Changes

[[File:Eardington SVR Station - geograph.org.uk - 682362Eardington_20180603.jpg|thumb|300px|right| Eardington Halt (Wikimedia CommonsJune 2018)]] 

'''Eardington ''', sometimes referred to as "Eardington Halt", is a disused station, situated on [[Eardington Bank]] and located mid-way between [[Bridgnorth]] and [[Hampton Loade]] at milepost 147¾. Although the station does not currently feature in daily operations a dedicated 'Friends of Eardington Station' team lead by Steve Downs looks after and maintains this wayside gem.

==Eardington in preservation==In the earliest days of the SVR, when Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade formed the limit of operations, Eardington was used as an intermediate stopping point and watering place and was sometimes referred to as Eardington Halt.  During the period of [[Sir Gerald Nabarro]]'s chairmanship it was closed in connection with the possible rebuilding of Eardington as the northern terminus on the line. As well as installing a run-round loop (see below), detailed plans were also prepared for the station to be enlarged and a car park provided, although this was not publicised at the time.<ref name=Marshall180>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] p. 180.</ref> The halt station later re-opened in March 1981, but last appeared in the timetable as a request stop in 1982,<ref name=Marshall103>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] p. 103.</ref> after which it was removed from regular use due to the steep gradient, short platform, and low passenger numbers<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eardington_Halt_railway_station Wikipedia]</ref>.  It has since been cosmetically restored by the Friends of Eardington Station, and is occasionally opened to visitors on gala days. On 2-3 June 2018 it staged "'''Eardington 150'''" to mark its 150th birthday. The station was open to the public on both days with various special attractions (trains did not stop). The event coincided with the SVR's Goods Gala.<ref>[https://www.shropshirestar.com/entertainment/attractions/2018/06/04/restored-shropshire-railway-station-celebrates-150-years---with-video-and-pictures/ SVR's PR on Shropshire Live website 4 June 2018] (Retrieved 24 June 2018)</ref> ===The platform===The southern end of the platform was cut back after it collapsed, however the . The Friends held a fundraising appeal in 2014 to replace the missing part;<ref>SVRA Working Members Newsletter November 2014</ref> it was reported on 27 October 2016 that sufficient funds had been raised to purchase the required replacement GWR bricks.<ref>[https://twitter.com/Eardingtonstn/status/791730973977219072 Eardington Station Twitter Feed], retrieved 01 Nov November 2016</ref>  A project commenced during the January 2018 winter shutdown involving the partial rebuilding of the platform face.<ref>[https://svrtrust.org.uk/downloads/Platform%202018%20web%20version-1.pdf 'Platform' magazine, 2018 Issue 4, p.5]</ref> Some 8000 engineering bricks recovered from the London – Bristol mainline and donated by Kier Construction have been used. These have been cleaned up by the Friends of Eardington Station over a period of time and provide a genuine connection to the GWR. The rebuild was undertaken by JSR Construction who are based less than a mile away from the station, thus keeping the work local.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/eardington-station SVRLive 'Eardington Station' 13 January 2018]</ref><ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/winter-works-2018 'SVRLive Winter Works 2018' 16 January 2018]</ref> Work was completed on 31 January 2019, giving the station a full length working platform of 300' - roughly 5 coaches - for the first time since 1984. The £41,000 project was aided by donations from the [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd| Charitable Trust]] and [[Severn Valley Railway Company Limited| the Guarantee Company]] of £6,500 each, with the remainder being raised by the Friends. The project was completed on time and on budget. <ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/eardington-station SVR Live February 2019]</ref><ref>[https://www.shropshirestar.com/entertainment/bridgnorth-entertainment/2019/03/01/volunteers-on-severn-valley-railway-proud-to-unveil-new-platform/ Smith, R., 'Severn Valley Railway volunteers proud to unveil new platform', Shropshire Star, 1 March 2019] (Retrieved 3 March 2019)</ref> The rebuilt platform, which can be seen in the main photograph taken during the 2018 Goods Gala, improves greatly the appearance of the station and allows consideration to its possible use on gala events at some point in the future.  === The Eardington Explorer ===On 17 April 2015, the [[The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust|82045 Steam Locomotive Trust]] ran a special fundraising train, the [[The Eardington Explorer|Eardington Explorer]]<ref name=SVROnlineForum>[https://forum.svr-online.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=3298 SVR Online Forum]</ref>. This ran between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade, calling specially at Eardington. This was the first time that a stop had been timetabled at Eardington for several years. The Fund ran a second 'Eardington Explorer' on 22 April 2016. ===Proposed reopening===In November 2018, FCFM Group, the owners of nearby Astbury Hall, submitted plans to Shropshire Council for development of the hall and grounds as a 'holiday venue'. The Design Statement states "The applicant has agreed to assist in financing of the reopening of Eardington Station and to take a direct link between Astbury Estate and the Severn Valley Railway."<ref>[https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/bridgnorth/2018/12/05/50m-plans-revealed-for-world-class-holiday-venue/ Article on the proposed reopening in the Shropshire Star]</ref><ref>[https://pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=PHHELNTDHH500 Planning application for Astbury Hall on Shropshire Council web site]</ref> This would see around 300 high quality log cabins at the site adjacent to Eardington Station. FCFM submitted to the SVR an outline proposal for investment such that trains could call regularly providing a link to the new development. The parties agreed to explore how public access could be provided from the estate to the station and what could be achieved while ensuring the character and feel of the station are not undermined.<ref>SVR announcement 7 December 2018</ref> In February 2019, the SVR submitted a 'Support Comment' in favour of the development to Shropshire Council.<ref>[https://pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/files/18443101FA96A89B05C78950FB71FF7B/pdf/18_05052_FUL-SUPPORT_COMMENT_SEVERN_VALLEY_RAILWAY-3514070.pdf SVR Support Comment on Shropshire Council web site]</ref> In March 2019 the Shropshire Star reported that that plans had been approved.<ref>[https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/property/2019/03/12/astbury-hall-plans-backed-to-transform-former-kk-downing-estate-into-luxury-leisure-resort/ ''Astbury Hall: Plans backed to transform former KK Downing estate into luxury leisure resort''] Shropshire Star (retrieved 25 May 2019)</ref>

