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==== Footbridge outside Bridgnorth Station ====
==== Platform 1 ====
==== The Railwayman's Arms ====
==== Pan Pudding Hill ====
→The station: add links
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==The station==
Bridgnorth is the current Northern terminus of the SVR. It has two platforms connected by a [[Bridgnorth Station Footbridge|footbridge]], a yard, and a [[Bridgnorth signal box|signal box]]. The original Severn Valley Railway continued northwards towards Ironbridge through [[Bridgnorth Tunnel|a 550 yard long tunnel ]] underneath Bridgnorth High Town. From time to time the possibility of re-opening the section of the line north of Bridgnorth is raised on discussion forums and elsewhere. The official stance of the SVR varies somewhat confusingly has over time varied between ''"maintaining a watching brief"'' and ''"the railway land north of Bridgnorth has been long since sold, and there is now no possibility of Severn Valley trains reaching Ironbridge and Shrewsbury ever again"''. An application by [[The Ironbridge Railway Trust]] in 2021 to the 'Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund' was unsuccessful.
The main station building is listed Grade II by Historic England for its special architectural or historic interest. <ref>[https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1053173 Bridgnorth Station on the Historic England list]</ref>
==Facilities==
Bridgnorth has two car parks. The entrance to the smaller coach/car park next to the station building is in Hollybush Road. This is pay and display and includes disabled parking spaces. The entrance to the larger 'West' car park is at the end of Station Lane off Hollybush Road, 100 yards to the north of the main station entrance. A ticket For both an ANPR system operates, with visitors to exit this car park may be purchased from the [[Bridgnorth Station Shop]] or 'The Railwayman's Arms' pubentering their registration number on a tablet to avoid parking charges.
Facilities for visitors include a buffet, a [[Bridgnorth Station Shop | the gift shop]] , Refreshment Rooms and 'The Railwayman’s Arms' pub. High Town, with its Castle Gardens and Cliff Railway, can be accessed from the SVR via a footbridge outside the entrance to the Station building.
A lineside public viewing area is situated at the foot of [[#Pan_Pudding_Hill | Pan Pudding Hill]], on the opposite side of the line from Platform 1. This can normally be accessed by taking the steps down from the car park near the Railwayman's Arms pub (the '[[Donkey Gallops]]') and going through the [[Engine Shed Underpass]]. A flight of steps on the right then leads up to the viewing area. When access is allowed to the Bridgnorth Works (normally only during Gala events), access to the viewing area is possible direct from the south end of Platform 2.
*On 12 March 2019 the planning application for the proposed relocation of the turntable was resubmitted. Approval was granted on 30 April 2019.<ref>[https://pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/ Shropshire Planning] Ref:19/01151/FUL</ref>
*In June 2021 the SVR applied for Listed building alterations in association with the conservation, renovation and reordering of Bridgnorth station, including reconstruction of the former parcels office and change of use to a shop.<ref name=blaug21>[https://www.svrlive.com/blaug21 Branch Lines, August 2021]</ref>
*In autumn 2023 work commenced on converting the former ladies' toilet to a new [[Severn Valley Railway Engineering Services|SVR Engineering (ESMP)]] office. This is seemingly incompatible with the previously announced plans to relocate the shop and reinstate the waiting room.
SVR(H) Annual Reports give the total capital sums spent on the Bridgnorth project to the end of 2020 as £3,236k comprising:
*2019: £625k (final payments and retention monies for the refreshment room/toilet block and new car park/access roads)
*2020: £17,289 on the refreshment room, disabled toilet block, car park and access roads.<ref>SVR(H) Financial Statements for period ending 3 January 2021</ref>
*2022: £31,624 on windows, roof and professional fees.<ref>SVRH Report and accounts up to 2 January 2023</ref>
In October 2019 the SVR issued an update suggesting the next phase (the Bridgnorth Turntable pit, restoration of the Turntable, renewal of track work in Bridgnorth yard and the provision of a new loco pit) would be delayed until further quotes were obtained and plans developed. The full announcement may be read on SVRLive [https://www.svrlive.com/post/bridgnorth-development-update-oct19 here]. Previous updates on this project including pictures of the work in progress can be found on the [https://www.svrlive.com/bridgnorth-development SVRLive Bridgnorth Development page].
== Points of interest ==
This view from Bridgnorth Station shows the footbridge connecting the station to New Road. It is sometimes referred to as the Hollybush Road footbridge, after the road which passes beneath it. The War Memorial in Bridgnorth High Town’s Castle Gardens can also be seen in this image.
