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*all works built for double track but a single line of rails costing £389,690, and
*earthworks for two thirds of the line, and tunnels, for single line; underbridges (other than viaducts and bridges over streams) for single line with foundations for double line costing £363,690.
==1858-1861==
:''Main article: [[Construction of the Severn Valley Railway]]''
On 20 February 1858 the Board accepted the lowest cost option, subject to Shareholder approval which was granted at a special meeting on 26 February. The Abandonment Bill was therefore withdrawn, while the Bill to extend the time allowed for completion was enacted on 23 July 1858, setting a new deadline of 23 July 1861. Following the passing of that Act, construction began in early August. By that time the Company had reached agreement with the OW&W that the latter would run and maintain the new line for a period of 5 years following completion.
On 21 July 1859 two Acts of Parliament were passed relating to other nearby railways, both of which had received the support of the Company. The [[Wyre Forest Line|Tenbury Railway]] between Woofferton and Tenbury was seen as the first stage of a future link to Bewdley, while it was hoped that the Much Wenlock and Severn Junction Railway (which would join the SVR at [[Buildwas]]) would bring limestone traffic to the SVR.<ref>Marshall (1989), p.41.</ref>
On 5 April 1860 a meeting was held to consider two Bills before Parliament. One was for the [[Wyre Forest Line|Tenbury & Bewdley Railway]], to which the Company agreed to contribute £7,000. That Act was passed on 3 July 1860. The other enabled the OWW to take on the lease of the Severn Valley Railway. This was enacted by the SVR (Leasing) Act on 14 June 1860; two days later the West Midland Railway Act authorised the amalgamation of the OWW and other railways into the West Midland Railway Company.<ref name=Marshall44>Marshall (1989), pp.44-45.</ref>
The first mention of a [[Wolverhampton#Proposed Railways between Wolverhampton and Bridgnorth| proposed railway between Wolverhampton and Bridgnorth]] was made at a Board meeting on 20 June 1860.<ref name=Marshall44/> Although the Severn Valley Railway was still under construction at the time, the SVR and WMR also prepared the first plans for the [[Kidderminster Loop Line]] during 1860.
On 1 August 1861, the West Midland & Severn Valley Companies Act authorised the construction of the Kidderminster Loop Line and granted the Company powers to raise an additional £60,000 and borrow up to £20,000 to fund its construction. However the Tenbury line was still several years from opening, so no action had been taken by 1863 when responsibility for the Loop Line passed to the GWR<ref>Marshall (1989) p.58.</ref>.
==1862-1872==
Public services began on 1 February 1862, operated by the WMR. The West Midland and Severn Valley Railways Act of 29 July 1862 confirmed that the WM Company had to pay rent to the SVR shareholders half-yearly, preference shareholders receiving 4½ percent and ordinary shareholders 3percent rising to 4½ percent by 1868. The GWR was to purchase the SVR no later than 31 July 1871.
On 1 August 1863 the operations of the WMR were absorbed by the GWR, and from that time the Severn Valley Railway became known as the Severn Valley Branch of the GWR.<ref>Marshall (1989), p.52.</ref> Shareholders of the WMR and SVR retained vestiges of a separate identity until complete amalgamation was brought about by the Great Western Railway Act of 1872,<ref>Nabarro (1971), p.50.</ref> in the case of the SVR by exchange of Preference Shares in the Company for Consolidated Stock in the GWR<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Vanns (1998)]] p. 13.</ref>.
==See also==
*[[Severn Valley Railway Company Limited]] (1967 onwards)
*[[The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership]]
*[[Construction of the Severn Valley Railway]]
