Difference between revisions of "The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership"
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The Severn Valley Railway opened in 1862, linking [[Shrewsbury]] in the North, via [[Bridgnorth]], to Hartlebury in the South. The present day Severn Valley Railway operates over the section from Bridgnorth to a point south of [[Bewdley]] station, where the original line can be seen curving away to the right towards [[Stourport]] as you travel towards [[Kidderminster]]. | The Severn Valley Railway opened in 1862, linking [[Shrewsbury]] in the North, via [[Bridgnorth]], to Hartlebury in the South. The present day Severn Valley Railway operates over the section from Bridgnorth to a point south of [[Bewdley]] station, where the original line can be seen curving away to the right towards [[Stourport]] as you travel towards [[Kidderminster]]. | ||
| − | The Severn Valley Railway was originally operated by the West Midland Railway, but was fully absorbed into the Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1872. In 1878 the GWR added ‘The Loop’ linking Bewdley to Kidderminster, over which the present day Severn Valley Railway continues. ‘The Loop’ nearly didn’t happen; construction was authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1868 which also included the nearby Stourbridge Town branch (part of which is still in use today). The GWR then sought leave to abandon ‘The Loop’ and build a line linking Bewdley to Stourbridge via Wolverley, Cookley and Kinver instead. Only when Parliament rejected this proposal did ‘The Loop’ go ahead. | + | The Severn Valley Railway was originally operated by the West Midland Railway, but was fully absorbed into the Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1872. In 1878 the GWR added ‘The Loop’ linking Bewdley to Kidderminster, over which the present day Severn Valley Railway continues. ‘The Loop’ nearly didn’t happen; construction was authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1868 which also included the nearby Stourbridge Town branch (part of which is still in use today). The GWR then sought leave to abandon ‘The Loop’ and build a line linking Bewdley to Stourbridge via Wolverley, Cookley and Kinver instead. Only when Parliament rejected this proposal did ‘The Loop’ go ahead. Most Kidderminster to Bewdley trains left the Severn Valley Railway at the [[Tenbury Branch]] and took the Wyre Forest line (dismantled in the 1960s and now a popular walking route) to Tenbury Wells or Woofferton. |
| − | The line was used for both passenger and freight traffic. Much of the latter was generated by [[Alveley Colliery]] at [[Highley]] and the British Sugar Corporation factory at [[Foley Park sidings|Foley Park]], Kidderminster. | + | The Severn Valley line was used for both passenger and freight traffic. Much of the latter was generated by [[Alveley Colliery]] at [[Highley]] and the British Sugar Corporation factory at [[Foley Park sidings|Foley Park]], Kidderminster. |
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]]). | 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]]). | ||
Revision as of 21:44, 3 February 2015
The Severn Valley Railway opened in 1862, linking Shrewsbury in the North, via Bridgnorth, to Hartlebury in the South. The present day Severn Valley Railway operates over the section from Bridgnorth to a point south of Bewdley station, where the original line can be seen curving away to the right towards Stourport as you travel towards Kidderminster.
The Severn Valley Railway was originally operated by the West Midland Railway, but was fully absorbed into the Great Western Railway (GWRGreat Western Railway) in 1872. In 1878 the GWRGreat Western Railway added ‘The Loop’ linking Bewdley to Kidderminster, over which the present day Severn Valley Railway continues. ‘The Loop’ nearly didn’t happen; construction was authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1868 which also included the nearby Stourbridge Town branch (part of which is still in use today). The GWRGreat Western Railway then sought leave to abandon ‘The Loop’ and build a line linking Bewdley to Stourbridge via Wolverley, Cookley and Kinver instead. Only when Parliament rejected this proposal did ‘The Loop’ go ahead. Most Kidderminster to Bewdley trains left the Severn Valley Railway at the Tenbury Branch and took the Wyre Forest line (dismantled in the 1960s and now a popular walking route) to Tenbury Wells or Woofferton.
The Severn Valley line was used for both passenger and freight traffic. Much of the latter was generated by Alveley Colliery at Highley and the British Sugar Corporation factory at Foley Park, Kidderminster.
Ownership of the Severn Valley Line passed to British Railways (BRBritish Rail or British Railways) upon nationalisation in 1948, when it became part of the British Railways Western Region “BRBritish Rail or British Railways(W)". The 1950s saw steam replaced on some services by GWR Diesel Railcars and BRBritish Rail or British Railways Diesel Multiple Units (DMU).
Through traffic between Shrewsbury and Bewdley ceased in 1963, the closure of this section being the catalyst for the beginnings of The Severn Valley Railway in preservation two years later. The line from Alveley Colliery southwards through Bewdley remained in use for moving coal to Stourport Power Station until the Colliery closed in 1969. The 1963 closure did not come about through the “Beeching cuts”; the line was already scheduled for closure by BRBritish Rail or British Railways due to falling traffic numbers.
BRBritish Rail or British Railways ceased passenger services from Bewdley to Hartlebury in 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.
When the SVRSevern Valley Railway opened services to Bewdley in 1974, they had also acquired the line as far as Foley Park. In the late 1970s and early 1980s the SVRSevern Valley Railway, with BRBritish Rail or British Railways’s co-operation, were able to stage outgoing main line rail tours (and play host to incoming ones) via the remaining BRBritish Rail or British Railways section of 'The Loop' between Foley Park and Kidderminster. On some weekends in summer, BRBritish Rail or British Railways also operated a few DMUDiesel Multiple Unit special services from their Kidderminster station to the SVRSevern Valley Railway at Bewdley.
References and sources
The Severn Valley Railway Souvenir Guide, available from Gift Shops on the SVRSevern Valley Railway.
Past editions of Severn Valley News.
