Changes

[[File:Engine_House_20210718.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The view of the Engine House as a Bridgnorth bound train approaches Highley]] [[File:SVR Engine Shed - geograph.org.uk - 864988.jpg|thumb|300px|right|View of The Engine House from Highley Station (Wikimedia Commons)]]'''The Engine House''' at Highley opened in 2008 and 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 other major museum on the railway, [[Kidderminster Railway Museum]], is run by an independent charitable organisation.

Admission to The Engine House at Highley is the SVR's main museum, Visitor free. Opening hours on days when normal services operate are between 10.30am and [[SVR Education Services|Education Centre]]5. It is situated approximately 200 yards from [[Highley | Highley Station]]00pm, on the site of the former sidings of [[Collieries served by the Severn Valley Railway#Highley Colliery | Highley Colliery]]with last admission at 4. The [[Kidderminster Railway Museum]] is the other major museum on the railway, being run by separate charitable organisation30pm; times may vary during special events.

Entry to the The Engine House is usually free with possession of a valid ‘Freedom of the line’ ticket or Annual Family Pass; otherwise an admission fee is payable.  Also based here are also home to the [[SVR Archives]].

Before the opening of the Engine House, [[BR 80300 Post Office Sorting Van]] was located at Highley and used as the visitor centre. 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. Peter Lyons, a Senior Partner at International Architects Peter Hing & Jones of Birmingham was involved. His original proposal was for a traditional engine shed but with the ground unable to support this his re-design involving a contemporarybuilding using lighter material.<ref>Moreton, Barry, Peter Lyons' obituary NBI, December 2022</ref> 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’ 'challenging' to say the least.</i><ref name = "SVR152" />

There were over 120,000 visitors to the Engine House during the first 2 years of opening<ref>SVR News 168</ref>.Since that time it has hosted numerous special events. On 17 September 2015 H.R.H. The Duke of Gloucester made another visit as part of the SVR's Fiftieth Anniversary celebrations.<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Before Engine_House_Anniversary_Plaque_20170527.jpg | Plaque at the opening of entrance commemorating the Engine House, [[BR 80300 Post Office Sorting Van]] was used as the visitor centre50th Aniversary visit.</gallery>

{{As of|20182024}} , [[Steam Locomotives |steam locomotives]] on display while awaiting overhaul are:*[[GWR Mogul 7325Small Prairie 4566]] *[[GWR Pannier 5764|LT Pannier L95 (footplate accessible, including for the less ableGWR 5764)]]*[[LMS Stanier Class 5 45110GWR 7819 Hinton Manor]]- the 'footplate' is accessible to allow visitors to climb aboard and learn how to operate a steam locomotive, and for weddings and civil ceremonies.

