Difference between revisions of "Unsuccessful proposals for railways in the Severn Valley"

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(Proposals prior to the construction of the SVR: additional info and history)
(Proposals prior to the construction of the SVR: additional info and history)
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*'''Welsh Midland Railway''': Advertised in April 1845 seeking capital of £3.5M. It proposed "''...to connect the manufacturing districts and the seaports of south Wales ... with Birmingham and the great manufacturing districts of Staffordshire.''".<ref>London Evening Standard, 14 April 1845, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref>  A meeting took place at Worcester on 30 April 1845 at which it was noted that the proposed railway would be beneficial to the interests of the City. At that time the question of whether the railway would be built to 'broad gauge' had not been decided.<ref>Worcester Journal, 1 May 1854, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref> Notice of the intention to bring a Bill to Parliament was advertised in November 1845.<ref>[https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3334419/3334420/4/Cilgerran The Cambrian, 21 November 1845, via National Library of Wales]</ref> By 1846 the affairs of the company were being wound up.<ref>[http://www.gwentarchives.gov.uk/media/46833/d4131-newport-abergavenny-and-hereford-railway-company-records-relating-to-the-taff-vale-extension.html#toc Gwent Archives]</ref>
 
*'''Welsh Midland Railway''': Advertised in April 1845 seeking capital of £3.5M. It proposed "''...to connect the manufacturing districts and the seaports of south Wales ... with Birmingham and the great manufacturing districts of Staffordshire.''".<ref>London Evening Standard, 14 April 1845, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref>  A meeting took place at Worcester on 30 April 1845 at which it was noted that the proposed railway would be beneficial to the interests of the City. At that time the question of whether the railway would be built to 'broad gauge' had not been decided.<ref>Worcester Journal, 1 May 1854, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref> Notice of the intention to bring a Bill to Parliament was advertised in November 1845.<ref>[https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3334419/3334420/4/Cilgerran The Cambrian, 21 November 1845, via National Library of Wales]</ref> By 1846 the affairs of the company were being wound up.<ref>[http://www.gwentarchives.gov.uk/media/46833/d4131-newport-abergavenny-and-hereford-railway-company-records-relating-to-the-taff-vale-extension.html#toc Gwent Archives]</ref>
 
*'''Kidderminster and Welsh Midland Junction Railway''': Advertised in May 1845 seeking capital of £650,000. This appears to follow on from the April 1845 proposal to merge the Hereford and Kidderminster Railway with the Welsh Midland Railway, as the advertisement repeated word for word the proposal of the former.<ref>Worcester Herald, 24 May 1845, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref>
 
*'''Kidderminster and Welsh Midland Junction Railway''': Advertised in May 1845 seeking capital of £650,000. This appears to follow on from the April 1845 proposal to merge the Hereford and Kidderminster Railway with the Welsh Midland Railway, as the advertisement repeated word for word the proposal of the former.<ref>Worcester Herald, 24 May 1845, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref>
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*'''Oxford and Worcester Extension and Chester Junction Railway''': Advertised in September 1845 seeking capital of £2.25M. Planned as a broad gauge extension to the OWW's Oxford to Worcester route, the proposed extension from Worcester was described as "''Passing up the Severn Vale, it reaches Stourport and proceeding thence through Kidderminster arrives at Bewdley. Leaving Stourbridge a little to the East, the line is taken to Bridgnorth. Passing through or near to Much Wenlock, Broseley and Madeley, from which there will be a branch to Shrewsbury, the line ascends Coalbrookdale and approaching in its course Wellington and Wem, enters Whitchurch. The trunk line will continue from Whitchurch and passing through or near Malpas, will have its northern terminus in the city of Chester''.".<ref>Shrewsbury Chronicle, 19 September 1845, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref> The proposal did not go ahead and shareholders in the Company voted to wind it up in November 1846.<ref>London Evening Standard, 30 November 1846, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref>
 
*Birmingham, Dudley and Wolverhampton Railway
 
*Birmingham, Dudley and Wolverhampton Railway
 
*Worcester and Cardiff Junction Railway
 
*Worcester and Cardiff Junction Railway
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*[[Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company]]
 
*[[Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company]]
 
*Shropshire Mineral Railway
 
*Shropshire Mineral Railway
*Oxford and Worcester Extension and Chester Junction Railway
 
 
*Cambrian and Grand Junction Railway
 
*Cambrian and Grand Junction Railway
 
*Direct London and Holyhead Railway
 
*Direct London and Holyhead Railway

Revision as of 16:24, 27 November 2019

Skeleton article incorporating information from the SVRSevern Valley Railway-Online Forum "Early history of the SVR on the British Newspaper Archive" thread.

Background

The Oxford Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway which would form the southern connection of the Severn Valley Railway was authorised in 1845 and opened throughout in 1853. The Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway which would form the northern connection was authorised in 1846 and also opened throughout in 1853.[1] The Severn Valley Railway Company (19th Century) was authorised to build the SVRSevern Valley Railway in 1853 and completed its construction in 1862.

Proposals prior to the construction of the SVRSevern Valley Railway

Between 1835 and 1853, a number of railways proposed, with varying degrees of credibility, to build a line crossing, following or terminating in the Severn Valley somewhere between Stourport and Ironbridge. Many of these proposals originated in the 'Railway Mania' which peaked in the mid-1840s.

