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Bridgnorth station, viewed from the footbridge

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The station

Bridgnorth is the current Northern terminus of the SVR. It has two platforms, a yard, and a signal box. The original Severn Valley Railway continued northwards towards Ironbridge through 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 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".

Bridgnorth is home to the Loco Works. Bridgnorth MPD (motive power department) is the principal base for the Railway's locomotives. Bridgnorth is also home to two new build projects, BR Class 3 locomotive 82045 and a replica of the Trevithick locomotive Catch Me Who Can.

Day to day restoration and maintenance is carried out by a group going by the name of 'The Wailing Wall Construction Company plc (pretty limited craftsmen)'.

Facilities

Bridgnorth has a pay and display car park, with overflow parking available a short walk away. Other facilities for visitors include a buffet, a gift shop 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, 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.

Proposed development

The Bridgnorth site is presently the subject of development proposals that will see, most notably, the long overdue removal of the Portacabin style Refreshment room (installed in 1979 "as a temporary measure"^[1]; previous buffet facilities having been in an old BR Mk 1 Tourist Second Open), and its replacement with a early 20th century Great Western style building which will be located to the south of the existing Jacobean style station building. Other features of the current proposals include replacement volunteer accommodation, replacement/enlarged water tank and improved car parking facilities. As of September 2015, plans and illustrations of the proposed development have been on public display in the booking office at the station.

Proposed site plan on display

Points of interest

Footbridge outside Bridgnorth Station

This view from Bridgnorth Station shows the footbridge connecting the station to New Road. The original footbridge at this location was built by Rubery Owen & Co. Ltd. in 1895, but was deemed beyond repair and demolished by Bridgnorth Council in 1976. It can be seen in photographs 8 and 9 in the gallery of Sellick photographs below. The new footbridge, which was built under the auspices of the Bridgnorth Footbridge Trust, was opened in July 1994. The War Memorial in Bridgnorth High Town’s Castle Gardens can also be seen.

The new footbridge

Platform 1

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^[2]. 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.

Bridgnorth Platform 1 in 1969 (David Cooke)
Bridgnorth Platform 1

The Railwayman's Arms

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 July 1965 were challenged by George Thorpe who ran it at the time.

The pub sign on the platform features paintings of Ivatt ‘Mickey Mouse’ 46443 and GWR 7802 Bradley Manor.

The Railwayman’s Arms occupies the south wing of the station.
The pub sign looking north
The pub sign looking south

Pan Pudding Hill

Pan Pudding Hill, or sometimes Panpudding Hill, is a scheduled ancient monument which overlooks Bridgnorth station. 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.

Pan Pudding Hill was used to attack Bridgnorth Castle on other occasions, and finally in 1646 by Cromwell’s Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. After the last attack Bridgnorth Castle was blown up, leaving only the remains of the keep which can be seen in the castle grounds in High Town.^[3]

Pan Pudding Hill, with the public viewing area below

Locomotive watering facilities

BR had already demolished the water tank on Pan Pudding Hill and the watering columns on platforms 1 and 2 before the fledgling SVR Society made contact in July 1965 asking them to stop demolition works while negotiations to buy the line took place. The SVR Society acquired replacement ‘rail level’ water columns from nearby Stourbridge MPD, and a replacement water tank from Henley in Arden, the latter arriving in August 1970. These were installed during the following year – until they were commissioned locomotives were watered at Eardington where possible, or otherwise from a simple hosepipe connected to a nearby tap at Bridgnorth.

In October 1972, the platform water columns from Henley were obtained with a view to replace those previously obtained from Stourbridge.

In 1980 Severn Trent Water re-connected the local water supply to a bore hole which supplied water with a very high level of dissolved salts. The water softening plant was unable to cope with this, resulting in boilers scaling and locomotives 'priming' within 3 days of a washout^[4]. The following year, to resolve the issue, the SVR laid a water main to Bridgnorth from Knowlesands, the nearest source of softer water^[2].

Weighbridge

All locomotives must be weighed before first use on the SVR to ensure they comply with axle weight limits. Individual wheels are also weighed to check for correct weight distribution after replacement of springs.
Locomotives are driven slowly over two strain gauges on the track adjacent to platform 1 at Bridgnorth with the results displayed on a screen in the signal box.

Weighbridge adjacent to Platform 1

Bridgnorth history before preservation

Bridgnorth under threat of closure in 1962 (Wikimedia Commons)

1862: When the original Severn Valley Railway opened, Bridgnorth Station is the principal intermediate station and crossing point between Hartlebury and Shrewsbury. The station building is made of stone in a Jacobean architectural style.

1887: The down platform is extended, a passenger shelter is erected, and a cast-iron and wrought-iron lattice footbridge is built to connect it to the up platform.

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 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: Knowle Sand Brick Works siding opens, with ground frames at either end of loop, capable of accommodating 35 standard wagons plus engine and brake van.

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.

1963: Official notice is given of the withdrawal of passenger services north of Bewdley, to be effective from 9 September 1963. Freight and parcels will continue until the end of the year, after which time only coal traffic from the south to and from Alveley Colliery will use the line. The last BR passenger service to run into Bridgnorth from the south is on 8 September 1963, double headed by ex-GWR 0-6-0 Pannier Tanks Nos 9624 and 4665.

At the end of 1963 Bridgnorth and all the other Severn Valley line stations except Bewdley and Stourport are closed completely, and the track is taken up between Bridgnorth and Buildwas.^[5]

Gallery

1) Ex-GWR Small Prairie 5538 calls at Bridgnorth in April 1957 (Sellick Collection)
2) A steam-hauled service and an ex-GWR Diesel Railcar pass at Bridgnorth in August 1962 (Sellick Collection)
3) An ex-GWR Diesel Railcar passes a Northbound train at Bridgnorth in September 1962 (Sellick Collection)
4) The pre-preservation signal box and a Northbound train in September 1962 (Sellick Collection)
5) Ex-LMS Ivatt Tank 41202 passes a BR DMU at Bridgnorth in October 1962 (Sellick Collection)
6) 80072 stands at Bridgnorth in snowy conditions on 12 January 1963 (Sellick Collection)
7) 80072 departs Bridgnorth. Note the van included in the train (Sellick Collection)
8) Ex-GWR Pannier 3619 takes water at Bridgnorth in January 1963 (Sellick Collection)
9) A view of the station and high town from Pan Pudding Hill in January 1963 (Sellick Collection)
10) An ex-LMS locomotive calls at Bridgnorth on 31 July 1963, shortly before the closure of the line (Sellick Collection)
11) GWR Panniers 9624 and 4665 prepare to depart Bridgnorth with the last BR train on 8 September 1963 (Sellick Collection)
Former GWR Railcar W26W arrives on a down service, whilst the waiting up service takes water. Note the military lookout/radio station on Pan Pudding Hill. (PG Hindley)