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Kidderminster

2,455 bytes removed, 10:32, 10 April 2023
Chiltern no longer to serve Kidderminster from May 2023. Car park now ANPR
[[File:Kidderminster Town Station - geograph.org.uk - 118920.jpg|Kidderminster Station|thumb|300px|right|Kidderminster station]]'''Kidderminster Town''', commonly abbreviated to "Kidderminster" on the Severn Valley, is the Southern terminus of the SVR, located within the county of Worcestershire. The railway shares a [[Connection to Network Rail|railway link at this location to the Network Rail mainline]], on the Worcester Shrub Hill to Birmingham Snow Hill Line, while the station also shares an approach road with the adjacent [[Kidderminster mainline station]]. The town of Kidderminster is famous for its carpets, for which it was of worldwide reknown for many years. The next station along the line, in the Down direction towards [[Bridgnorth]], is [[Bewdley]].
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== The Station ==
 Kidderminster Town is the Southern terminus of the SVR, located within the county of Worcestershire. The railway shares a railway link at this location to the Network Rail mainline, on the Worcester Shrub Hill to Birmingham Snow Hill Line. The next station along the line, in the Down direction towards [[Bridgnorth]], is [[Bewdley]]. The town of Kidderminster is famous for its Carpets, for which it was of worldwide reknown for many years.  The station is the newest of the railway's stations, having been built by the railway SVR on the site of the old [[Kidderminster mainline station#Goods yard|Kidderminster Comberton Hill Goods Yard]], which occupied the site before the railway was preserved. The building was constructed to blend correctly to the historic nature and atmosphere of the railway, and is home to a large covered concourse, booking office, and facilities for visitors. It is modelled on the design used for Ross-On-Wye station built by the GWR. Please see [[The development of Kidderminster Town Station]] for more details about the building of the station.
The layout of the station offers the railway a variety of running options, and is often home to frequent simultaneous train movements during the busier timetable spells. The station has two platforms for passenger use, which both offer the ability to depart towards Bewdley. These platforms are each served by their own engine runaround lines, where watering facilities for the steam locomotives are available. Both engine runaround lines also possess Dock platforms at the station building end, which are frequently used to stable the railway's inspection saloons and dining carriages for servicing and restocking between dining trains.
Facilities for visitors at Kidderminster Station are comprehensive; Under the covered concourse is the railway's Cafe, the [[Kidderminster Station Emporium | gift shop]], and the [[Kidderminster Station Sweet Shop | heritage sweet shop]]. The "King & Castle" pub forms an integral part of the station building and serves a selection of real ales and alcoholic beverages. Also located on the site is the [[Kidderminster Railway Museum | Kidderminster Railway Museum]], and the [[Coalyard Miniature Railway]], which offers a short ride adjacent to the Kidderminster Station platforms for a small additional fee.
The station has a large car park for those arriving by car to the railway, for which £4 a day is charged on a token barrier an ANPR system. The Severn Valley Railway station at Kidderminster is located within easy walking distance of the Kidderminster mainline station, for those arriving by [[Mainline Operators Servicing Kidderminster|West Midlands Railway]] or [[Mainline Operators Servicing Kidderminster|Chiltern Railways]] mainline services.
== Points of Interest ==
=== Station entrance ===
*Main Entrance Canopy. The ‘Porte Cochere’ style canopy over the station entrance was the first major project undertaken by the Friends of Kidderminster Town Station. The canopy at Ross-on-Wye sloped downwards, but to allow additional clearance for coaches an upward sloping design was adopted based on a canopy at Kingham, Oxfordshire built in the 1880s. The stone corbels supporting the canopy were laid into the wall in a ceremony on 23 September 1994 and the canopy was completed in 1996<ref>SVR News 112</ref><ref>Friends of Kidderminster Town website</ref>. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923041105/http://www.kfriends.org.uk/projects/canopy.htm Link]
*Ornamental Roof Crestings. The addition of the roof crestings was the Friends’ second major project; funding was helped by a raffle circa 1996 [[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries|organised by the SVRA Stourbridge Branch]]. <ref>SVR News 121</ref> This type of cresting was produced to a standard design by the specialist foundry of McFarlain of Glasgow from about 1880, and was found on the roof towers of many GWR stations including Ross on Wye, on which Kidderminster Town is based. Fragments of the originals recovered from Ross-on-Wye were used by the SVR's pattern shop to produce patterns for casting the new roof crestings (cast in Aluminium for lightness). [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923041105/http://www.kfriends.org.uk/projects/crest.htm Link]
*Bundy Time Clock. This clock, which can be seen outside the station, was used to provide a reliable method of time recording on the Birmingham Bus and Tram system. It was re-commissioned in October 2001. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923041105/http://www.kfriends.org.uk/projects/bundy.htm Link]
*Horse trough. The Horse Trough situated next to the Bundy Time Clock is a casting made by the Friends, from an original trough recovered from Wolverhampton Road, Sedgely and thought to date from the early 1920s. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923041105/http://www.kfriends.org.uk/projects/trough.htm Link]
*Coal yard offices. The wooden building behind the Bundy clock was a coal merchant's office dating from the early 20th Century.<ref>[http://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/planning-and-buildings/conservation-areas-and-listed-buildings/listed-buildings/local-heritage-list/local-heritage-list-for-the-severn-valley-railway.aspx Wyre Forest DC Heritage Preservation List] Retrieved February 2016)</ref> The coal yard was adjacent to formed part of the Comberton Hill goods yard on which the SVR's present day Kidderminster Station was built. The coal yard land rented by Charringtons Coal Merchants was vacated in 1996.<ref>SVR Stock Book Ninth Edition P. 76.</ref>
<gallery>
File: Kidderminster_Trough_20150528.jpg | Horse Trough
File: Coal_Yard_Offices_20170514.jpg | Coal yard offices
File:Kidderminster stone.jpg | Commemorative stones
</gallery>
=== Station concourse ===
The main station building and concourse have a ‘seamless’ appearance, but were actually built in stages over a period of more than 20 years. The first phase, the West wing with the Station Emporium and toilets, was built in 1984. The second phase including the entrance hall and ticket office was added in 1985. The third phase was the East wing, also known as The [[John Garth ]] Building. This was opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester on 18 October 2006. It mainly houses ‘The Valley Suite’, the station’s licensed restaurant and buffet and the [[Awards|multiple award-winning]] King and Castle Pub.
The concourse roof was also added in 2006.
==Main platforms==
Passenger services normally depart from platforms 1 and 2, both accessed from the station concourse. A long term ambition remains to provide a canopy for these platforms, similar to that at Bewdley, when funds permit. An Also intended is an extension of the platform. The platforms are gas lit and an impressive running in board is situated at the far end of the platforms.
<gallery>
File:Kidderminster_Running_In_Board_20160504.jpg | Running in board at Kidderminster
File:Geograph-4704277-by-Chris-Allen.jpg | Gaslights on Kidderminster platform at dusk.
 
