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The formation of the Severn Valley Railway in preservation began on 6 July 1965. Keith Beddoes, a local railway enthusiast, organised a meeting at the Cooper’s Arms in Kidderminster to discuss the feasibility of preserving a section of the former GWR Severn Valley Railway which had been closed by British Railways (BR). Around 50 people attended the meeting, and those present agreed to form the Severn Valley Railway Society (“the Society”). The initial membership subscription was proposed as £1, but eventually set at 1 guinea (£1+1shilling) at the suggestion of John Garth, in order to increase funds.
On Sunday 11 July the Society visited [[Bridgnorth|Bridgnorth Station]]. While holding up the old station name board to take a photograph, they were challenged “What the hell do you think you are doing?” by a man with a shotgun. This turned out to be George Thorpe (also known as ‘Elias’) who had continued to operate the station refreshment room after the station itself had shut. Once the Society explained their idea, they were quickly made welcome!
On 25 July, the Society made a second visit to inspect the line between [[Hampton Loade ]] and Bridgnorth. They discovered that since their first visit, BR had begun to take up the track from Bridgnorth Station towards [[Kidderminster]]. The Society authorised John Garth to send a telegram to British Rail asking them to stop taking up the line, which they fortunately agreed to do while negotiations took place.
The Society’s initial goal was to operate services over the 4½ miles between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade. However the Society would also need to take on the track between Hampton Loade and Milepost 144½ near [[Alveley Sidings|Alveley]] in order to maintain a connection to the main line via the section beyond, which BR was still using for colliery traffic from [[Alveley Colliery]]. At a meeting in August, the Society proposed to lease the line from BR.
BR granted the Society access to the Bridgnorth Station site in exchange for a rent of £5 per month, and regular Sunday afternoon de-weeding of the track and painting of the buildings began.
In September 1965 the Stephenson Locomotive Society visited Alveley with a special train from [[Bewdley]]. This helped publicise the preservation scheme.
==1966==
