Ownership of the Severn Valley Line passed to British Railways (BR) upon nationalisation in 1948, when it became part of the British Railways Western Region “BR(W)". The 1950s saw steam replaced on some services by [[Railcar 22 | GWR Diesel Railcars]] and BR Diesel Multiple Units ([[Class 108 DMU |DMU]]).
==Closure==
A continued decline in traffic numbers led to the announcement by BR(W) in June 1962 that passenger services would be completely withdrawn between Shrewsbury and Bewdley (and also reduced south of Bewdley). At that time the British Transport Commission ('BTC') report "The Reshaping of British Railways" was still in course of preparation. Statistics gathered in September 1962 by officials working on the report would undoubtedly have reinforced BR's argument for the ending of passenger services.
A continued decline in traffic numbers led to the announcement by BR(W) in June 1962 that passenger services would be completely withdrawn between Shrewsbury and Bewdley (and also reduced south of Bewdley). At that time the British Transport Commission ('BTC') report "The Reshaping of British Railways" was still in course of preparation. Statistics gathered in September 1962 by officials working on the report would undoubtedly have reinforced the argument for closure. Following consultation with Bridgnorth Council and others at a public meeting in November 1962, the Transport Users Consultative Committee ('TUCC') appealed to the BTC objecting to the closure. While this appeal was being considered, 'The Beeching Report' (as it came to be known) was published on 27 March 1963. The BTC saw no grounds to agree to the TUCC's appeal, and in on 2 August 1963 the Transport Minister Ernest Marples approved the closure of the line was formally announcedfor passenger services with effect from 9 September.<ref name=Magner32>[[Bibliography#Books|Magner (1997)]] pp. 32-35. </ref> Thus the closure of the line was ultimately the responsibility of BR rather than a direct result of the 'Beeching Axe'.
Through traffic When the end of passenger services north of Bewdley was formally announced following the Minister's decision, assurances were given that freight services would continue throughout the line. However even before the passenger services had ended, plans for the new [[Ironbridge power station]] were published by the CEGB showing cooling towers on the track bed at Buildwas.<ref name=Magner32/> On Sunday 8 September the final 6.58pm Bridgnorth to Birmingham Snow Hill train, normally a diesel railcar service, was hauled by ex-GWR pannier tanks 9624 and 4665 carrying a ‘Special Last Train’ headboard. It was followed by the last passenger service north of Bewdley, the 8.30pm Hampton Loade to Snow Hill formed of a three car diesel set.<ref name=Magner32/> Passenger services between Shrewsbury and Bewdley ceased on 9 September 1963as announced. Four days later on 13 September, BR posted advance notices of their proposal to end through freight services. Appeals against the proposal proved fruitless, and the closure last through freight train ran on 30 November 1963.<ref name=Magner32/> From Decemmber 1963: :North of this section being Buildwas Junction, the catalyst line from Sutton Bridge Junction was kept open for the beginnings movement of [[boilers and other equipment to the new power station. This took place on Saturday 22 April 1966, after which the section to Berrington was closed and the track lifted. The Severn Valley Railway section north of Berrington continued in preservation]] two years lateruse for the testing of Rolls Royce Sentinel diesel shunting engines until January 1968. The From that time only a short spur of the old line from remained open to serve the Shrewsbury Abbey sidings oil depot until that closed to rail traffic on 18 July 1988.<ref name=Magner32/> :South of Alveley Colliery , the line southwards through Bewdley remained in use for moving coal to [[Stourport Power Station]] until the Colliery closed in 1969. :The line between Buildwas and Alveley Colliery Sidings was abandoned by BR. In 1964 they began to lift the track from Buildwas southwards for re-use in the enlargement of Bescot yard near Walsall. Fortunately sufficient material had been reclaimed by the time the north end of Bridgnorth Station was reached, so the workforce was redeployed to work on the Stourbridge Junction to Smethwick line.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] p. 165.</ref>
BR ceased passenger services from Bewdley to Hartlebury on 6 January 1970, ending their use of the original Severn Valley Line. Services from Bewdley to Kidderminster over 'The Loop' ended at the same time, although British Sugar Corporation freight traffic between Foley Park and Kidderminster continued until 1982.
