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→Proposals prior to the construction of the SVR: additional info and history
*'''Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway''' (often shortened to Stour Valley Railway and now known as the Stour Valley Line): The Company was authorised by an Act of Parliament in August 1846 and successfully built the line from Birmingham to Wolverhampton via Smethwick which opened in 1852 and is still in use today.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stour_Valley_Line Stour Valley Line on Wikipedia]</ref>The 'Stour Valley' by which the line is known referred to a branch (proposed but never built) from Smethwick following the River Stour via Stourbridge and Kidderminster to its junction with the Severn at Stourport.<ref>Worcestershire Chronicle, 20 August 1845, via the British Newspaper Archive</ref>
*'''Shrewsbury, Ironbridge and Bridgnorth Railway''' (known as Peele's Line, probably after Joshua John Peele, a prominent Bridgnorth Solicitor): Plans and sections for this proposed railway were deposited in '''November 1852'''. The Book of Reference noted it was "...''to incorporate a Company for making Railways from the Shifnal and Madeley Branch of the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway to the towns of Ironbridge and Bridgnorth, and to Lightmoor; and to authorise working arrangement with other Companies.''".<ref>[http://search.shropshirehistory.org.uk/collections/getrecord/CCA_XQ_E_7_1_348/ Shropshire History]</ref> [[Robert Nicholson]]'s original route for the SVR, which passed to the east of the [[Linley|Apley Estate]] and towards Madeley was supported by the Estate's owner and local MP [[Linley|Thomas Whitmore]]. When the SVR announced an alternative route to Shrewsbury via [[Linley]] in late 1852, Whitmore switched his support to the Shrewsbury, Ironbridge and Bridgnorth Railway instead.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] p. 23.</ref>
*'''Wolverhampton & Bridgenorth''' (sic) '''Railway''': Advertised in '''1860''' (the first of a number of [[Wolverhampton#Proposed Railways between Wolverhampton and Bridgnorth|proposed railways between Wolverhampton and Bridgnorth]] to be advertised). A plan for the route was drawn up although it did not include the engineer’s name. It would have run from the Shrewsbury & Birmingham Railway 3 miles west of Wolverhampton via Wergs, Pattingham and Worfield to join the SVR (then still under construction) around 2 miles north of Bridgnorth. The proposal did not gain sufficient interest for a Bill to be presented to Parliament.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] p. 114.</ref>
*'''South Staffordshire & Central Wales Railway Dudley & Bridgenorth''' (sic): Advertised in 1861. A plan and section were deposited, prepared by engineer Richard Taylor. The line would have run from the South Staffordshire Railway at Dudley, passing south of Himley and Claverley to join the SVR (still under construction) a mile south of Bridgnorth.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] p. 115.</ref>