</gallery>
The original footbridge at this location was built for Bridgnorth Corporation by [[David Owen#Rubery_Owen|Rubery Owen & Co. Ltd.]] in 1895 at a cost of £1400, for which the GWR contributed £95.<ref>[http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/278547 Kelly's Directory of Shropshire, 1913]</ref> It had been delayed due to a landslip that occurred near to one of the buttresses.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10231068542323539&set=gm.148420681436716&idorvanity=137861129159338 Gwilt, C., Bridgnorth history Facebook page, 19 May 2023]</ref> Its condition was allowed to deteriorate following the closure of the railway at Bridgnorth in 1963, and by 1967 owners Bridgnorth Council had announced plans for its demolition. A Public Enquiry into the future of the footbridge was held on 1 April 1968,<ref>SVR News 19</ref> and a [[Bridgnorth Footbridge Trust#Events prior to the establishment of the Bridgnorth Footbridge Trust|campaign to save the bridge]] was launched in 1969. The footbridge was closed and boarded up on 30 September 1970. In [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979#19745| April 1974]] Bridgnorth was demoted to rural borough status, losing its powers to spend money maintaining the footbridge. Later that year it was sold to the SVR for a nominal £1, but was reluctantly deemed beyond repair and demolished in 1976.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] p. 105.</ref> A short section was cosmetically restored by SVR volunteers and placed as a feature on the roundabout at the junction of the A458 and A442 on the outskirts of Bridgnorth. <ref>[https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.5279776,-2.4123035,3a,75y,68.21h,85.73t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sblf9KSdqoLBDX4V_-HByLA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 Section of footbridge visible on Google Street View]</ref> The 1895 bridge can also be seen in photographs 8 and 9 in the gallery of Sellick photographs below.
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
File:Bridgnorth foot bridge.jpg | The original 1895 footbridge
In January 2018 the footbridge was closed due to the station end lifting: it appeared the bridge was under tension and the bolts at either end had corroded, and so the bridge had come adrift at each end. Shropshire County Council instigated a temporary repair before the start of the running season with permanent repairs to follow.<ref>[http://shropshire.gov.uk/news/2018/01/footbridge-severn-valley-railway/ Shropshire County Council 19 January 2018] (Retrieved 20 January 2018)</ref> The bridge was closed for 4 weeks in February 2020 for these repairs to be completed.
The south end of platform 1 originally ended by the water tower, as can be seen in the picture by David Cooke below and in photographs 8 and 9 in the gallery of Sellick photographs. A 200 ft extension was added by SVR volunteers in 1981 using 30,000 bricks recovered from the ex-GWR goods shed at Cradley, coping stones from the former relief line platform at Acock’s Green, and fencing from Dunstall Park. At the same time contractors re-faced the original platform and raised the level at the south end<Ref Name = SVRNews60” />. There is a noticeable change in the appearance of the platform at the junction of the old and new platforms, which can be seen in this photograph.
</gallery>
Bridgnorth Station building includes a licensed public bar, The Railwayman’s Arms. This remained open when the station was closed by BR in September 1963 - the group of potential preservationists who visited Bridgnorth in [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1965-1969#1965 | July 1965]] were challenged by [[Tales from the Severn Valley#George_Thorpe.2C_licensee_of_The_Railwayman.27s_Arms|George Thorpe]] who ran it at the time.
Pan Pudding Hill, or sometimes Panpudding Hill or Pampudding Hill<ref>[https://www.bridgnorthtowncouncil.gov.uk/venues-bookings/castle-grounds-and-other-open-spaces/ Pampudding Hill on www.bridgnorthtowncouncil.gov.uk]</ref>, is a scheduled ancient monument which overlooks Bridgnorth station.<ref>[https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1013493 Pan Pudding Hill on the Historic England Scheduled Monument list]</ref> The man-made hill was built in 1102, on the orders of King Henry I, as a siege earthwork to attack and capture Bridgnorth Castle. The distance from the hill to the castle, nearly 300 yards, is a testament to the power of mediaeval siege catapults.
*1887: The Town Corporation pays for a new approach road to the station.
*1892: Two fully interlocked signalboxes open at the north and south ends of the station, replaced in 1923 by a [[Bridgnorth signal box|single central box ]] on the up platform.
*1895: The Town Corporation pays for a lattice footbridge to shorten the route from High Town to the railway, at a cost of £1,400.
*1922: [[SVR staff in 1922#Severn Valley Railway (Kidderminster to Bridgnorth)|GWR staff records for 1922]] show the station had a staff of 19.
