Changes

In December 2010 an earlier attempt to build a two-road shed for the storage of up to 50 wagons on the course of the trackbed of the [[Stourport Branch]] failed when the HLF turned down an application for funding.<ref>[https://forum.svr-online.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1133&highlight=hlf Fathers, P., SVR Forum 10 December 2010] (Retrieved 4 January 2018</ref> The Wagon Review Group was created late in 2015 . In March 2017 the group formed a committee to take the wagon shed project forward, and the following month it appointed a Treasurer "both to manage money raised and to assist the Group with the major objectives identification and implementation ofpractical fundraising initiatives in cooperation with other SVR organisations."<brref>'Job vacancies', SVRLive, 28 March 2017</ref>  The wagon shed is a medium term proposal<ref name=blmay21>[https://www.svrlive.com/blmay21 Branch Lines, May 2021]</ref>. 1) ==Objectives==Its major objectives are:*Improving the public presentation and display of the wonderful [[Goods Wagons|collection of historical wagons ]] residing on the SVR. Possible ways include the stationing of wagons at suitable locations, and the operation of more demonstration freight trains.<br>2) *Keeping alive the craft of operating freight trains by running more freights and thus retaining the skills of the operating staff. This will have the effect of increasing the interest for visitors to the Railway*Improving the workshop facilities available to the [[Wagon Dept Department]] to ease and accelerate the restoration of wagons. Its It's hoped to "piggy back" this onto current plans to improve the carriage restoration facilities at [[Carriage Repair Works#Bewdley_Carriage_and_Wagon_Department|Bewdley]].<br>3) *Improving the conservation of wagons, both restored and not, by providing covered accommodation for at least the most vulnerable.  ==The wagon shed project==[[File:View_from_Stourport_Road_Bridge_20160515.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Seen from Stourport Road Bridge, the proposed location for the wagon shed is the area to the right of the line.]][[File: Foley_Park_OS.jpg |thumb|300px|right| Extract from 1951 OS Map showing Foley Park sidings and Foley Park Halt]]The site at [[Stourport Triangle|Bewdley Triangle ]] is no longer available, and current thoughts centre on attention has turned to the site of the GWR [[Foley Park sidings|sidings adjacent to the former BSC works at Foley Park]]. The proposals utilise the full area of the former Foley Park sidings. This originally held 4 tracks with a headshunt over [[Underbridge off Lisle Avenue|Lisle Avenue underbridge]] to reach the start of [[Falling Sands Viaduct]]. The platform at [[Foley Park Halt]] was originally on the south side with an access pathway (which still exists) to Stourport Road. On construction of the sidings the platform with pagoda shelter was moved to the north side. Stourport Road overbridge was constructed for double track. The design seeks to accommodate a 60 wagon three road storage shed with an external run round loop and an engineering siding at the east end. The 3 roads would be fed from the east with only a single road emerging from the west end of the shed. To this  The shed would be a standard ‘agricultural’ type building with 5 metre spaced portal frames (on pad foundations in the sandstone formation) and propriety cladding with windows and photovoltaic panels on the roof to provide an income source and lighting. Electrical and water supplies could be accessed off Stourport Road. Plans envisage raised walkways between the internal tracks allowing limited access for viewing. The southerly road would contain historically significant non-runners with the remaining roads having different demonstration goods trains with brake vans at each end. There is provision in the plans at the east end for a large locomotive (e.g 8F or 28XX) to sit in front of the doors.  The single road from the west endof the shed would allow demonstration wagon events linked to the car park access off Felix Baxter Drive. The run round loop and headshunt would be around 175 metres long to accommodate typical freight or engineering trains.  The engineers' siding design would allow road vehicles to run along as well as offloading ballast, rails and other permanent way materials, and visiting locomotive loading with road access off Silverwoods Way. ==Progress==*In February 2016 the site was cleared of undergrowth to allow a detailed site survey has . *In April 2016 the information was used to prepare possible track layouts and illustrations.<ref>SVR News June 2016</ref> *At March 2017 the survey had been commissioned used to prepare outline plans, discuss them with the SVR management and undergrowth clearence other key parties, and obtain approximate prices for creating such a facility.*In winter 2019-20 the opportunity was taken to install a set of points at [[Foley Park]] for future use with a siding or shed. The points are controlled by a [[Ground Frames at Foley Park|ground frame]] which was previously installed at Kidderminster. Electrical work to allow this a release during traffic hours was not pursued at the time.<ref name=blmay21/> [[File:Foley_Park_Points_20200912.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The new point being installed at Foley Park 12 September 2020]] The clearance work so far has commencednot uncovered any track drainage suggesting that the design should incorporate a new drain and/or French drains to discharge at the east end where St Francis Group have their outfall to the canal/river. Initial estimates in 2017 suggested around £200,000 for design, supply and erection of the shed with additional works needed on earthworks, drainage, fencing/security, electricity and water supply. Construction could be phased, with the engineer’s siding being required sooner for trackwork delivery and the works to the cabling and relaying needing to be planned together. Were the plans to be successful and many of the wagons be moved, it would be possible to proceed with Bewdley carriage works as a separate phase.<ref>[http://www.svrwagons.uk/shed.html SVR Wagons website] (Retrieved 28 October 2018)</ref>  ==See also==[[Goods Wagons]]<br>[[Wagon Department]] ==References==<references /> [[Category:Lottery funding]]