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[[File:Eardington SVR Station - geograph.org.uk - 682362Eardington_20180603.jpg|thumb|200px300px|right| Eardington Halt (Wikimedia CommonsJune 2018)]] 

==The station==Eardington is a disused stationIn February 2019, located mid-way between [[Bridgnorth]] and [[Hampton Loade]] at milepost 147&frac34;. In the earliest days of the SVR, when those two stations formed the limit of operations, it was used as an intermediate stopping point and watering place and became known as Eardington Halt (it was never deemed submitted a Halt during GWR/BR days). During the period of Sir Gerald Nabarro's chairmanship it was closed Support Comment' in connection with the possible rebuilding favour of Eardington as the northern terminus on the linedevelopment to Shropshire Council. It later re-opened in March 1981, but last appeared in the timetable as a request stop in 1982<ref name = "Marshall103">The Severn Valley Railway, John Marshall (1989) p103</ref>, after which it was removed from regular use due to the steep gradient, short platform, and low passenger numbers<ref>[httphttps://enpa.shropshire.wikipediagov.orguk/wikionline-applications/Eardington_Halt_railway_station Wikipedia]<files/18443101FA96A89B05C78950FB71FF7B/pdf/ref>18_05052_FUL-SUPPORT_COMMENT_SEVERN_VALLEY_RAILWAY-3514070. The halt has since been cosmetically restored by the Friends of Eardington Station, and is occasionally opened to visitors pdf SVR Support Comment on gala days. The southern end of the platform was cut back after it collapsed, however the Friends held a fundraising appeal to replace the missing part;<ref>SVRA Working Members Newsletter November 2014Shropshire Council web site]</ref> it was In March 2019 the Shropshire Star reported on 27 October 2016 that sufficient funds that plans had been raised to purchase the required replacement GWR bricksapproved.<ref>[https://twitterwww.shropshirestar.com/Eardingtonstnnews/property/2019/03/status12/791730973977219072 Eardington Station Twitter Feedastbury-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 01 Nov 201625 May 2019)</ref>

A ==Eardington siding==Opposite the station platform is a dead-end siding which is situated at Eardington, usually used for storing Permanent Way rolling stock, 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>.

[http: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 summer 1972 under Sir Gerald Nabarro's chairmanship, contractors began work to convert the siding into a passing loop at the then not insignificant cost of £8,000.<ref group="note">£8,000 in 1972 equates to around £135,000 in 2023. For context, the whole section of the railway between Bridgnorth and Alveley had cost only £25,000 just two years earlier.<//www.sharposref> The loop was intended to accommodate a locomotive and 10 coaches, with a new concrete block-worldfaced platform being built incorporating the cattle dock at the south end.coA small signal box on the site of the cattle dock was to be added later.uk/cpg/thumbnailsThese works would have occupied most of the then car park area, so the small field above the station building was partially levelled to form a new car park which would have been accessed from the road at the north end.php?album<ref name=300 Photos at SVR25/> Later that year, during preparation for commissioning the signalling between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade, an extra token machine was installed in [[Bridgnorth signal box]] to cater for the Eardingtonloop.<ref>SVR News 26, showing station building ''Signal & yard area]Telecommunications Department Notes''</ref>

The installation of the passing loop was seen as part of a plan by [[Sir Gerald Nabarro]] to abandon Bridgnorth,<ref group="note">Although officially described as a passing loop, discontented members believed it was actually intended as a run round loop at what would become the northern terminus following the closure of Bridgnorth.</ref> 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/> However by May 1973 Nabarro had stepped down from the SVR(H) and Guarantee Company Boards. An EGM was held that month to consider the impact of the proposed [[Bridgnorth Bypass Bridge|Bridgnorth bypass]]. [[Richard Dunn]] advised shareholders and members via SVR News that "''I have no reason to reverse my opinion of 1968 that Eardington was not a suitable permanent terminus to the line, owing to the difficulties of road access and inadequate parking space.''"<ref>SVR News 27, ''The Eardington Explorer ==Proposed Bridgnorth By-pass'', R.H. Dunn</ref>

