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==Gradient Profile==
The gradient profile of the SVR between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth is shown below. The diagram, which is reproduced from the SVR Visitor Guide Eighth Edition (2001), is based on official GWR documents.
[[File: SVR_Gradient_Profile.jpg|500px]]
GWR practice was to measure distances The profile shows the average gradient in each section (the vertical scale is exaggerated), thus on leaving Kidderminster the line initially goes downhill with a gradient of 1 in 112. ‘L’ indicates level. According to particular locations from London Paddington via the most direct GWR route. In gradient profiles, the SVR steepest gradient profile, mileages between Kidderminster on both the orignal Severn Valley Railway and Bewdley are measured from London Paddington via Birmingham Snow Hill, while mileages between Bewdley and Bridgnorth are measured from London Paddington via Oxford, Evesham and Worcesterthe Loop line did not exceed an average of 1 in 100 in any section. This accounts for The horizontal scale includes the change in mileage at Bewdley South Junction from 138 miles 21 chains to 137 miles 12 chains mileages (one chain is equal to 22 yards or 1/80th of a milesee below).
Gradient posts showing changes in gradient can be seen at the lineside. The number shown is design varies, but generally follows the principle of this prominent example near Northwood Halt.<gallery>File:Northwood gradient in each section (the vertical scale is exaggerated)post.jpg | Gradient post</gallery> ==Mileages==The location of stations, thus bridges and other structures on leaving Kidderminster the line initially goes downhill with railway network are measured from a datum point (normally a gradient major terminus). For the majority of 1 in 112the railways associated with the SVR the datum point was London Paddington (the exact zero point being the Paddington Suburban Tunnel boundary with the Metropolitan Railway). ‘L’ indicates levelThe individual routes used to reach those locations are identified by [[Engineer's Line References]] (ELRs).
Mileage posts showing The maps of the SVR shown below have been annotated with mileages taken from the relevant ELRs. All figures are shown in miles and chains (one chain is equal to 22 yards or 1/80th of a mile). ===Oxford Worcester and Wolverhampton Line (OWW)===The ELR for the distance OWW began at Wolvercote Junction near Oxford (66 miles 32 chains from London Paddington, via Didcot). It ended at Priestfield Junction (140 miles 23 chains) near [[Wolverhampton]]. The section most relevant to the SVR is shown below. {| class="wikitable"|-|135.46 [[File:BSicon_BHFlocal.png|25px]] [[Kidderminster]] (main line)<br/>135.21 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] Mileage reversal point for BYK<br/>135.09 [[File:BSicon_ABZrflocal.png|25px]] [[Kidderminster Junction signal box#Kidderminster Junction | Kidderminster Jct]] for BYK<br/>132.15 [[File:BSicon_ABZlglocal.png|25px]] [[Hartlebury Junction | Hartlebury Jct]] for SVB<br/>131.68 [[File:BSicon_BHFlocal.png|25px]] [[Hartlebury]]<br/>120.40 [[File:BSicon_BHFlocal.png|25px]] [[Worcester]]|-|} The SVR's [[Kidderminster | Kidderminster Town]] station is measured as measured above, can be seen 135 miles 40 chains (exactly 135½ miles) from London. A milepost showing this distance is included in the gallery below. ===Severn Valley Branch (SVB)===The ELR for the SVB began in the south at Hartlebury Junction and ended at the linesidejunction with the Shrewsbury and Hereford Line (SHL) near Sutton Bridge Junction. In Shrewsbury lay 62 chains north of this junction; however Shrewsbury was used as the first example showndatum point for the SHL. Thus the junction for the Wellington line, which came between the two is measured as 11 chains from Shrewsbury rather than a distance just south of Arley Station from Paddington. Similarly Woofferton is measured as 32 miles 11 chains from Shrewsbury. {| class="wikitable"|-|171.59 [[File:BSicon_ABZrflocal.png|25px]] [[Sutton Bridge Junction | Severn Valley Jct]] with SHL<br/>168.12 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Berrington]]<br/>165.43 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Cound Halt]]<br/>164.12 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Cressage]]<br/>160.23 [[File:BSicon_vSTRg+rlocal.png|25px]] To Much