Knowlesands Sidings

Knowlesands (OS Map extract, 1937-1961 series)

Knowlesands Sidings were situated around ¾ mile south of Bridgnorth station, midway between Knowlesands Tunnel and Oldbury Viaduct. They took the form of a loop to the west of the line, capable of holding 35 standard wagons plus engine and brake van.

Contents

History

The sidings served Knowlesands Brick Works (or Knowle Sands Brickworks), later the Bridgnorth brickworks, which opened between 1891 and 1903 with two round kilns.[1] The siding opened in 1922. The 1926 OS map shows a large rectangular kiln and a Hoffmann kiln. The works appear to have closed by the early 1950s.[1]

The site of the works is now occupied by the Severn Valley Industrial Estate which can be seen from the railway, although no trace remains of the sidings.

Knowlesands Sidings ground frames

Access to the sidings was controlled by ground frames at either end of the loop. These were unlocked by a key in the end of the Electric Train Staff. The working timetable of 1922 gave instructions that if the 8.15am Shrewsbury to Kidderminster goods was to stop at the sidings, the Bridgnorth signalman should telephone his colleague at Highley, and vice versa for the 8.40am Hartlebury to Shrewsbury goods.

A name plate from Knowlesands North ground frame is on display in Kidderminster Railway Museum.

Historic maps of Knowlesands Sidings

  • 1884 map showing the location before the brickworks or sidings were built.
  • 1903 map showing 'Knowlesands Brick Works' unconnected to the railway.
  • 1927 map showing 'Bridgnorth Brick Works' and the sidings.

In preservation

In early preservation days the works site was considered as a possible location for a Motive Power Depot.

It has twice in preservation been the site of storm damage.

  • On 5 November 2000 a stream at the top of Eardington Bank burst its banks, causing a major landslip in the section between the sidings location and Knowlesands Tunnel. Three lengths of track were left hanging in space and the embankment spread across the field below.
  • In 2007 three nearby sections of the railway were washed out. The industrial estate was an access point for the repair, which involved replacing the unstable ground with ‘reinforced earth’, new fill material sandwiched with geotextile mesh.

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Old Bricks - history at your feet website (Retrieved 27 November 2022)

Mitchell and Smith (2007), Illustration XII
Vanns (1998), p57

SVR Wiki

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Welcome to the Severn Valley Railway Wiki

From this week's featured article
Trimpley Reservoir can be seen to the west of the line between Bewdley and Arley. The reservoir, which is managed by Severn Trent Water, was opened in 1968 and covers 29 acres. It is open to the public and is used by the Trimpley Sailing Club, while other activities include angling, wildlife watching and walking. (Full article...)
Schematic Map of the SVRSevern Valley Railway
BridgnorthEardingtonHampton LoadeCountry Park HaltHighleyThe Engine HouseArleyVictoria BridgeNorthwood HaltWyre Forest LineBewdleyStourport BranchBewdley TunnelConnection to Network RailKidderminsterMaps#Schematic maps of the pre-closure SVRMapandlinks.png
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larger interactive version

For 101 years between 1862 and 1963, the Severn Valley Railway formed part of the national railway network, running for 40 miles between Hartlebury and Shrewsbury. Established as a separate company, it was mainly operated by the Great Western Railway (GWRGreat Western Railway) and later by British Railways (BRBritish Rail or British Railways).

The present day Severn Valley Railway (SVRSevern Valley Railway) was established in 1965 to preserve part of the line as a heritage railway. Today it has six stations and two halts and runs for 16 miles along the Severn Valley between Bridgnorth in Shropshire and Kidderminster in Worcestershire, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route. Operations involve a mixture of steam and heritage diesel-hauled services.

This unofficial website is a project aimed to collect information and record events relating to the SVRSevern Valley Railway, both past and present.

For timetables, fare information, and news about special events, please visit the SVR Official Website. Other news and information of interest to members, shareholders and enthusiasts can be found on SVRLive.

In April 2023 the SVRSevern Valley Railway announced the launch of a Survival Fund to enable it to overcome the current financial crisis and implement longer-term plans for its future. Information and details of how to donate may be found on the SVRSevern Valley Railway's Survival Fund page.

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Unsurprisingly, there are a large number of questions about the SVRSevern Valley Railway, both in pre-preservation days and for a number of historical items since then. Take a visit down to Query Corner to see if you have a recollection relating to some long forgotten event, or know of a reliable source (maybe an early edition of the SVR News?) that might have the information we need!

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