On April 17th 2015 and April 22nd 2016, In early 1974 the [[Board reported that "''The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust|82045 Steam Locomotive Trust]] ran circumstances under which Eardington loop was planned have so altered that it is unlikely to be needed. It is proposed to convert it to a siding, controlled from a special fundraising trainground frame at the south points, with the [[The Eardington Explorer|Eardington Explorer]]proposed platform area levelled off to form a loading bank and car park''."<ref>[http://forum.svra.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=3298 SVR-Online forum]News 31, ''Boardroom Notes'', David Mellor</ref>By winter 1974-5 the loop had been converted to a siding to for PW use. This ran between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade, calling specially The two points at the north end which formed a crossover were both removed; the former point in the main line was reused at Eardington. This [[Arley]] while the point from the loop was taken to Bridgnorth for use in the first time that a stop had been timetabled loco yard. The single-bladed trap at Eardington the south end was not considered suitable for several yearsa siding opening onto a passenger carrying line, so was replaced by a double-bladed trap.<ref>SVR News 34</ref>

==History In early preservation items of Eardington rolling stock were stored there before preservation==being restored to use, including carriages [[GNR 2701 Composite Corridor | 2701]], [[BR 4399 Tourist Standard Open |4399]], [[LMS Brake Third Corridor 26880 | 26880]] ‎and [[LMS 27270 Third Open |27270]]; and [[Regent Oil & Texaco 345 Aviation Fuel Tank Wagon | Regent Oil & Texaco Aviation Fuel Tank Wagon 345]]. Since that time the siding is regularly used for storing Permanent Way rolling stock.

*1864: A siding connection to Lower Forge was proposed but never built. Upper Forge and Lower Forge were two local ironworks, located respectively west and east of the line and joined by a 750 yard long navigable canal tunnel.<ref name gallery mode= "Marshall103" />.*1868: Eardington Station opened on 1 June 1868, some six years after the opening of the Severn Valley Railway<ref name packed heights= SVR Guide”>SVR Souvenir Guide, Ninth Edition</ref>.*1893: The station platform was extended<ref name 200px style= "Marshall103text-align:left" />.*1899File: The ironworks closed<ref name ="Marshall103" />Eardington ground frame 20150701.jpg|Eardington ground frame in 2015*1949File: BR reduced the station to unstaffed status after 1 April 1949, though did not designate it as a HaltSeacows_20170317.<ref name = SVR Guide” />.*1959: The goods loop was reduced to a jpg|Ballast wagons in Eardington siding, accessed from the south end only<ref name = SVR Guide” />.*1963: The station closed when passenger traffic ceased on 9 September 1963<ref name = SVR Guide” />.*1964: The former goods loop siding was completely removed<ref name = SVR Guide” /gallery>.