A dead-end siding which is situated at Eardington accessed by a two-lever [[Eardington ground frame | ground frame]] at the south end. This is released by the [[Highley signal box|Highley]]-[[Bridgnorth signal box|Bridgnorth]] long section token, and was commissioned in 1976<ref>[http://svrsig.co.uk/svr/Frame8.htm Severn Valley Railway S&T Department (unofficial) website.]</ref>. The siding had been removed by BR in 1964 after closure of the line, but was reinstated in the early days of the SVR. In 1973 under Sir Gerald Nabarro's chairmanship, the siding was converted by contractors to a run-round loop at the then not insignificant cost of £8,000. This was seen as part of the plan to abandon Bridgnorth, which led to much unrest on the SVR at the time. In fact the connection at the north end would have been too tight for most locomotives, and was soon removed<ref>Marshall, p180.</ref>.

The original siding at Eardington had been removed by BR in 1964 after closure of the line, but was reinstated in the early days of the SVR. In 1973 under Sir Gerald Nabarro's chairmanship, it was converted by contractors into a run-round loop at the then not insignificant cost of £8,000. This was seen as part of the plan to abandon Bridgnorth, which led to much unrest on the SVR at the time. In fact the connection at the north end would have been too tight for most locomotives.<ref name=Marshall180/> By winter 1974-5 the loop had been converted to a siding to for PW use. The two points at the north end which formed a crossover were both removed; the former point in the main line was reused at [[Arley]] while the point from the loop was taken to Bridgnorth for use in the loco yard. The single-bladed trap at the south end was not considered suitable for a siding opening onto a passenger carrying line, so was replaced by a double-bladed trap.<ref>SVR News 34</ref> Since that time the siding is regularly used for storing Permanent Way rolling stock.<gallerymode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">

