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[[File:Eardington SVR Station - geograph.org.uk - 682362.jpg|thumb|200px|right| Eardington Halt (Wikimedia Commons)]]
{| class="wikitable"|+Next stations|-! Up (towards [[Kidderminster]]) !! Down (towards [[Bridgnorth]])|-| [[Hampton Loade]] (2¼ miles)<br> || [[Bridgnorth]] (2¼ miles)|- |} ==The station==Eardington is a disused station, located mid-way between [[Bridgnorth]] and [[Hampton Loade]] at milepost 147¾. 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 a Halt during GWR/BR days). 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. 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>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eardington_Halt_railway_station Wikipedia]</ref>. The halt has since been cosmetically restored by the Friends of Eardington Station, and is occasionally opened to visitors on gala days. The southern end of the platform was cut back after it collapsed, however the Friends fundraising appeal to replace the missing part is ongoing<ref>SVRA Working Members Newsletter November 2014</ref>.
A dead-end siding 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>.
*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” />.
==Points of Interest==
===Locomotive watering facility===
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. 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.
