and the short platform canopy
* 1903 map showing facing and trailing crossovers, the Rock siding and an additional siding in the goods yard
* 1927 map showing the longer platform and canopy and changes to the southern access to the Back Road and Rock Siding
* 1938 map showing little had changed since 1927
* 1964 map showing showing changes to the southern access to the Back Road and the goods yard
* 1905 GWR schematic plan of Bewdley giving siding capacities and other details.
<gallery mode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">
File:GWRplanBewdley.jpg
File:Bewdley1938map.jpg | 1938
File:Bewdley1964map.jpg | 1964
File:Bewdley plan 1905.png | 1905
</gallery>
== See also ==
==References==
<references />
Early Station Masters data taken from census and GWR staff records by Reg Instone, who is involved with the Signalling Records Society, the LNWR Society and the GWR Study Group. Additional information from Chris Haynes.
==Links==
