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The Engine House at Highley is the SVR's main museum, Visitor and [[SVR Education Services|Education Centre]]. It is situated approximately 200 yards from [[Highley | Highley Station]], on the site of the former sidings of [[Collieries served by the Severn Valley Railway#Highley Colliery | Highley Colliery]]. The [[Kidderminster Railway Museum]] is the other major museum on the railway, being run by separate charitable organisation.
Entry to the Engine House is usually free with possession of a valid ‘Freedom of the line’ ticket or Annual Family [[Loyalty Pass]]; otherwise an admission fee is payable.
Also based here are the [[SVR Archives]].
==History==
The Engine House was originally conceived as a simple storage building to house "out-of-ticket" engines under cover in order to reduce the damage done by the weather. However for various reasons, including attracting external funding, the project morphed into the visitor museum and education centre that stands today, whilst still achieving the original aim of storing locomotives. Funding received towards its construction included £3,363k from the [[:Category:Lottery funding#National_Lottery_Heritage_Fund|Heritage Lottery Fund]], £948k from the European Union Regional Development Fund and £200k from Advantage West Midlands.<ref name = "SVR152">SVR News 152</ref>
The "modern" architectural design of the building has attracted polarised comments. Prior to construction, the SVR noted that <i>The Engine House will be of modern design, and will use modern materials in its construction. The reasons for this decision are many, but cost was a particular factor as was the stability of the ground on the Landsale Yard site. Geological factors and old mine and quarry workings are all factors here. The ground, the Engineers tell us, is ‘challenging’ to say the least.</i><ref name = "SVR152" />
==Items on display==
{{As of|2019|082020}}, [[Steam Locomotives |steam locomotives]] on display while awaiting overhaul are:
*[[GWR Small Prairie 4566]]
*[[GWR Pannier 5764|LT Pannier L95 (GWR 5764)]]
Donation_Wall_detail_20190817.jpg|Donation wall detail
</gallery>
==Current exhibitions==
*'L95, A Locomotive History from London to the Severn Valley Railway' (2019) - a display of pictures and documents relating to [[GWR Pannier 5764|L95]] in London Underground service and preservation on the SVR.
*Peter’s Railway Young Engineers’ Centre (2014- ) - An exhibition that explains about railway engineering and how a steam locomotive works, for "any young steam fans and budding engineers." It is based on the Peter’s Railway series of children's books written by Christopher Vine, a Chartered Engineer, about Peter and his Grandpa building and operating a miniature steam railway on a farm.<ref>[http://petersrailway.com/ Peter's Railway website] (retrieved 7 January 2017)</ref>
*2020 [[Falling Sands Viaduct]] exhibition, part of The [[:Category:Lottery funding#National_Lottery_Heritage_Fund|National Lottery Heritage Fund award]] for its repair.
There are numerous other exhibits, video features and interactive items.
*Christmas Carol Trains
*Christmas carvery
===Manchester Model Tramway===
The [http://www.manchestersbigtrams.co.uk/ Manchester Model Tramway Group] operates a 1949-built fully-operating miniature tramway layout. It was the brainchild of George Oakley, who had a keen interest in both the Manchester and Llandudno & Colwyn Bay tramway systems.
It has been displayed at The Engine House most years since at least 2014, either in the February half-term service or [[Open House Weekend]]<ref>[https://forum.svr-online.org.uk/viewtopic.php SVR Forum]</ref>.
==Facilities==
[[Category:Lottery funding]]
[[Category:European Union (and predecessors) funding]]
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