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Ferry cable was brought down during a flood, date not known. Station now in use for volunteer accom (Station staff)
[[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 with costs shared 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 provides a more suitable facility than does rolling stock. {{As of|2019}} volunteer Volunteer work continues behind the scenes on the project with involved decoration and the [[Hampton Loade Station Fund|Station Fund]] acquiring period GWR and BR(WR) furniture.<ref>Hampton Loade Station Facebook</ref>
==Points of interest==
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.
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. Subsequently, and it a tree brought down the cable during floods. It is not known if or when it will return to operation.
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