</gallery>
===Bay Platform===
Most of the buildings and structures alongside the Bay Platform are the work of the Friends of Kidderminster Town Station. Some are original and have been relocated and painstakingly restored, while others are newly built re-creations. Starting nearest the main station building, the Bay Platform includes:
*Ex-Henley in Arden Parcels Office. This typical GWR wooden building was formerly situated at Henley in Arden station. It was declared surplus to requirements by Railtrack in 2000 and transported to Kidderminster by lorry. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923041105/http://www.kfriends.org.uk/projects/henley.htm Link]*Uffculme Building. This is a typical general purpose storage building which could be found on countless GWR stations. It is an accurate replica of one that stood on the platform at Uffculme in Devon. Much of the building was newly built but some components such as the sliding door and runners were recovered from other GWR sites. It is used by the Friends as a workshop. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923041105/http://www.kfriends.org.uk/projects/uffculme.htm Link]
*Ex-Shrewsbury Pagoda. The GWR introduced this style of building in the early 1900s at many of its smaller halts. A newly built example can be seen at [[Northwood Halt]]. This example was relocated from Allscott Sidings near Shrewsbury in 2001.
*Ex-Henley in Arden Lamp Hut. The former lamp hut comprises corrugated sheeting covering an angle-iron inner frame. It was recovered from Henley in Arden in 2000 along with the Parcels Office. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923041105/http://www.kfriends.org.uk/projects/lamphut.htm Link]*Covered Cycle Rack. The structure was newly built by the Friends in 1997, based on an original formerly at Droitwich Spa but now removed. The GWR racks themselves came from Claverdon station on the Stratford-on-Avon line. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923041105/http://www.kfriends.org.uk/projects/cycleshed.htm Link]*The body of [[GWR 37150 Covered Goods Van (body only) | Goods Van 37150]]. Van bodies were often re-used for storage by the GWR and other railway companies of that era. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923041105/http://www.kfriends.org.uk/projects/vanbody.htm Link]
<gallery>
== Other attractions at Kidderminster ==
Kidderminster is home to the [[Coalyard Miniature Railway]] and [[Kidderminster Railway Museum]]
 
