Ahead of my trip on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway a look back at the Severn Valley Railway between Kidderminster Town (Worcestershire) and Bridgnorth (Shropshire). I've only been on it during a day out back in August 2006. My last time to Kidderminster by train was September 2016 (but not on the SWR). More recently saw the line from Arley Arboretum.

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Severn Valley Railway over the years: from Kidderminster Town to Bridgnorth


Severn Valley Railway over the years: from Kidderminster Town to Bridgnorth


Ahead of my trip on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway a look back at the Severn Valley Railway between Kidderminster Town (Worcestershire) and Bridgnorth (Shropshire). I've only been on it during a day out back in August 2006. My last time to Kidderminster by train was September 2016 (but not on the SWR). More recently saw the line from Arley Arboretum.


The Severn Valley Railway runs between Kidderminster in Worcestershire to Bridgnorth in Shropshire. It is a 16 mile heritage line. Part of the Beeching cut's of the late 1960s, the line closed in 1963. The Severn Valley Railway Preservation Society was formed in 1965, and they bought the line reopening it in stages between 1970 and 1984.

Kidderminster Town Station

I got a train from my local station in Birmingham to Kidderminster Station, mainly to have a look around the town centre in early September 2016, so wasn't there for the Severn Valley Railway. But got some photos of Kidderminster Town Station of the SVR while I was there. This billboard also advertising the Kidderminster Railway Museum.

dndimg alt="Kidderminster Town" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Severn Valley Railway Kidderminster Town Station (Sept 2016) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Seen from Kidderminster Station while still under London Midland. A look at the carriages at Kidderminster Town Station. Was also old freight waggons in the background as well.

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Can just about see a steam locomotive buffing away on ther right. Bit hard to see from the modern station on the Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster line.

dndimg alt="Kidderminster Town" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Severn Valley Railway Kidderminster Town Station (Sept 2016) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The Kidderminster Railway Museum. I didn't go in there on my last visit to Kidderminster. This was after my walk around the town, and was now back at Kidderminster Station to get my train home. I do hope to go on the Severn Valley Railway again in the future, just not got around to it (not checked out how much a ticket costs).

dndimg alt="Kidderminster Town" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Severn Valley Railway Kidderminster Town Station (Sept 2016) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Bewdley Station

My first and so far only journey on the Severn Valley Railway was on a day out back in August 2006 (13 years ago!). Didn't have my own camera back then, used my brothers compact camera (wasn't into photography back then). This diesel locomotive with 2D12 on it to "Banbury" (well not here).

No. 51941/50933/52064/56208/59250. Ex-British Railways. Class: 108 DMU. Owner: DMU Group (West Midlands)
Notes: based at Bewdley - undergoing repairs before further use. Details from Meet our locos.

dndimg alt="SVR Bewdley" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Severn Valley Railway Bewdley (August 2006) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Also saw this steam locotive with carriages behind it.

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Not sure of the number as didn't get it in my old photos back in 2006 but think it was ex British Railways.

dndimg alt="SVR Bewdley" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Severn Valley Railway Bewdley (August 2006) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Carriage on the left numbered 52255. Not clear from here what number the steam locomotive was though.

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Some more of the carriages. Must be ex LNER. Middle carriage numbered 24105.

dndimg alt="SVR Bewdley" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Severn Valley Railway Bewdley (August 2006) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Arley Station

On a visit to Arley Arboretum at the beginning of September 2019, could hear the whistles of nearby steam trains. Must be the Severn Valley Railway! The Severn View Point was on the walk past the trees towards the Grove Coppice at the arboretum in Arley. This diesel locomotive heading towards Arley Station is D9551, known as 'Angus'. Ex-British Railways. Built in 1965. Owned by the Severn Valley Railway Class 14 Company Ltd. Normally based at Bridgnorth. Details from Meet the locos.

dndimg alt="SVR Arley" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Severn Valley Railway Arley Arboretum (Sept 2019) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Waited a few minutes for the next train, before I saw 7714 heading towards Bridgnorth having just left Arley. Ex-Great Western Railway, built in 1930, owned by the SVR Pannier Tank Fund. Details from Meet the Locos.

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Later on after a walk around the arboretum, headed to the Severn View after passing The Well, just before going up the Laburnum Arch. First train I saw heading into Arley Station was 2857. Ex-Great Western Railway, built in 1918, Class 2800, owned by the 2857 Society. Details from Meet the Locos.

dndimg alt="SVR Arley" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Severn Valley Railway Arley Arboretum (Sept 2019) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

After that train had left Arley, then saw this train head out of Arley towards Bridgnorth. 4144, Ex-British Railways. Direction facing Kidderminster. It is on hire from Didcot Railway Centre until November 2019. Details from Meet the Locos.

dndimg alt="SVR Arley" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Severn Valley Railway Arley Arboretum (Sept 2019) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Bridgnorth Station

Heading back to Bridgnorth Station during August 2006. We had gone to look at the ruins of Bridgnorth Castle in the Bridgnorth Town Park. Don't really remember much about this visit, other than we must have walked over this footbrige and around the road. Then gone into the park and then walked back to the station.

dndimg alt="SVR Bridgnorth" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Severn Valley Railway Bridgnorth Station (August 2006) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

My only decent photos of the trains at Bridgnorth was from this viewpoint. Don't think I took any photos of the trains from the platforms at this station. Well not until we got to Bewdley.

dndimg alt="SVR Bridgnorth" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Severn Valley Railway Bridgnorth Station (August 2006) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

In this view was too many trees in the way of the trains to see them. Didn't really take much photos of trains back then. Didn't really start taking trains photos again until 2009, after I lost my brother in late 2008 (on my own camera).

dndimg alt="SVR Bridgnorth" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Severn Valley Railway Bridgnorth Station (August 2006) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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