== The Eardington Explorer Points of Interest=====Locomotive watering facility===On The water tank at Eardington was acquired by the SVR Society from Withymoor, Netherton (near Dudley) in the summer of 1967, and installed in time for the 1968 Steam Gala. It was assisted in part by school parties from the The Royal School Wolverhampton under its history teacher, Brian Kingshott.<ref>Robert Betts and Nick Neath in Unofficial SVR Facebook post 22 April 17th 20152021</ref> The decision to install the SVR’s first proper watering facility at Eardington rather than Bridgnorth was due to Eardington having naturally soft water compared with very hard water at Bridgnorth. At opening in 1970, the [[The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust|82045 Steam Locomotive Trust]] ran timetable allowed a special fundraising train5 minute stop southbound at Eardington for locomotive watering; passengers frequently took the opportunity to photograph the locomotive or buy pop and sweets which were sold at the station. Once watering facilities were installed at Bridgnorth, this was reduced to one minute, effectively ending this practice.  Unused for some years and heavily perforated, it was removed on 22 April 2021 using the [[The Cowans Sheldon 30-ton steam crane]].<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Eardington ExplorerLift Chris Bond.jpg|Eardington Explorer]]The tank is removed in April 2021 (Chris Bond)<ref/gallery> ===Lamps===The 'Friends' have developed a collection of vintage [http://forum.svratilleylamp.orgco.uk/viewtopicTilley lamps] with a railway provenance, to light the station after dark when open for galas and special occasions.php?t<ref name=3298 SVR-Online forum]<"SVROnlineForum"/ref>. This ran between Bridgnorth  ==TV and Hampton Loadefilm==Steve Downes, the Station Master, calling specially at Eardingtonis a member of acoustic trio 'Whalebone'. This A music video of the Simon & Garfunkle classic 'The Boxer' was filmed at the first time that a stop had been timetabled at Eardington for several yearsstation in 2011<ref>Heritage Railway 6 July 2011, p. 22</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=-FgtP7tpg1A The Fund ran a secons 'Eardington Explorer' Boxer, Whalebone, music video on April 22nd 2016YouTube (2011)]</ref>.

==History of Eardington history before preservation==

*1922: [[SVR staff in 1922#Severn Valley Railway (Kidderminster to Bridgnorth)|GWR staff records for 1922]] show the station had a staff of 2, the station master and a Gatewoman.*1931: The station lost its station master, coming under the control of [[Highley]].<ref name=SVRNews201>SVR News 201 'Eardington News' (Steve Downs)</ref> *1949: BR reduced the station to unstaffed status after 1 April 1949, though did not designate it as a Halt.<ref name = SVR Guide” />.*1952: The first noted instance of the station being referred to as "Eardington Halt" in a BR timetable.<ref name=SVRNews201/>*1959: The goods loop was reduced to a siding, accessed from the south end only<ref name = SVR Guide” />. The station was still called "Eardington" in the [[Timetable: Severn Valley and Tenbury Lines 1959|1959 BR Working Timetable]].

At opening {| class="wikitable"|+ [[The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership#Traffic statistics|GWR Traffic statistics]] for Eardington, selected years prior to 1939<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Nabarro (1971)]] p. 55.</ref>|-! !! colspan="3" | Passenger Traffic !! colspan="2" | Freight Traffic !! |-! Year !! Tickets issued !! Parcels despatched !! Revenue (&pound;) !! Tons received &amp; despatched !! Revenue (&pound;) !! Total revenue (&pound;)|-|1903||style="text-align:right"|5,944||style="text-align:right"|778||style="text-align:right"|290||style="text-align:right"|1,493||style="text-align:right"|609||style="text-align:right"|899|-|1913||style="text-align:right"|6,690||style="text-align:right"|961||style="text-align:right"|311||style="text-align:right"|1,704||style="text-align:right"|464||style="text-align:right"|775|-|1923||style="text-align:right"|5,267||style="text-align:right"|2,259||style="text-align:right"|389||style="text-align:right"|2,355||style="text-align:right"|1,275||style="text-align:right"|1,664|-|1933||style="text-align:right"|3,361||style="text-align:right"|438||style="text-align:right"|150||style="text-align:right"|604||style="text-align:right"|217||style="text-align:right"|367|-|1938||style="text-align:right"|2,075||style="text-align:right"|277||style="text-align:right"|90||style="text-align:right"|1,434||style="text-align:right"|273||style="text-align:right"|303|-|} ===Former station masters===George Cooke was Station Master in 1970c. 1910<ref>SVR Souvenir Guide, p.31</ref>. ==Historic maps of Eardington Station== * Original GWR plan of the station.* 1884 OS map showing the timetable allowed a 5 minute stop southbound at Eardington for locomotive watering; passengers frequently took position of the opportunity station in relation to photograph the locomotive or buy pop river and iron works. Unfortunately, the station lies across the join between two maps and sweets the track detail is not very clear.* 1903 OS map on which were sold at the stationloop and headshunt can be seen more clearly. Once watering facilities were installed at BridgnorthBy this date, this the iron works was reduced to one minute, effectively ending this practicedisused.* 1905 GWR schematic plan of Eardingtony giving siding capacity and other details. <gallery mode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">File:GWRplanEardington.jpg | GWR planFile:Eardington1884map.jpg | 1884File:Eardington1903map.jpg | 1903File:Eardington plan 1905.png | 1905</gallery>

<gallerymode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">