== History before preservation==
[[File:Kidderminster station, 1963 - 3387931.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Kidderminster station, 1963 (Geograph)]]
[[File:BritainFromAbove Kidderminster YardStation.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A 1938 aerial photograph of Kidderminster, showing the area around the station, the extensive goods yard, and the junction between the mainline from Hartlebury (right) and the Kidderminster loop line from Bewdley (left). Image from [http://http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw059860 Britain from Above]]]
 
The mainline station used by the OW&W, GWR, BR and latterly Network Rail, is situated adjacent to the SVR station. Today this forms part of the Birmingham to Worcester line.
*1852: The [[Oxford Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway | Oxford Worcester and Wolverhampton]] line between Stourbridge and Evesham via Kidderminster opened with a special train on 1 May 1852, with normal services beginning 2 days later.<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References | Boynton (2002)]]</ref>
*1859: A second station building replaced the first building at Kidderminster.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books | Mitchell and Smith (2007), p12]]</ref>
*1863: A third station building was constructed after the previous building was destroyed by fire.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books | Mitchell and Smith (2007), p12]]</ref><ref name="KDAHS">[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2eAFhE-m0yheVp4QUw1cGN3aVk/edit Kidderminster & District Archaeological & Historical Society Building Record of Kidderminster Railway Station.]</ref> This station building was of an unusual but attractive mock-Tudor style (see photo right), and survived until 1968 when dry rot resulted in the replacement of the original building with the current BR brick buildings.
*1887/88: A Ladies waiting room, general waiting room, luggage and porters rooms and a footbridge were added.<ref name="KDAHS"></ref>
*1878: The [[Kidderminster Loop Line]] to Bewdley opened.
*1900: The northbound platform was extended to create the "Excursion Platform" with an additional access ramp from Comberton Road.<ref name="KDAHS"></ref>
*1917: Road bridge widened and southbound platform extended under bridge.<ref name="KDAHS"></ref>
*1937: It was announced "The sidings at Kidderminster are to be remodelled and new goods loop lines are to be added to facilitate the working of trains between there and Worcester."<ref>[http://meccano.magazines.free.fr/html/1937/3701/37010016.htm Meccano Magazine, January 1937 on Meccano magazine online web site]</ref>
*1968: The third station building was demolished and replaced by a brick building. Footbridge demolished.<ref name="KDAHS"></ref>
*1982: Freight traffic from Foley Park ended, and use of the Comberton Hill goods yard ceased.
*2009: New footbridge opened.
*2018: Work commencing involving the reconfiguration of the existing road and forecourt area as well as demolition and replacement of the existing station building.<ref>SVR NBI 5 September 2018</ref>
 
==Historic maps of Kidderminster Station==
 
* 1885 map showing the station and goods yard and two sidings extending to the south.
* 1902 map showing the expanded goods yard with sidings extending in to gravel and sand pits.
* 1924 map showing the extended Excursion Platform to the north and several more sidings.
* 1938 map showing further expansion of the goods yard and sand pit.
 
<gallery>
File:Kidderminster1885map.jpg | 1885
File:Kidderminster1902map.jpg | 1902
File:Kidderminster1924map.jpg | 1924
File:Kidderminster1938map.jpg | 1938
</gallery>
 
==Gallery==
 
<gallery>
File:Kidderminster-Station-1959-11-29.jpg|Kidderminster station, 1959 ([[Sellick Collection]])
File:Kidderminster station, with auto-train to Bewdley geograph-2571495-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg|Ex-GWR Pannier 6424 arrives with an auto train from Bewdley in 1963 (Geograph)
File:Kidderminster (Network Rail) Station - geograph.org.uk - 118927.jpg|The current Network Rail Kidderminster Station (Geograph)
</gallery>
== See also ==
*[[Kidderminster mainline station]]
*[[List of stations]]
*[[Kidderminster Shed | Kidderminster Engine Shed]]
*[[The development of Kidderminster Town Station]]
[[List of stations]]
==References==
==Links==
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190923041105/http://www.kfriends.org.uk/ Friends of Kidderminster Town archived web site]<br>[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2eAFhE-m0yhbXRxai1OVEVyTVE/edit Railings at Kidderminster Railway Station on the Kidderminster & District Archaeological & Historical Society web site] 
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[[Category:SVR fundraising lotteries]]
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