*1923 Traders' siding completed.<ref>GWR Magazine January 1923</ref>
*1923 New brick-built [[Bridgnorth signal box| signal box]] opened with manual interlocking and 54 levers. Track circuit installed at the Worcester end of station.<ref>GWR Magazine March 1923</ref>
*1927 A loading bank was provided to facilitate ordinary goods business and to accommodate the new sugar beet traffic for The West Midlands Sugar Co (later British Sugar Corporation) factory at the site of [[Foley Park sidings]].<ref>GWR Magazine August 1927</ref>
*1928 [[Country Lorry Service and Cartage Service|Country Lorry Service]] introduced.<ref>GWR Magazine June 1928</ref>
*1929 The GWR began a long distance coach service from [[Wolverhampton]] to Aberystwyth via Bridgnorth and Ludlow; departing at 11.40am using a 26 seater, 6 cylinder Thorneycroft Victor vehicle.<ref>GWR Magazine September 1929</ref>
*1937 The supply and erection of a timber-framed warehouse was carried out by W&A Edgell Limited of Radstock.<ref>GWR Magazine January 1937</ref> A similar building was erected at Stourport.<ref>GWR Magazine August 1937</ref>
*1956: [[Railcar 22|GWR Diesel Railcar W10W]] was burnt out in a fire while standing at Platform 1.
*1960: The loop capacity, for the purpose of crossing trains, was 59 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>
*1962: Bridgnorth Town Council objects to BR's proposals to withdraw passenger trains between Shrewsbury and Bewdley, believing the line could be promoted as a holiday attraction.
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===Station Masters===
{| class="wikitable
|+ Early Station Masters
|-
!Name!!Born !! From !! To !! Comments
|-
| William Doughty || 15 February 1817 Broseley, Shropshire || data-sort-value="1/8/1863" | August 1863 || data-sort-value="1/9/1866" | September 1866 ||
|-
| Isaac Norris Hunt || 18 April 1828 Clifton, Gloucestershire || data-sort-value="1/9/1866" | September 1866 || data-sort-value="1/1/1869" | January 1869 || Previously station master at [[Stourport]]
|-
| Samuel Martin || 13 April 1834 Weymouth, Dorset || data-sort-value="1/1/1869" | January 1869 || data-sort-value="1/4/1872" | April 1872 ||
|-
| James Alexander Masters || 3 July 1840 Witney, Oxfordshire || data-sort-value="1/4/1872" | April 1872 || data-sort-value="6/7/1873" | 6 July 1873 || Deceased
|-
| William Edward Bradshaw || 29 May 1845 Sulgrave, Northamptonshire || data-sort-value="1/9/1873" | September 1873 || data-sort-value="1/7/1875" | Around July 1875 ||
|-
| Frederick Conran Barratt || 14 September 1833 Crewkerne, Somerset || data-sort-value="1/7/1875" | July 1875 || data-sort-value="1/9/1877" | Around September 1877 || Died November 1877.
|-
| William Gannimon Bowerman || 10 March 1836 Witney, Oxfordshire || data-sort-value="1/9/1877" | September 1877 || data-sort-value="10/11/1896" | 10 November 1896 || Retired
|-
|John Samuel <nowiki>Collett</nowiki>|| 3 June 1858 Chadlington, Oxfordshire || data-sort-value="1/12/1896" | December 1896|| data-sort-value="1/5/1905" | May 1905|| Died 30 August 1905. Served 33 years and left widow and three young children<ref>GWR magazine, October 1905</ref>
|-
|William James Cowan || 27 July 1857 Stonehouse, Devon|| data-sort-value="1/10/1905" | October 1905|| data-sort-value="1/1/1914" | 1914|| Retired in 1921 as Station Master at Newquay (Cornwall). He started in 1874 on the Devon and Cornwall Railway. He spent 9 years as Station Master at Bridgnorth from 1905<ref>GWR magazine, November 1921</ref>
|-
|George Smith || 14 January 1867 Shipton under Wychwood, Oxon ||data-sort-value="1/1/1917" | By 1917 || data-sort-value="1/1/1929" |1929|| George Smith, recently retired Station Master at Bridgnorth, received a presentation on 26 April 1929. His replacement, Mr Tubey presided.<ref name=GWR29>GWR magazine, June 1929</ref>
|-
|Mr Tubey || || data-sort-value="1/1/1929" |1929 || || <ref name=GWR29/>
|-
|D.B. Davis || || data-sort-value="1/1/1931" | 1931 || data-sort-value="1/1/1941" | 1941 || Retirement after 45 years service. Been at Bridgnorth for 10 years following Withington and Chipping Norton<ref>GWR magazine, January 1941</ref>
|-
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