Proposals included the following:

  • Grand Connection Railway: Advertised in December 1835, seeking capital of £800,000.[2] It was originally intended to run west of the Severn from Gloucester, crossing the river at Worcester. One branch would connect to Birmingham, the other continue via Stourport, Kidderminster, Stourbridge and Dudley to Wolverhampton.[3] Despite changes to the route, the Bill for the line was rejected in Parliament in 1837 and again in 1838.[4]
  • Hereford and Kidderminster Railway: Advertised in February 1845 seeking capital of £750,000. It proposed "...connecting Hereford, Leominster, Kington, Ludlow, Tenbury, Cleobury, Bewdley, Stourport and adjacent country, etc, with the Mining and Manufacturing districts of Kidderminster, Stourbridge, Dudley, Birmingham and the Metropolis.".[5] By April 1845 it was to be amalgamated with the Welsh Midland Railway.[6]
  • Welsh Midland Railway: Advertised in April 1845 seeking capital of £3.5M. It proposed "...to connect the manufacturing districts and the seaports of south Wales ... with Birmingham and the great manufacturing districts of Staffordshire.".[7] A meeting took place at Worcester on 30 April 1845 at which it was noted that the proposed railway would be beneficial to the interests of the City. At that time the question of whether the railway would be built to 'broad gauge' had not been decided.[8] Notice of the intention to bring a Bill to Parliament was advertised in November 1845.[9] By 1846 the affairs of the company were being wound up.[10]
  • Kidderminster and Welsh Midland Junction Railway: Advertised in May 1845 seeking capital of £650,000. This appears to follow on from the April 1845 proposal to merge the Hereford and Kidderminster Railway with the Welsh Midland Railway, as the advertisement repeated word for word the proposal of the former.[11]
  • Oxford and Worcester Extension and Chester Junction Railway: Advertised in September 1845 seeking capital of £2.25M. Planned as a broad gauge extension to the OWWOxford Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway's Oxford to Worcester route, the proposed extension from Worcester was described as "Passing up the Severn Vale, it reaches Stourport and proceeding thence through Kidderminster arrives at Bewdley. Leaving Stourbridge a little to the East, the line is taken to Bridgnorth. Passing through or near to Much Wenlock, Broseley and Madeley, from which there will be a branch to Shrewsbury, the line ascends Coalbrookdale and approaching in its course Wellington and Wem, enters Whitchurch. The trunk line will continue from Whitchurch and passing through or near Malpas, will have its northern terminus in the city of Chester.".[12] The proposal did not go ahead and shareholders in the Company voted to wind it up in November 1846.[13]
  • Birmingham, Dudley and Wolverhampton Railway
  • Worcester and Cardiff Junction Railway
  • Hereford, Leominster, Ludlow and Birmingham Railway
  • Worcester, Shrewsbury and Crewe Union Railway
  • Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway
  • Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company
  • Shropshire Mineral Railway
  • Cambrian and Grand Junction Railway
  • Direct London and Holyhead Railway
  • Dudley, Madeley, Broseley and Ironbridge Railway
  • Shropshire Union Railway (Worcester to Crewe)
  • Wellington and Severn Junction Railway

Proposals after the opening of the SVRSevern Valley Railway in 1862

After 1862, the following railways were proposed to form a junction with the SVRSevern Valley Railway

Railway First proposed Proposed route Other information
Stourbridge Railway, Valley of the Stour Extension 1866 An extension from the Stourbridge Town branch via Kinver and Wolverley, passing 2 miles north of Kidderminster and joining the SVRSevern Valley Railway north of Bewdley via a north-facing junction Rejected by Parliament in 1866.[14]
West Staffordshire Railway 1874 From the LNWRLondon & North Western Railway line south of Wolverhampton via Kingswinford, west of Stourbridge, Wolverley, west of Kidderminster to connect to the Tenbury and Bewdley Railway with a short branch to Bewdley. Backed by the LNWRLondon & North Western Railway as an alternative to the Kidderminster Loop Line. Rejected by Parliament in 1875.[15]
Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway 1912 An extension from Ditton Priors to Bridgnorth One of 3 possible extensions, none of which were taken up after the First World War.[16]

See also

The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership

References

  1. Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway on Wikipedia
  2. Worcester Journal, 31 December 1835, via the British Newspaper Archive
  3. Worcester Journal, 25 February 1836, via the British Newspaper Archive
  4. worcesterpeopleandplaces.org.uk
  5. Hereford Times, 22 February 1845, via the British Newspaper Archive
  6. London Evening Standard, 14 April 1845, via the British Newspaper Archive
  7. London Evening Standard, 14 April 1845, via the British Newspaper Archive
  8. Worcester Journal, 1 May 1854, via the British Newspaper Archive
  9. The Cambrian, 21 November 1845, via National Library of Wales
  10. Gwent Archives
  11. Worcester Herald, 24 May 1845, via the British Newspaper Archive
  12. Shrewsbury Chronicle, 19 September 1845, via the British Newspaper Archive
  13. London Evening Standard, 30 November 1846, via the British Newspaper Archive
  14. Marshall (1989) p. 61.
  15. Marshall (1989) p. 81.
  16. Price (1995) pp.39-40.

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