The Severn Valley Railway in preservation
Contents
History
Opening dates
Services on the SVR began progressively as follows:
- May 1970: Bridgnorth to Hampton Loade. This section had been closed by BR in 1963.
- May 1974: Hampton Loade to Bewdley (services as far as Highley began a month earlier). The SVR also acquired the line between Bewdley and Foley Park, although this was only used on special occasions such as 'Enthusiasts Events'. BR’s use of Bewdley Station and the Foley Park connection had ended in 1970 when onward services from Bewdley ceased.
- July 1984: Bewdley to Kidderminster. Use of the last portion under BR ownership for commercial traffic from Foley Park to Kidderminster had ended in 1982. BR would continue to use the existing station at Kidderminster as part of the Birmingham Snow Hill to Worcester line. As it was not feasible to share this station, the SVR built their own adjacent station, Kidderminster Town.
Other notable events
- 1965: Formation of the Severn Valley Railway Society.
- 1967: Arrival of the first locomotives and carriages at Bridgnorth. Formation of the Guarantee Company
- 1972: Floatation of SVR(H)
- 1973: The ‘ Nabarro crisis’
- 1978: First SVR-based steam locomotive to haul a main line rail tour
- 1982: Last use of Eardington as a request stop
- 1983: Completion of Bridgnorth Bypass Bridge, Bridgnorth embankment collapse
- 1985: City of Truro ‘April Fool’
- 1986: Bewdley Bypass Bridge completed
- 1987: Kidderminster Signal Box commissioned
- 1990: Bridgnorth Boiler Shop opened
- 1991: Kidderminster Railway Museum opened
- 1993: First overnight running at an Autumn Steam Gala
- 1996: Country Park Halt opened
- 2000: Locomotive fleet decimated by the ‘boiler crisis’
- 2003: Kidderminster Carriage Shed built
- 2006: Kidderminster station building East wing and canopy completed
- 2007: Last SVR-based locomotive to haul a main line rail tour
- 2007: The railway suffered massive flood damage
- 2008: Opening of The Engine House
- 2010: 40th Anniversary of operations on the SVR
- 2015: 50th Anniversary of the SVR in preservation
- 2016: Diesel Depot built
- 2016: Bridgnorth Development Project phase 1 began
Follow the links below to see a history of the SVR in preservation by year.
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Current Organisation
The present day Severn Valley Railway (SVR) is made up of three companies:[1]
- Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC, usually abbreviated to “SVR(H)”, is the public company that owns the railway’s infrastructure. SVR shareholders own shares in this company.
- Severn Valley Railway Company Limited, commonly referred to as “the Guarantee Company”, is the SVR’s membership arm and provides the volunteers who help to operate the railway. The Guarantee Company owns approximately 21% of SVR(H).[2] The SVR has around 13,000 members, who are automatically members of this company (all volunteers must be members).
- Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd, “the Charitable Trust”, raises funds to support the SVR. The ongoing objective is to raise funds for the long-term preservation of rolling stock belonging to the trust, while other recent initiatives have included funding for the SVR’s Heritage Skills Training Academy, and arranging Heritage Lottery support for the restoration of 4930 Hagley Hall and for the SVR Future Fund Endowment.[3]
The Severn Valley Railway Association, “SVRA” was a separate group run by working volunteers with the objective of providing support to the SVR membership, and particularly the working volunteers. The SVRA was merged into the Guarantee Company in October 2015.[4]
Internally the SVR is organised into a number of departments, principally as follows:
Motive Power Department (MPD)
- Bridgnorth Locomotive Works
- Bridgnorth Boiler Shop
- Locomotive Crew
Operating Department
- Train crew
- Signalling
- Station personnel
- Booking office personnel
Permanent Way Department (P.W. Department)
Carriage and Wagon Department
Signalling and Telecomunications