===Locomotives formerly on display=== {| class="wikitable sortable"! Original owner !! Wheel Arrangement !! Class or type !! Number !! Name !! Built !! Owner !! Date entered !! Date left !! Notes|-| BR || 0-6-0PT || 1500 || [[GWR Pannier 1501|1501]] || || 1949 || [[1501 Pannier Tank Association]] || data-sort-value="1/3/2008" | March 2008|| data-sort-value="1/10/2009" | March 2009|| |-| GWR ||0-6-0PT ||5700 Class Pannier|| [[GWR Pannier 7714|7714]] || || 1930|| [[SVR Pannier Tank Fund]] || ||data-sort-value="1/4/2012" | April 2012|| |-| GWR ||4-6-0 || 4900 Class Hall|| [[GWR 4930 Hagley Hall |4930]] ||Hagley Hall || 1929|| [[Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC | SVR(H)]]|| data-sort-value="1/3/2008" | March 2008 || data-sort-value="6/10/2013" | October 2013 || |-| GWR ||2-6-0 || 4300 Class Mogul|| [[GWR Mogul 7325|7325]] || || 1932|| [[Great Western (SVR) Association]] ||data-sort-value="1/3/2008" | March 2008 || data-sort-value="5/3/2019" | March 2019|| The 'footplate' was accessible to allow visitors to climb aboard and learn how to operate a steam locomotive, and for weddings and civil ceremonies.|-| LMS ||4-6-0 || 5MT Black Five|| [[LMS Stanier Class 5 45110|45110]] || || 1932 || [[Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC | SVR(H)]] || data-sort-value="6/10/2013" | October 2013|| data-sort-value="4/8/2018" | August 2018|| |- | Manchester Ship Canal Railway || 0-6-0T || Hunslet 'Chest' class || [[686 The Lady Armaghdale | 686]] || The Lady Armaghdale || 1898 || [[Warwickshire Industrial Locomotive Preservation Trust‎‎ | Warwickshire Industrial Locomotive Preservation Group]]||data-sort-value="1/10/2009" | October 2009 || data-sort-value="1/6/2021" | June 2021|| Moved to 'temporary storage' in [[Kidderminster Carriage Shed]], not returned {{As of|2022|lc="y"}}. |-| Corris Railway ||0-4-2ST || || 3 || Sir Haydn || 1878 || Talyllyn Railway || data-sort-value="6/10/2013" | 2013|| data-sort-value="1/1/2014" | 2014|| 2 ft 3 in gauge. ‘Sir Haydn’ travelled the line as part of the freight workings at the 2013 [[Autumn Steam Gala]] and would later spend the winter on display in The Engine House.|-| Festiniog Railway || [[Whyte notation|0-4-0ST+T]] || || 2 || Prince || 1863 || Ffestiniog Railway || data-sort-value="1/1/2010" | 2010|| data-sort-value="1/1/2012" | 2012|| 1 ft 11&frac12; in gauge.|-| MR || 4-4-0 || Johnson 4P Midland Compound || [[MR Midland Compound 1000 | 1000]] || || 1902 || [[National Railway Museum|NRM]] ||data-sort-value="1/1/2007" | 2007 || data-sort-value="1/1/2011" | 2011 || On loan from the NRM for display in the Engine House.|-| RHDR || 4-6-2 || Greenly Pacific || [https://www.rhdr.org.uk/locomotives/typhoon/ 7] || Typhoon || 1927 || Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway || data-sort-value="1/3/2019" | 2019 || data-sort-value="4/4/2022" | 4 April 2022 || 15 in gauge. On loan from the RHDR for display in the Engine House.|-|} ===Other rolling stock formerly on display===*[[LMS 730866 Goods Brake Van]]<ref>SVR News 205, p.40</ref>. ===Railway Royal Engineers' Roll of Honour===Locomotive [[LMS Stanier 8F 48773]] is dedicated as a Memorial to those military railwaymen of the Corps of Royal Engineers (Transportation) who lost their lives in World War II. In 2002 the [[Stanier 8F Locomotive Society]] compiled a Roll of Honour and Books of Remembrance commemorating known casualties. Since 2008 it has been on display with the Roll of Honour at the Engine House and an additional Roll of Honour was unveiled by Brigadier Mike Stephens at a ceremony at the Engine House in 2011, together with a Roll of Honour commemorating the six Railway Sappers killed in an accident on the [[:Category:Rolling stock associated with the Longmoor Military Railway|Longmoor Military Railway ]] in 1956. Over 200 ex-servicemen, family members and visitors were present. Visitors can see the Rolls of Honour and information panels describing the history of the Railway Royal Engineers alongside the locomotive.<ref>[https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/84398 War Memorials online] (Retrieved 22 April 2018)</ref>. ==="Helping hands for Falling Sands" donation wall===A donation was unveiled in August 2019 by the [[Charitable Trust]] acknowledging contributions to the "Helping hands for Falling Sands" appeal in aid of the restoration of [[Falling Sands Viaduct]]. The Trust's appeal had secured £397,000 in donations from individuals, community organisations, businesses, trusts and foundations<ref>[https://www.svrtrust.org.uk/index.php?page=Falling%20Sands%20Viaduct Charitable Trust 'Falling Sands' page] (retrieved 20 August 2019)</ref>. <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Donation_Wall_20190817.jpg|The donation wallDonation_Wall_detail_20190817.jpg|Donation wall detail</gallery>

[[File: Exhibition_20170618.jpg |thumb|300px|right|Poster for '2007 Storm Damage – 10 Years on' Exhibition]]{{As of|20182024}} current exhibitions are: *'Severn Valley Railway – Journey Through Time' (2019-) – A timeline of the Severn Valley and its railway from 1760 to the present day, funded and created by the [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd|Charitable Trust]].*'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. *'Triumph over tragedy - building the Severn Valley Railway (2022-) – Information about the construction of the Severn Valley Railway and those who built it.

