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Add image of the seal of the Severn Valley Railway Company incorporated A.D. 1853
At a second meeting on 6 September a decision was taken to hold public meetings at Ironbridge, Bewdley and Bridgnorth to gauge support. These were arranged for 7, 8 and 9 October. A notice of the meetings in the Worcestershire Chronicle and Provincial Railway Gazette expressed hope that the new Severn Valley Railway "...''stands on a more secure foundation than the last of that name, projected in 1847, the bills for advertising which are we believe unpaid to this day and likely to remain so''."<ref name=Marshall20/>
The public meetings were in favour of extending the line to Shrewsbury rather than Madeley and on 13 October 1852 the Board resolved to do so. The new route would mean passing close to Apley Hall, which led Whitmore to oppose the revised plan and instead support a rival and ultimately unsuccessful proposal, the [[The Unsuccessful proposals for railways in the Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership#Unsuccessful proposals|Shrewsbury, Ironbridge and Bridgnorth Railway]]. The notice of intended application for an Act to incorporate the Severn Valley Railway Company and authorise the construction of the line was published on 2 November 1852<ref name=Marshall20/>.
==1853==
[[File:SVR Company seal 1853.png |thumb|200px|right| The seal of the Severn Valley Railway Company incorporated A.D. 1853]]
The SVR Bill was presented in Parliament on 11 February 1853. It initially met with opposition from the 'Shrewsbury companies' which caused some delay and additional expense. The Bill proposed terminating the line at a point in Shrewsbury from which a connection to one of the existing lines could be authorised by subsequent legislation.<ref name=JM25>Marshall (1998), pp. 25-27</ref>
On Monday 30 May 1853, a meeting at Kidderminster chaired by the Mayor strongly supported moving the connection with the OWW from Hartlebury to Kidderminster.<ref>Worcester Journal, 2 June 1853, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref> The proposal was advertised in the local press, following which a meeting took place at Stourport on Tuesday 16 14 June to express opposition to the move. SVR Chairman Jonathan Thorp attended the latter meeting and confirmed that "...''the promoters of the Severn Valley Railway never had any intention of making any deviation''."<ref>Worcester Journal, 16 March June 1853, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref>
After consideration in Committee, the Bill was passed in the House of Commons in July and presented to the House of Lords on 9 August. It received Royal Assent on 20 August 1853. The Act incorporated the Company and authorised it to raise £600,000 in shares and to borrow up to an additional £200,000. Powers were given to construct a railway from a junction with the OWW 5½ furlongs south of Hartlebury and terminating in Shrewsbury, with a branch from Benthall Edge to Madeley. Opposite Apley Hall, the line was to pass through tunnels approximately 680 yards in length.<ref name=Marshall28>Marshall (1989), p.28</ref> The original estimate for construction of the line was £600,000, being £110,000 for land plus £490,000 for works.<ref>[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17612/17612-h/17612-h.htm Handbook to the Severn Valley Railway, by J. Randall 1863]</ref>
==1854==
It quickly became apparent that economies would be needed to reduce the cost of the line. In February it was decided that the Bill for the Shrewsbury deviation should not proceed beyond a second reading in the Commons. In April Nicholson’s salary was terminated; instead he would be paid for his services as incurred. The Secretary's salary was also reduced. On 19 May Chairman Jonathan Thorp resigned and [[Peto, Brassey and Betts|<nowiki>Morton </nowiki> Peto]] was elected Chairman in his place.<ref name=Marshall31>Marshall (1989), pp.31-32.</ref>.
Nicholson began preparing a revised plan incorporating a number of cost saving measures. These were principally: <ref name=Marshall31/>
Robert Nicholson died at his home in Newcastle on 9 May 1855, at the early age of 46, from a cold which developed into a serious illness. His health may have been weakened by overwork, as he was involved in other projects at the time including the Border Counties Railway which was about to be started. [[John Fowler]], then aged 38, was appointed to replace him.<ref name=Marshall32>Marshall (1989), pp.32-33.</ref>
On 16 June, <nowiki>Morton </nowiki> Peto chaired a special Shareholders' meeting to approve submission of a new Bill to reduce the Company's capital and authorise the deviations. On 12 July, Henry Whitmore testified to the House of Lords Committee on behalf of his brother that Thomas Whitmore was satisfied with the new arrangements and had withdrawn his objections. Fowler testified that the revised plan, together with abandoning the proposed Madeley branch, would reduce the cost to £480,000. The new Severn Valley Railway Act received Royal Assent on 30 July 1855. It repealed the 1853 Act, although the Company's incorporated status continued unchanged. The revised route, reduced share capital of £480,000 and borrowing powers of £160,000 were duly authorised, with completion to take place within 5 years.<ref name=Marshall32/>
On 16 August the Mayor of Bridgnorth wrote to the Company requesting that the location of the station at Bridgnorth be changed. By November Fowler had prepared a revised plan with two further cost saving deviations:
==1856==
[[File:Bridgnorth Journal 2.2.1856.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Article from the Bridgnorth Journal in 1856 encouraging the purchase of shares in the Severn Valley Railway.]]
Efforts to stimulate support for the Railway continued. In early 1856 the Company's solicitor Mr. Toogood visited locations up and down the line in an attempt to attract new shareholders.<ref>Bridgnorth Journal, 2 February 1856, via the [https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk British Newspaper Archive]</ref> A meeting of local businessmen and other interested parties was held at Bridgnorth on 1 March, which resulted in a request for <nowiki>Morton </nowiki> Peto to address a public meeting there.<ref>Bridgnorth Journal, 8 March 1856, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref> Peto agreed, with the public meeting taking place at Bridgnorth Town Hall on 27 March. The press reported that "''The meeting was evidently satisfied with the explanations given, by its unanimous and hearty applause. We have much pleasure in stating that the result of the meeting has already begun to manifest itself, for Mr Toogood has since obtained many additional shareholders''."<ref>Bridgnorth Journal, 29 March 1856, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref>
On 15 April Peto addressed a similar meeting at Bewdley, where his speech was regularly met by cheers from those present.<ref>Bridgnorth Journal, 19 April 1856, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref> A meeting at Stourport on 6 May "...''gave general satisfaction, for strong expressions of support were given by most of the persons present''."<ref>Bridgnorth Journal, 10 May 1856, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref>
==1857==
On 10 July the Board resolved that a tender from the contractors Smith and Knight for construction of the line should be accepted, although no details of the tender are recorded. In response, [[Peto, Brassey and Betts# Involvement with the Severn Valley Railway |<nowiki>Morton </nowiki> Peto wrote to the Board on 28 July]] offering his resignation so he could tender for the Contract. His resignation was accepted.<ref name=Marshall34/>
Continued difficulties in raising the finance meant that two new Bills were drafted and put before Parliament, one to continue construction but with an extended deadline for completion and the other to abandon its construction. On Peto's advice, the decision on which should be adopted was deferred until the next half-yearly shareholders' meeting in February 1858.<ref name=Marshall34/>
==Links==
[[Category:The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership]]
