Trustworthy, administrator
11,870
edits
Changes
m
Hampton Loade station has two platforms and a [[Hampton Loade signal box|signal box]], allowing trains travelling in opposite directions to pass. However the crossing loop is the shortest on the railway, only able to hold a loco and 8 full-length coaches. During periods of lighter traffic, when [[Hampton Loade signal box]] is switched out, all trains use platform 1, adjacent to the station house.
During the early years of SVR operation (early 1970s) Hampton Loade formed the southern terminus. Evidence of this remains in the form of the presence of the down starting signal on platform 2, which is normally only used for up trains.
In late 2014 the railway announced that as the station house had become vacant, plans were in hand for it to be converted into SVR volunteers' accommodation,<ref>SVR(H) notice board issue NBI-H-194 "October-December 2014 Round Up", published on [https://www.svrlive.com/ SVRLive].</ref> subject to final agreements and costings between [[Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC]] and [[Hampton Loade Station Fund]]. This would provide a more suitable facility than [[GWR 2426 Toplight Full Third]] which had been stabled at Hampton Loade since 1988 for that purpose. 2426 continued in use until mid-2016 and was briefly succeeded by [[GWR 55 Riding/Dormitory Van|GWR Riding Van 55]].
==Facilities==
The station has a small kiosk serving snacks and hot and cold drinks. The [[Hampton Loade Station Fund Shop]] and the [[The Barry Railway Carriage Trust Sales Van | Barry Railway Carriage Trust sales van]] are both situated in the bay platform. There is a small picnic area next to the station.
Although the station has a very small car park, road access to the station is limited and SVR visitors are advised not to travel to Hampton Loade station by car.
→Hampton Loade in preservation: add links, amend order of wording
==The station==
The station house is built of yellow brick. Unlike some of the other station houses including Highley and Arley, this was not upgraded during the GWR era by the extension of the waiting room and provision of an extra bedroom.
==Hampton Loade history before preservation==
|-
|}
==Hampton Loade in preservation==
During the early years of SVR operation (1970 to 1974) Hampton Loade formed the southern terminus. Trains were until 1973 operated as 'one engine in steam' before signalling became operative.<ref>[http://www.svrsig.org.uk/svr/Frame7.htm SVR S&T website] (Retrieved 10 February 2019)</ref> Evidence of its terminus function remains in the form of the presence of the down starting signal on platform 2, which is normally only used for up trains. Following the [[2007 Storm Damage]] the station again acted as the limit of trains from Bridnorth for a short period in 2008. It was later the terminus of [[Eardington#The_Eardington_Explorer|The Eardington Explorer]] trains.
Hampton Loade station has two platforms and a [[Hampton Loade signal box|signal box]], allowing trains travelling in opposite directions to pass. In addition there is a south facing siding with a bay goods platform adjacent to platform 2. The crossing loop is the shortest on the railway, only able to hold a loco and 8 full-length coaches, with special arrangements to allow longer trains to pass. In normal operation Down trains (to Bridgnorth) use platform 1, adjacent to the station house, while Up trains (to Kiddrminster) use platform 2.
There are signals for Down trains (to Bridgnorth) to depart from either platform. However there are only signals for Down trains to arrive in the Down platform 1. In addition, there is no Facing Point Lock on the siding point, so that has to be manually "clipped" before a Bridgnorth train can use the Up platform 2. Similarly, you can only clear the signal to route an Up (Kidderminster) train through the Down platform 1 by switching the box out, and there is no Up starting signal on the Down line in Platform 1.
During periods of lighter traffic, when [[Hampton Loade signal box]] is switched out, all trains use platform 1 with movements controlled by the signal boxes at [[Highley signal box|Highley]] and [[Bridgnorth signal box|Bridgnorth]] using long section tokens under [[Single line working using tokens|ETT regulations]].
===Facilities===
The station has a small kiosk serving snacks and hot and cold drinks. The [[Hampton Loade Station Fund Shop]] and the [[The Barry Railway Carriage Trust Sales Van | Barry Railway Carriage Trust sales van]] are both situated in the bay platform. There is a small picnic area next to the station.
Although the station has a very small car park, road access to the station is limited and SVR visitors are advised not to travel to Hampton Loade station by car.
===Volunteer accommodation===
[[GWR 2426 Toplight Full Third]] was stabled at Hampton Loade from 1988 for SVR volunteers' accommodation. 2426 continued in use until mid-2016 and was succeeded by [[GWR 55 Riding/Dormitory Van|GWR Riding Van 55]].
In late 2014 the railway announced that the station house had become vacant, and plans were in hand for it to be converted into SVR volunteers' accommodation and mess room, subject to final agreements and costings between [[Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC]] and [[Hampton Loade Station Fund]].<ref>SVR(H) notice board issue NBI-H-194 "October-December 2014 Round Up", published on [https://www.svrlive.com/ SVRLive]</ref> This would provide a more suitable facility than does rolling stock. {{As of|2019}} volunteer work continues behind the scenes on the project with decoration and the [[Hampton Loade Station Fund|Station Fund]] acquiring period GWR and BR(WR) furniture.<ref>Hampton Loade Station Facebook</ref>
==Historic maps of Hampton Loade Station==
====Passenger Foot Ferry====
The station and the nearby Unicorn Inn are actually situated in the hamlet of Hampton. The village of Hampton Loade is on the other bank of the river (Loade comes from the Saxon word 'lode' meaning ford). There is now no ford or bridge, but in modern times a passenger foot ferry operated in summer months. However The ferry was a 'reaction ferry', tethered to a pulley block on an overhead cable suspended across the river and propelled by angling the ferry against the river current. The last ferry in use (pictured) was built in 2004, replacing the previous ferry which had been in use for 38 years. It closed after the [[2007 Floods]] and was put up for sale by the owner.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_Loade_Ferry Wikipedia]</ref>. The SVR turned down an offer to acquire the ferry as they did not feel the Railway was the right body to operate it.<ref>SVR News 166, Summer 2009</ref> It was eventually reopened in April 2009,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/8020060.stm BBC News]</ref> but has not operated since 2013, and it is not known if or when it will return to operation.
<gallery>
File:Ferry_20090525.jpg | Hampton Loade ferry(May 2009)
</gallery>
== See also ==
*[[List of stations]]<br>*[[Accidents]]<br>*[[List of film and TV productions filmed on the Severn Valley Railway]]*[[Shropshire Historic Environment Record]]
==References==