*[[2007 Storm Damage|2007 Storm Damage – 10 Years A small area on]] (2017- ) – a look back at the damage inflicted by a freak weather event in ground floor recreates the summer interior of 2007. The exhibition looks at the damage and Coopers Arms where the extensive work and funding involved to rebuild the railway[[Severn Valley Railway Society]] was formed in 1965.*Exhibition A short video gives a history of work by renowned railway artist, John Austin (2018- )*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 engineersera." It is based on the Peter’s Railway series of children's books written by Christopher VineThere are numerous other exhibits, a Chartered Engineer, about Peter video features and his Grandpa building and operating a miniature steam railway on a farminteractive items.<refgallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">[http://petersrailwayEngine_House_Coopers_Arms_20190422.com/ Peterjpg | The 'Coopers Arms's Railway website] (retrieved 7 January 2017)</ref>*An exhibition on area. A portrait of [[LMS Stanier Class 5 45110John Garth]] and the end of steam is on British Railways (2018- )display.There are numerous other exhibits, video features and interactive items.</gallery>

===Former exhibitions===[[File: Exhibition_20170618.jpg |thumb|300px|right|Poster for '2007 Storm Damage – 10 Years on' Exhibition]]

The Engine House is licensed for civil marriage and civil partnership ceremonies which can be conducted in a variety of railway themed locations.<ref>[http://www.svr.co.uk/Weddings.aspx SVR website] (retrieved 7 January 2017)</ref>

*Children's 'Family Fun' events are held during half-terms and school holidays.*Open House Weekend*Events have featured appearances by characters including 'Peppa Pig and George'*, 'Paw Patrol', 'The Gruffalo' and 'Bluey'*[[Open House Weekend]]*[[Model Railway and Tramway exhibitions]]*Craft fairs, such as the Christmas Gift Fayre

Until 2012 ‘Buffers’ 'Buffers' restaurant offered a table service. In 2012 a refurbishment took place with the creation of a self-service restaurant, 'The Flag & Whistle Food Stop'.<ref>SVRLive</ref>. In addition there is a [[List of shops | gift shop]] and an outdoor children's play area. The restaurant balcony and outdoor picnic areas overlook the line and give good views of trains leaving and arriving at Highley. During 2021 the buffet was temporarily moved to the ground floor in the former gift shop area.

In October 2017 the [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd|Charitable Trust]] announced it was establishing an In Memory Garden for SVR supporters, close to the Engine House. The area garden is situated directly beneath the gallery, on level ground below the retaining slope. Its design has been was generously donated by Arup’s landscape architecture team. It will also feature an indoor commemorative area on the balcony inside The Engine House. This will be a screened-off area, with scrolls of honour and a memory book.<refname=Platform4>[https://svrtrust.org.uk/downloads/Platform%202018%20web%20version-1.pdf 'Platform' magazine, 2018 Issue 4, p.16]</ref> Initial work involved fencing off the area and creating a set of access steps, before landscaping and designing the garden layout and planting scheme.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/memorial-garden Memorial Garden - Landscaping garden design expertise needed, SVRLive, 16 October 2017] (Retrieved 14 July 2018</ref>. By July 2018 vegetation clearance was underway. The garden was completed in summer 2019 and is normally accessible during The Engine House opening hours, although for safety reasons it may not always be open during special events.<ref>SVR News 207, Autumn 2019</ref> The Trust's proposal also featured a screened-off indoor commemorative area on the balcony inside the Engine House, with scrolls of honour and a memory book<ref name=Platform4/>.

<gallerymode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">File:Hugh llewelyn 7325 (6240789503).jpg | 7325 (Wikimedia Commons)

*[[Highley]]<br>*[[Kidderminster Railway Museum]]<br>*[[Dogs on the SVR]]<br>*[[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd]]*[[SVR Archives]]

[httphttps://www.svr.co.uk/EngineHouse.aspx visit-us/the-engine-house/ The Engine House on www.svr.co.uk]