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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 entrance to a long goods loop, access to the north end of which which was controlled by the [[List of signal boxes#List of historical Signal Boxes and Ground Frames|Park Street ground frame]]. The ELRs give the length of record the Burlish Branch as a 'dead end' line with a length of 42 chains, placing the northern end approximately at the location terminus of [[the Steatite & Porcelain Products private siding, adjacent to Burlish Halt]].

A private siding for ==Early history==[[File: OS_Stourport_West_1927.jpg|thumb|300px|right|1927 OS Map of the sidings west of Stourport]]From opening in 1862, the company Steatite & Porcelain Products Ltd (now known as Morgan Advanced Ceramics Ltd) connected with this goods loopsidings at [[Stourport]] were originally situated east of the station. On 11 April 1913 the GWR authorised the construction of further sidings west of the station.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Mitchell & Smith Marshall (20071989)]]p. 90.</ref> OS Maps after that time suggest these were accessed from the south only, picture 7with no north-facing connection at the north end. The two southernmost sidings faced the station and appear to have been accessed via a long head-shunt.<br clear="all"/ref> Access  ==Extension to create the Burlish Branch==[[File:OS_Burlish_1939_1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|1939 OS Map of the loop 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 junction at extension forming Steatite & Porcelain Products siding]]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. An extension to the original head-shunt to create a private siding for the company also opened in 1929. Originally this connected to the works via a crossing on the southern end Stourport to Bewdley road. The crossing was closed in 1933, although the sidings remained in use.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] p. 90.</ref> 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>  <gallery mode=packed heights=300px style="text-align:left">OS_Burlish_1939_3.jpg|1939 factory and siding layout</gallery> 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"/> <gallery mode=packed heights=300px style="text-align:left">Burlish_Branch_Michael_Clemens.jpg|Burlish Halt in 1963 with wagons on the siding (left)</gallery> The company premises 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 & 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 (and arenow 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) situated </ref> A 1937 report by the GWR Traffic Research Committee states that in the vicinity 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 Burlish Halt.the GWR Worcester Division Traffic Research Committee, held by The National Archive</ref>

*[[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]]

[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]