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Burlish Branch Junction appears in the [[Engineer's Line References]] for the Severn Valley Railway. The junction with the Severn Valley branch was situated 3 chains (66 yards) west of [[Stourport|Stourport station]], towards Bewdley in the direction of travel. It formed The ELRs record the entrance to Burlish Branch as a 'dead end' line with a long goods looplength of 42 chains, access to which was controlled by placing the northern end at the [[List terminus of signal boxes#List of historical Signal Boxes and Ground Frames|Park Street ground frame]]the Steatite & Porcelain Products private siding, adjacent to Burlish Halt.
==Extension to create the Burlish Branch==
[[File:OS_Burlish_1939_1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|1939 OS Map of the Burlish Branch from Stourport station (bottom right to Park Sidings ground frame (top left)]] [[File:OS_Burlish_1939_2.jpg|thumb|300px|right|1939 OS Map showing the extension forming Steatite & Porcelain Products siding]]
By 1939 the siding had become a long goods loop, access to the north end of which was controlled by the Park Sidings ground frame.<ref name="SA1960">Birmingham Traffic District Sectional Appendix 1960</ref><ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Mitchell & Smith (2007)]], fig 7</ref> An extension to the original head-shunt had become a private siding for the company Steatite & Porcelain Products Ltd.<br>
By 1960 this loop was described as "the former independent line to the Steatite Company's private siding" and was available as storage accommodation for up to 39 wagons with the adjacent loop furthest from the running line able to hold 45 wagons.<ref name="SA1960"/><br>
The Park Sidings were used for excursion trains with "...portable steps being provided to enable passengers to enter the trains, the steps being moved by the staff from compartment to compartment, as required by the progress of the loading." When backing an empty train in to pick up passengers, staff were instructed to "...warn all persons to stand clear...and...prevent any attempt on the part of the passengers to enter the moving vehicles".<ref name="SA1960"/>
Steatite and Porcelain Products Company's premises opened in 1929 and were (and are) situated in the vicinity of [[Burlish Halt]], which opened in 1930 principally to serve the works.
<gallery>
OS_Burlish_1939_3.jpg|1939 factory and siding layout
</gallery>
Steatite & Porcelain Products was established in 1907 and in 1910 incorporated as Ernst Hildebrant Ltd. It changed names in 1917 to the Clay Ring Co. Ltd. and in 1928 to Steatite & Porcelain Products Ltd. It was acquired in 1941 by ICI Metals Division and in 1964 by Morgan Advanced Ceramics Ltd (now Morgan Advanced Materials plc).<ref>[https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Steatite_and_Porcelain_Products Grace's guide to British Industry webpage] (retrieved 7 October 2018)</ref>
A 1937 report by the GWR Traffic Research Committee states that in the three months ending November 1936, Steatite & Porcelain Products had sent 422 tons by rail, 152 tons by road and 6 tons by canal.<ref>Minutes of meeting of the GWR Worcester Division Traffic Research Committee, held by The National Archive</ref>
==See also==
*[[Private sidings connected to the Severn Valley Railway]]*[[Maps#Schematic maps of the pre-closure SVR | Pre-1963 map]]*[[List of signal boxes#List of historical Signal Boxes and Ground Frames | List of historical Signal Boxes and Ground Frames]]
==References==
==Links==
[https://teleramics.com/makers/spp.html Notes on Steatite & Porcelain Products Ltd, now known as .]<br>[http://www.morganadvancedmaterials.com/en-gb/ Morgan Advanced Ceramics LtdMaterials plc]<br>[https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/archive/collections/aerial-photos/record/RAF_541_177_RP_3269 Aerial view of Stourport from 1948 showing Steatite & Porcelain Products and the National Cold Store]
