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add LNWR depot Kidderminster
[[File:Britain From Above Kidderminster Goods yard..jpg|thumb|300px|right|Kidderminster goods yard in 1938 showing most of the siding space occupied by goods wagons]]
During its 101 year history the Severn Valley branch was never financially successful.<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Oppitz (2004)]] p.106.</ref> [[The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership#Traffic statistics| GWR Traffic statistics]] for stations on the branch show that between 1903 and 1923, passengers only accounted for around 20% of the total revenue, with around 80% of the revenue arising from freight traffic. After that time passenger numbers declined, and by 1938 revenue from passenger traffic accounted for little more than 10% of the total, with freight traffic nearing 90%.
After the [[Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal#Stourport station canal basin and interchange sidings| Stourport station canal basin and interchange sidings]] opened in the 1880s, coal was moved by rail from Highley to the canal basin and from there to the nearby ironworks at Wilden and Stourvale via the [[Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal]].<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Langford (1974)]] p. 174.</ref><ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Vanns (2017)]] p. 29.</ref>
A branch line from [[Stourport|Stourport Station]] to the [[Stourport Power Station|power station]] opened in 1940; thereafter coal could be brought in by rail. Alveley coal trains required the use of a tender engine; initially a Kidderminster based [[Locomotives used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service#Goods locomotives |LNER J25]] during the War years and thereafter an ex-GWR 43xx Mogul.<ref name=Turley>[[Bibliography#Books|Turley (2005)]] p. 70.</ref> During the 1950s a daily morning train would work empty from Stourport Power Station to [[Alveley Sidings]] and return fully loaded, with another round trip in the afternoon. The normal motive power at the time was GWR 6382 or another ex-GWR 43xx Mogul.<ref name=Barfield1981>[[Bibliography#Books|Barfield (1981)]] p. 52.</ref> <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Alveley_Sidings-1959-10-07.jpeg|GWR Mogul 6388 passes large numbers of coal wagons at Alveley Sidings in October 1959 ([[Sellick Collection]])Coalport-Goods-1962-07-12.jpg| An ex-GWR prairie hauls a short northbound coal train through Coalport on 12 July 1962 ([[Sellick Collection]])</gallery> Slack trains would also arrive from the LMS area via Great Bridge to Hartlebury from where they would reverse to Stourport, returning empty. The trains consisted of around 36 wagons with LMS brake vans at each end. These were normally worked by a [[Locomotives used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service#Goods locomotives |GWR 56xx 0-6-2T]], generally no. 6665 or 6684 from Stourbridge. In 1956 Kidderminster was allocated its own 56xx, no. 6679<ref name=Turley/>. A brief glimpse of a diesel hauled coal train can be seen in the background at the end of this Media Archive for Central England film on the opening of Trimpley Waterworks in 1967. [https://www.macearchive.org/films/midlands-news-05051967-pumping-station-opened-trimpley www.macearchive.org]
==Daily goods train==
The [[Timetable: Severn Valley Line 1948 | BR(W) 1948 working timetable]] gives an example of this working, which began with a 9.30am departure from Hartlebury and ended at [[Coton Hill Yard | Shrewsbury Coton Hill yard]] at 6.58pm. The stop at [[Cressage]] has a note in the timetable 'To deal with Cattle traffic and perform S.T. work only', the S.T. referring to the [[Station Truck]] forming part of the train.
<gallery mode=packed heights=Seasonal sugar beet traffic200px style="text-align:left">Cressage-5153-1963-03-02.jpg | Ex-GWR Prairie 5153 passes Cressage with a goods train on 2 March 1963 ([[Sellick Collection]])</gallery> ==Sugar==The opening of the West Midlands Sugar Co (later British Sugar Corporation) factory at [[Foley Park sidings]] in 1925 began sugar beet trains to Foley Park, which ran until closure of the factory in 1982. The processing season ran from mid-September to mid-January, during which time up to four complete trains per day would arrive at Kidderminster. Tripping these loads from Kidderminster yard along the [[Kidderminster Loop Line|Loop line]] required a locomotive to be available 24 hours per day.<ref>[[Bibliography | Turley (2005), p72.]]</ref> Outside the regular beet season, the factory was kept supplied by train loads of sugar cane from Newport or Cardiff docks. Tank loads of molasses, a by-product of the refining process, were shipped from the factory to Avonmouth docks<ref>[[Bibliography | Turley (2005), p74.]]</ref>. ==Cattle==A number of the stations on the branch had 'cattle docks' from which loaded cattle wagons could be collected. The 1936 GWR 'General Appendix to the Rule Book' stated that "''In dealing with Live Stock, including horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and goats, care and patience must be shown, not only in loading and unloading, but also in their treatment during transit, and in or about the yards, pens, sheds and stations, in order to avoid fright or injury, and consequent suffering on the part of the animals.''"<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Vanns (2017)]] p. 37.</ref> Post-War, cattle trains ran on market days as required from Bridgnorth on alternate Mondays and Tenbury on alternate Tuesdays to Bordesley via Kidderminster<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Turley (2005) p.80.]]</ref>
==Bricks and tiles==
A number of the brick and tile works in the Ironbridge Gorge had their own private sidings or made use of the extensive [[Jackfield sidings |sidings at Jackfield]]. [[Maw and Co's Siding| Maw and Co]]'s factory opened in 1883 and became the largest tile works in the world, employing almost 400 people and producing 20 million tiles annually. They had their own privately owned railway wagons and for many years made extensive use of the Severn Valley Branch to transport almost the whole of the factory's output. The 1922 working timetable showed that it was served by the Down goods train from Hartlebury (the 'Salop Goods') arriving at 4.13pm and the Up goods from Shrewsbury arriving at 3.45pm. The siding continued in use until 1959.