==Points Current and former points of Interestinterest==

The A water tank at for Eardington was acquired by the SVR [[Severn Valley Railway Society ]] from Withymoor, Netherton (near Dudley) in the summer of 1967, and transported to Eardington. It was installed in time to be used 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 2021</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 timetable allowed a 5 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, the water tank was removed on 22 April 2021 using the [[Cowans Sheldon 30-ton steam crane]].<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Eardington Lift Chris Bond.jpg|The tank is removed in April 2021 (Chris Bond)</gallery> ===Lamps===An electricity supply has never been installed. The Friends have developed a collection of vintage [http://tilleylamp.co.uk/ Tilley lamps] with a railway provenance, to light the station after dark when open for galas and special occasions.<ref name="SVROnlineForum"/> Eardington is the only remaining station in the UK that is lit entirely by oil lamps. The permission granted in 2023 by the ORR is conditional upon trains not stopping after darkness. In March 2021 the SVR’s YouTube channel included a video ''Eardington’s hidden gem – lighting the way for heritage rail on the Severn Valley Railway'' featuring volunteer lampman Phil Harris. <youtube>bxMR0_dpuWk</youtube> In 2023 a new post and oil-lit and 'Eardington' lettered luminaire was commissioned opposite the lamp hut, to illuminate the foot crossing<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=688938810003841&set=a.429830885914636 Eardington SVR Facebook post 14 December 2023]</ref>. ===Former Bath Road turntable===An electrically powered Ransom Rapier 65'3" standard-pattern over-girder turntable, originally from Bristol (Bath Road) depot, is stored at Eardington. It is intended for the [[Bridgnorth Turntable|Bridgnorth turntable project]]. This film shows the turntable's removal from Bristol and transport to Eardington.  <youtube>3Hnh0LJC_Qc</youtube> ===Pannier Tank boiler===For some years from the winter of 1978-79 a GWR Collett 5700 class 0-6-0PT boiler was stored on the platform. This came from [[GWR Pannier 3612]], which was dismantled at the station<ref>SVR News 50.</ref>. ==TV and film==The station was a location in a chase scene in the film [[Candleshoe]]. Steve Downes, the Station Master, is a member of acoustic trio 'Whalebone'. A music video of the Simon & Garfunkle classic 'The Boxer' was filmed at the station in 2011<ref>Heritage Railway 6 July 2011, p. 22</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FgtP7tpg1A The Boxer, Whalebone, music video on YouTube (2011)]</ref>. ==Model==Tunnel Lane Model Railways produced 7mm 3D printed models of the station building and lamp hut, offered for sale at the 2023 O Gauge Get Together event<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=290153220438096&set=a.134519002668186 SVR O Gauge Get Together Facebook post.2 October 2023] (Retrueved 13 October 2023)</ref> ==Eardington history before preservation== *1864: A siding connection to Lower Forge was proposed but never built. Upper Forge and Lower Forge were two local ironworks, located respectively west and east of the line and joined by a 750 yard long navigable canal tunnel.<ref name = "Marshall103" />*1868: Eardington Station was opened by the GWR on 1 June 1868, some six years after the opening of the Severn Valley Railway.<ref name = SVR Guide”>SVR Souvenir Guide, Ninth Edition</ref>*1893: The station platform was extended.<ref name = "Marshall103" />*1899: The ironworks closed.<ref name ="Marshall103" />*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.<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]].*1963: The station closed when passenger traffic ceased on 9 September 1963.<ref name = SVR Guide” />*1964: The former goods loop siding was completely removed.<ref name = SVR Guide” /> {| 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|-|} === Early Booking Porters and Station Masters at Eardington===The first description of ‘Station Master’ in GWR records is in 1879. It seems likely that where no station master is shown, then the booking porter supervised the station.

At opening {| class="wikitable |-!Name!!Born !! data-sort-type="date" | From !! data-sort-type="date" | To !! Comments|-| John George Brecknell ||1845 Abberley, Warwickshire || data-sort-value="20/5/1868" | May 1868||data-sort-value="4/8/1879" | August 1879|| Booking porter when the station opened in 19701868 and may have supervised the station, the timetable allowed a 5 minute stop southbound census of 1871 describing him as Station Master. Previously employed at Bridgnorth.|-|Stephen Floyd||1852 Tackley, Oxfordshire|| data-sort-value="4/8/1879" | August 1879||data-sort-value="1/8/1883" | January 1883||Station Master|-|William Sherwood||15 November 1846 Bidford, Warwickshire|| data-sort-value="1/1/1883" | January 1883||data-sort-value="1/1/1887" | January 1887||Booking Porter. Previously employed at Eardington for locomotive watering; passengers frequently took [[Hartlebury]] on the opportunity to photograph branch, amongst other stations. Later Station Master at [[Hampton Loade]] and [[Berrington]].|-|Henry Powell||1836 Ombersley, Worcestershire|| data-sort-value="1/1/1887" | January 1887|| data-sort-value="1/6/1887" | June 1887|| Booking Porter. Served his entire railway career on the locomotive or buy pop Severn Valley Branch, and censuses 1871 and sweets which were sold 1881 record him as station master at the stationHighley.|-|William George Cleeton||1859 Broseley, Shropshire|| data-sort-value="5/5/1890" | May 1890||data-sort-value="24/8/1891" |August 1891||Booking Porter, then Station Inspector, Census of 1891 records Station Master. Once watering facilities were installed Employed at [[Coalport]], [[Buildwas]] and Bridgnorthbefore Eardington, this was reduced to one minuteand later Station Master at Hampton Loade and Berrington.|-|George Walter Cooke||1865 Eardington, effectively ending this practice.Shropshire|| data-sort-value="24/8/1891" | August 1891||data-sort-value="1/4/1930" | April 1930|| Station Master|-|Edward Morris Casey||1874 Abergavenny|| data-sort-value="1/4/1930" | April 1930||data-sort-value="1/3/1931" | March 1931|| Station Master|-|} ==Historic maps of Eardington Station==

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