Wenlock<br/>160.23 [[File:BSicon_vBHFlocal.png|25px]] [[Buildwas]]<br/>160.05 [[File:BSicon_SPLelocal.png|25px]] <br/>160.01 [[File:BSicon_ABZlflocal.png|25px]] Buildwas East Jct (To Madeley Jct, Wellington)<br/>158.68 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Ironbridge and Broseley]]<br/>157.55 [[File:BSicon HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Jackfield Halt | Jackfield Halt 1]]<br/>157.37 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Jackfield Halt | Jackfield Halt 2]]<br/>156.68 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Coalport]]<br/>154.24 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Linley]]<br/>149.74 [[File:BSicon_BHFlocal.png|25px]] [[Bridgnorth]]<br/>147.59 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Eardington]]<br/>145.33 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Hampton Loade]]<br/>144.07 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Country Park Halt]]<br/>143.61 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Alveley Halt]]<br/>143.20 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Highley]]<br/>140¾ .74 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Arley]]<br/>138.77 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Northwood Halt]]<br/>138.22 [[File:BSicon vSTRg+rlocal.png|25px]] [[Tenbury Wall| Divergance with TBY]]<br/>137.39 [[File:BSicon_SPLelocal.png|25px]] [[Bewdley North signal box|Bewdley Jct North]] with TBY <br/>137.28 [[File:BSicon_BHFlocal.png|25px]] [[Bewdley]]<br/>137.12 [[File:BSicon_ABZlflocal.png|25px]] [[Bewdley South signal box|Bewdley Jct South]] with BYK<br/>135.19 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Burlish Halt]]<br/>134.54 [[File:BSicon_BHFlocal.png|25px]] [[Stourport]]<br/>132.15 [[File:BSicon_ABZrglocal.png|25px]] [[Hartlebury Junction | Hartlebury Jct]] with OWW|} ===Bewdley to Kidderminster Curve (BYK)===The [[Kidderminster Loop Line | Loop]] between Kidderminster and Bewdley does not lie on a direct route from London Paddington. Distances to places on the Loop as set out in the [[Engineer's Line References]] were therefore measured on the basis that you would proceed towards Kidderminster and after passing [[Kidderminster Junction signal box#Kidderminster Junction | Kidderminster Junction]] at 135 miles (9 chains, reach a reversal point 12 chains further on. Returning over the vertical bars below 12 chains to the number show Junction on the number of quarter loop line (now 135 miles33 chains), mileages are measured until Bewdley South Junction is reached at 138 miles 21 chains. One However Bewdley South Junction was only 137 miles 12 chains via the direct route from Hartlebury; this lower figure becomes the base mileage for measuring distances onwards towards Bridgnorth and Tenbury. This accounts for the change in mileage post is situated at Bewdley South Junction in the profile above.{| class="wikitable"|-|135.21 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] Mileage reversal point for BYK<br/>135.33 [[File:BSicon_ABZlflocal.png|25px]] [[Kidderminster Junction signal box#Kidderminster Junction | Kidderminster Jct]] for OWW<br/>136.32 [[File:BSicon_HSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Foley Park Halt]]<br/>137.43 [[File:BSicon_eHSTlocal.png|25px]] [[Rifle Range Halt]]<br/>138.21 [[File:BSicon_ABZrflocal.png|25px]] [[Bewdley South signal box|Bewdley Jct South]] with SVB (137.12)<br/>|-|} The original 1874 [[Loop Line specification and contract]] quoted mileages from Bewdley South junction towards Kidderminster. Drawings of the foot main items of Highley Signal Box, showing that it is exactly 143¼infrastructure were described as follows: *'''Bridge at 0m 46.88''' ([[Devil's Spittleful (Rifle Range) Bridge]])<br>*'''Tunnel from 1m 4 Ch<span style="vertical-align:super;font-size:small">s</span> to 1m 26''' ([[Bewdley Tunnel]])<br>*'''Bridge at 1m 61.15''' ([[Stourport Road Bridge]])<br>*'''Bridge at 1m 7 Ch<span style="vertical-align:super; miles font-size:small">s</span> and Culverts''' ([[Underbridge off Lisle Avenue]])<br>*'''Viaduct from Paddington2m 11.63 Ch<span style="vertical-align:super;font-size:small">s</span> to 2m 17.72''' ([[Falling Sands Viaduct]])<br>*'''Bridge at 2m 26.72''' ([[Worcester Road Bridge]])<br>*'''Bridge at 2m 46.30''' ([[Hoo Road Bridge]]) Early OS maps show the locations of mileposts on the loop line which appear to reflect this