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
Maw_and_Co_1.jpg|Maw & Co's private siding shortly after opening in 1883
Craven Dunnill.jpg | Goods wagons at Craven Dunnill c.1900-1910
</gallery>
==Lime==
*A luggage train "of considerable length" carrying sacks of bran, iron fencing and copper sheets through Tenbury on its way to Bewdley in 1864.<ref>[https://postimg.cc/mcK3JDzH Worcestershire Chronicle - Wednesday 09 November 1864]</ref>
*1867 [[Tales from the Severn Valley#Daring_robberies_from_Bewdley_goods_shed|thefts from Bewdley goods shed]] included a ham; 'other articles suitable for domestic consumption'; clothing, and liquor.<ref>[https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000150/18670831/065/0003?browse=False Worcester Journal of Saturday 31 August 1867 on the British Newspaper Archive]</ref>
*Around 1867 charcoal production was a significant industry in Bewdley and the Wyre Forest. At 4am on Wednesday 15th May 1867, a wagon loaded with charcoal caught fire "through carelessness in loading it with a piece of lighted charcoal". The fire spread to the two adjacent wagons and resulted in two wagons being destroyed.<ref>[https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000150/18670518/106/0008?browse=False Worcester Journal on the British Newspaper Archive]</ref>
*Bewdley's winter fair was by the time of opening of the branch 'becoming a good fair for sheep and cattle'. In 1870 a Mr Barnes successfully sued the LNWR for non-delivery of seven cows to the market from Northwich, via Bridgnorth.<ref>Shrewsbury Chronicle - Friday 19 May 1871</ref>
*"The timber obtained from <nowiki>[the Wyre Forest]</nowiki> is used for the most part in collieries in South Staffordshire" in 1884.<ref>[https://postimg.cc/18KMffSF Worcester Journal - Saturday 31 May 1884]</ref>
*Thomas' Dairy Ltd, Wribbenhall, Bewdley, box containing water meter, 2 lbs, to The Leeds Meter Co. Ltd. [https://postimg.cc/kDYGzGK1 Image]
*Catswell Farm, Wyre Forest, 31 trays of cherries, totalling over 3 cwt (150kg), to Smithfield Market, Birmingham. [https://postimg.cc/mt0DZnd7 Image]
*Charles Smith, 9 trays of cherries to Birmingham . [https://postimg.cc/3yhxmvQR Image]
*Mr. Venables, 22 trays of cherries to Manchester. [https://postimg.cc/ygY6rCdC Image]
*L. Parkes, Kinlet, 4 trays of cherries to Birmingham. [https://postimg.cc/23y8QYM4 Image]
*Mr. Murray, Bliss Gate, Rock, 2 chips<ref group="note">A chip is a wooden tray for carrying fruit, with a capacity of about 12 lbs</ref> of cherries to Chulmleigh, Devon . [https://postimg.cc/14dRMT1b Image]
*Alton Glasshouses 7 lbs of timber to Barnsley, Yorks. [https://postimg.cc/hXWDRdjr Image]
*A fishing rod being returned to Kay & Co. Worcester.<ref group="note">Kay & Co. was a large mail order catalogue business founded in Worcester in 1889 . [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kays_Catalogues Kay's Catalogues on Wikipedia]</ref> [https://postimg.cc/nX4HFh9t Image]
*C.J.Adam, Bewdley, 6 lbs fruit to Sheffield and 5 lbs fruit to Chester, [https://postimg.cc/JyKMXYQ6 Image]
*A watering can being returned from Rhea Hall Estate to Wigan due to being damaged in transit. [https://postimg.cc/nsnnCfq9 Image]
*C.J.Adam, Bewdley, 12 lbs fruit to Rutland. [https://postimg.cc/wyvHQ5f6 Image]
*C.J.Adam, Bewdley, 13 lbs fruit to Sheffield. [https://postimg.cc/ygbKQJt0 Image]
*Mr. Murray, Bliss Gate, Rock, 2 chips of cherries to Crediton, Devon. [https://postimg.cc/mhPBcw1j Image]
*Mr. Murray, Bliss Gate, Rock, 1 chip of cherries to Lapford, Devon. [https://postimg.cc/Yhg7RC3m Image]
