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→Bridgnorth Development Project: info added
===Objectives===
The Bridgnorth site is the subject of a development project, the first phase of which will see the long-overdue removal of the Portacabin style Refreshment room (installed in 1979 "as a temporary measure"<ref>SVR News 51</ref>; previous buffet facilities having been in an old [[Carriages formerly resident on the SVR#Carriages formerly at the SVR but later moved elsewhere | BR Mk 1 Tourist Second Open]]), and its replacement with a circa-1900 Great Western style single-storey building which will be is located to the south of the existing Jacobean style station building.
===Evolution of plans===
*October 2017: It was announced the new facility would not provide for staff meals "across the whole service" as beforehand, due to the dimensions of the new buffet. A Working Group was set up to utilise instead the Engineering Services mess room for volunteer catering.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/working-members SVRLive]</ref>
*October 2017: Proceeds from the share offer reached the target of £2.5m on the final day. Work continued on the building structure.
*March 2018: First phase work, much delayed, continued with the first roof slates being laid by the end of the month. A project team was working on the specification of the West side project, which includes the field car park, access roads and [[Bridgnorth Turntable|turntable]]. It was intended to tender for this phase during the summer of 2018.<ref>SVR NBI March 2018</ref> First phase work, much delayed, continued with the first roof slates being laid by the end of the month.
*April 2018 roofing took place and the scaffolding was largely removed from the exterior of the building
*June 2018 In the rear service yard area, the “Bovey Tracey” outbuilding building had the framework erected and covered in breathable felt ready for the external corrugated cladding to be applied. This is based on a goods lock up that used to adorn Bovey Tracey station on the Moretonhampstead branch in Devon. The SVR version will serve serves as a plant room housing the heating boiler and food preparation area for the volunteer [[Severn Valley Venturer]] catering staff.
*July 2018 a completion and hand-over was forecast for the third week in July.<ref>SVR News 201, p. 15</ref>. This was followed by a revised plan to open on 3 September. An announcement in September gave a date of end of 2018, with a formal opening in Spring 2019.<ref>SVR Forum, September 2018</ref>
* October 2018 the former ‘overflow’ parking field was closed for contractors to construct a carefully surfaced, illuminated 200-space visitor West car park and access/egress routes. Walsh Construction successfully tendered for this work at a cost of £642,000.<ref>SVR News 205</ref>
* December 2018 the contractors' site offices and associated buildings were removed from the station car park following the practical completion of the much delayed, as yet unopened, new station building. The toilets and (unfinished) new car park opened. On 19 December the planning application for the proposed relocation of the turntable was withdrawn.<ref>[https://pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=PHW267TDHOM00 Shropshire Council 18/05183/FUL | Construction of locomotive turntable reclaimed from Bath Road Bristol and associated enabling works] (Retrieved 31 December 2018)</ref>
* January 2019 the new Bridgnorth Refreshment Room opened daily during closed season.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/RailwaymansArms/photos/a.1457434694370776/2055781847869388/?type=3&theater Railwayman's Arms Facebook 26 January 2019]</ref> The official opening was 4 April.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/grandopening 'SVR Shareholder Event 2019', SVRLive, 22 February 2019] (Retrieved 23 February 2019)</ref>