method of calculation. Mileposts appear just east of Rifle Range Halt (see map below), just west of [[Stourport Road Bridge]] (the location of [[Foley Park Halt]]), and just south of Kidderminster Junction (see map below). This discrepancy can be accounted for if the earlier mileages were instead based on a reversal at Bewdley and then travelling towards Kidderminster, ie: 137.12 Bewdley South Junction SVB<br>137.15 Reversal point (assumed)<br>137.18 Bewdley South Junction BYK<br>137.76 Rifle Range Halt (placing milepost 138 just to the east)<br>139.07 Foley Park Halt (placing milepost 139 just to the west)<br>140.06 Kidderminster Junction BYK (placing milepost 140 just to the south)<br>
<gallery>
Loop Line map.jpg|Milepost near the site of Rifle Range Halt
</gallery>
===Mileposts===
Early railway fares were set by distance, therefore it was necessary for railway companies to provide their passengers with a means of determining the distance travelled. The Railways Clauses Consolidation Act 1845 Section 94 stated "''The company shall cause the length of the railway to be measured, and milestones, posts, or other conspicuous objects to be set up and maintained along the whole line thereof, at the distance of one quarter of a mile from each other, with numbers or marks inscribed thereon denoting such distances''.<ref>[http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/8-9/20#pb9-l1g104 Railways Clauses Consolidation Act 1845] Retrieved 23 May 2016</ref>
Mileposts showing the distance from London Paddington, as measured above, can be seen at the lineside. In the second example shown, the distance just south of Arley Station is 140¾ miles (the vertical bars below the number show the number of quarter miles). One milepost is situated at the foot of Highley Signal Box, showing that it is exactly 143¼ miles from Paddington.
<gallery>
File: Broad gauge rail 1.jpg|Mile post at Kidderminster
File: Mile_Post_1.jpg|Mile post near Arley
File: Mile_Post_2.jpg|Mile post at Highley Signal box
</gallery>
Gradient posts The locations of the principal mileposts were often shown on early Ordnance Survey maps, such as this example from 1903 showing changes the presence of mileposts (MP) at Kidderminster Junction on both branches of the junction.<gallery>File:Kidderminster_Junction_OS.JPG | 1903 OS map of Kidderminster Junction</gallery> Although the mileposts seen today were re-created in gradient the modern era, they closely follow the historical design. The remains of this original milepost can also still be seen next to the trackbed between Ironbridge and Buildwas. <gallery>File:Original_Milepost_20170402.jpg|Remains of an original milepost</gallery> ===Mileage oddities===In addition to the 'discontinuity' in the mileage at Bewdley South Junction referred to above, the present day SVR being situated on three different ELRs gives rise to some other apparent oddities. Leaving Kidderminster, the mileage initially decreases as you pass the linesidefirst milepost by the carriage shed but then increases again as you continue (due to setting off towards London but then curving away from it). Reaching Kidderminster Junction, this is two different distances from London, depending on whether you are on the OWW line or the Severn Valley Branch (due to the latter being approached by the reversal point). Finally, on Safari Park Curve you pass milepost 137¾, and a short time later you enter Bewdley Station passing another milepost 137¾ (the former being reached via the Loop and the latter direct via Hartlebury. ===Modern distance markers===Evidence of another measurement system used for operational purposes can also be seen on the SVR. The design variesdistances have been measured from Kidderminster in kilometres, but generaly follows with a small marker tag attached to the web of the principle rail every 100 metres. The locations of this prominent example these have been highlighted by white paint on the chair or sleeper adjacent to the marker. Examples can be clearly seen from the platform at Bewdley (5.700) and near the Highley stationcattle dock (15.100).
<gallery>
File: Gradient_PostBewdley_20180825.jpg | Gradient postMarker at BewdleyHighley_20180825.jpg|Marker at Highley </gallery>
==See also==
[[Engineer's Line References]]<br>
[[Main Page]]
==References==
<references />
[[Category: The Severn Valley Railway in preservation]]
[[Category: Miscellaneous articles]]