*Two Collico<ref group="note">Collico cases were standardised packing cases that could be folded flat for return. The sender was charged only for the weight of the contents, and there was no charge for returning the folded empty container. </ref> cases being returned from a Cleobury Mortimer Chemist to Max Factor, Wembley. [https://postimg.cc/k2mmpP1Y Image]
*One basket of pigeons from Highley for release by the Station Master at Gloucester. [https://postimg.cc/94xH0RWs Image]
*Dowles Nurseries, near Bewdley, sending plants to Hampshire, Kent and Middlesex. [https://postimg.cc/yDBMTXxw Image]
*Herbert C. Styles sending 2 qtr (25kg) of diet powder to a Swindon hospital. [https://postimg.cc/c6tG1LP5 Image]
*Dowles Nurseries, near Bewdley, sending plants to Leicestershire and Stratford-upon-Avon. [https://postimg.cc/2VpR1fDj Image]
*Alton Glasshouses sending 7 lbs of timber to Kirkcudbright, Scotland. [https://postimg.cc/ctnpFFQN Image]
*Alton Glasshouses sending 19 lbs of timber to Derby. [https://postimg.cc/tZLfnF8v Image]
*Alton Glasshouses sending 4 lbs of timber to Bude, Cornwall. [https://postimg.cc/Z0dXtDyG Image]
*Stocklands Estate Nursery, Bewdley, sending a 21 lb bundle of shrubs to Duffield, Derbyshire [https://postimg.cc/V0nhqd8f Image]
===Other consignment notes and way bills===
*In 1889 a 14 lb parcel was sent from Stourport to Bootle Rectory.
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
Stourport way bill 1889.jpg|1889 way bill from Stourport
</gallery>
==Goods offices==
Before the SVR opened, the GWR had an office in High Street, Bridgnorth, where 'passengers, parcels &c.' could be booked through to 'most parts of the kingdom' by a horse drawn omnibus to meet the GWR train at Shiffnal Station. [https://postimg.cc/tsnSNzZk Image]<br>
The LNWR had a goods office at Bridgnorth by 1871<ref>[https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/218324/ Cassey & Co.'s Directory of Shropshire, 1871]</ref>, and at Kidderminster and Stourport.
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">
File:Limekiln Chandlers Mart Lane - geograph.org.uk - 1052908.jpg | Former LNWR and SURCC depot at Stourport
File:LNWR depot 2.jpg | LNWR depot at Kidderminster
</gallery>
==Revenue-earning freight in preservation==
Since preservation, the SVR has seen occasional revenue-earning freight services, including the following:
*On 9 October 2003 [[D3586]] hauled a load of roof trusses from Kidderminster to the [[Orchard Bungalow level crossing]]. The trusses for the bungalow were too large to pass under the bridge carrying the former [[Wyre Forest Line]] over Northwood Lane, but were just able to fit through [[Bewdley Tunnel]].<ref>SVR News 145</ref>
*On 11 March 2005 the SVR's first steam-hauled revenue-earning freight involved [[5764|GWR 5764]], transporting an excavator from the yard at [[Eardington]] to [[Country Park Halt]] for the contractors Mowlem Construction who were rebuilding the nearby pedestrian/cycle-way bridge across the river.<ref>SVR News 150</ref> A number of other loads were also transported for the same project.
*In May 2007, [[4566]] was used on another steam-hauled revenue earning freight charter, taking a load of pipes to Trimpley Reservoir for Severn Trent Water.<ref>SVR News 160</ref>
*The winter 2014-15 project to replace corroded pipes bringing the [[Elan Valley Aqueduct]] under the railway at Trimpley required all the plant, equipment and materials to be delivered via the Railway from Bewdley. The SVR provided the use of [[Ruston and Hornsby 165hp Diesel Shunter 319290|Ruston shunter D2957]] and crew.
==See also==
*[[Collieries served by the Severn Valley Railway]]
*[[Station Truck]]
*[[Country Lorry Service and Cartage Service]]
==Notes==
==Links==
[[Category: Miscellaneous articles]]
