Preservation
When the Severn Valley Railway re-opened in preservation on 23 May 1970, Eardington was the only intermediate stop between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade, resulting in its being renamed Eardington Halt. It was initially used for watering locomotives, having a ready supply of better quality water than Bridgnorth. The Halt closed temporarily for repair work in October 1979, and briefly reopened in 1981 before being finally deleted from the time table in 1982. [1] It has not been used in regular service since because of poor custom, land slippage and the fact that the station is situated on a 1 in 100 gradient. Another problem is the combination of the shortness of the platform face, normal SVR practice of marshalling the guard's compartment in the center of the train and the arched over bridge immediately to the north of the platform. This would prevent the train crew from being able to see the guard if the train was stopped with the guard's van on the platform, as is correct practice.
The siding is now used for the storage of permanent way vehicles. A small band of volunteers stage regular "work-ins" to keep the station environs tidy.
In 2023 the SVR announced that following negotiations with the Office of Rail and Road, the station would re-open on limited occasions for trains which would fit the platform, a maximum of four carriages. The time table for the 2023 Autumn Steam Gala would include trains stopping at Eardington for the first time in 41 years, although initially limited to trains of three carriages. [3]
On Thursday 14th September 2023 the first time tabled services stopped at Eardington, a 4 coach train hauled by LMS Ivatt 4MT 43106
The Severn Valley Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway in Shropshire and Worcestershire, England, named after the company that originally built the railway over which it now operates. The 16-mile (26 km) heritage line runs from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn along the Severn Valley for much of its route, and crossing the river on the historic Victoria Bridge.
The English county of Shropshire has a fairly large railway network, with 19 National Rail stations on various national lines; there are also a small number of heritage and freight lines, including the famous heritage Severn Valley Railway running along its eastern border with Worcestershire.
Highley is a large village in Shropshire, England, on the west bank of the River Severn and 7 miles south east of Bridgnorth, the closest cities being Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
Hampton Loade railway station is a station on the Severn Valley Railway heritage line, close to the hamlet of Hampton on the western bank of the River Severn; Hampton Loade itself is on the eastern bank, and can no longer be reached by the Hampton Loade Ferry across the river as this has ceased operation.
IBM railway station is a currently disused railway station on the Inverclyde Line, 25+1⁄2 miles (41 km) west of Glasgow Central.
Kidderminster Town is a railway station situated in the town of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England. It is operated by the Severn Valley Railway, a heritage line which runs from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth. The station was opened on 30 July 1984, was built in a late Victorian style, and shares its station approach and car park with the adjacent National Rail station.
Bewdley railway station serves the town of Bewdley in Worcestershire, England. Until 2014, it was the administrative headquarters of the Severn Valley Railway, after which they were moved to Comberton Hill, Kidderminster. Bewdley is the principal intermediate station on the line.
Northwood Halt is an unstaffed request stop on the Severn Valley Railway in Worcestershire, situated a little to the north of Bewdley on the outskirts of the Wyre Forest at the north end of North Wood. There is an ungated level crossing just to the south of the single platform. It is the only surviving original halt on the line.
Arley railway station is a station on the Severn Valley Railway heritage line in Worcestershire, situated just over the River Severn from the village of Upper Arley; a footbridge crosses the river to link the station to the village. The station is about 1⁄2 mile (0.8 km) north of Victoria Bridge, on which the SVR crosses the River Severn.
Highley railway station is a station on the Severn Valley Railway heritage line in Shropshire, near the west bank of the River Severn and just under a mile south-east of the village of Highley. Highley is the only staffed single-platform station on the line. Other stops with one platform are unstaffed halts.
Country Park Halt is an unstaffed request stop on the Severn Valley Railway heritage line in Shropshire, situated near the west bank of the River Severn, about 300 yards north of the footbridge between Highley and Alveley in the Severn Valley.
Bridgnorth railway station is a station on the Severn Valley Railway heritage line, serving the Shropshire town of Bridgnorth, England. It is currently the northern terminus of the SVR, home to the main engine shed and has a gift shop, station buffet and licensed refreshment room amongst other facilities.
Coombe Junction Halt railway station serves the villages of Coombe and Lamellion near Liskeard, Cornwall, England, UK. It is situated on the Looe Valley Line and operated by Great Western Railway. All trains on this line have to reverse at Coombe Junction, but very few continue the short distance into the platform to allow passengers to alight or join the train.
The GWR Coalport railway station, active 1862–1963, was originally built as a single through platform railway station on the Severn Valley Line serving the village of Coalport in Shropshire, England. By January 1896 an additional platform had been added, thus permitting up and down trains to pass along, with a third platform face behind the up platform to form an east-facing bay. By this time, the goods sidings to the east of the station had been expanded.
Buildwas railway station was an isolated junction railway station on the Wellington to Craven Arms Railway and Severn Valley Railway. Opened on 1 February 1862. Although the station served both the Severn Valley Railway and Wellington to Craven Arms Railway, it was an interchange station in open countryside with no passenger access except by rail.
4930 Hagley Hall is a Great Western Railway, 4-6-0 Hall class locomotive, built in May 1929 at Swindon Works to a design by Charles Collett. It is one of eleven of this class that made it into preservation. The locomotive is named after Hagley Hall in Worcestershire.
Alveley Halt was a halt on the original Severn Valley Line, situated between the villages of Highley and Alveley, in the English county of Shropshire. The station, which was not re-opened by the heritage Severn Valley Railway, has been replaced by the adjacent Country Park Halt around one-quarter of a mile (0.4 km) up the line.
Foley Park Halt was the first stop on the GWR Kidderminster to Bewdley loop line which now forms part of the Severn Valley Railway. It was located in the Kidderminster suburb of Foley Park where the railway went under the A451 Stourport Road. Facilities included a single wooden platform, a ticket booth and a Pagoda Platform Shelter.
Eardington is a small village and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It is near the A442 road and is two kilometres south of the town of Bridgnorth, along the B4555 road. The population taken at the 2011 Census is shown under Bridgnorth. The Severn Valley Railway runs immediately to the east of the village and there was once a stop on the line, situated about half a mile to the south, between Upper and Lower Forge, called Eardington Halt.
Junction Road Halt, also known as Junction Road (for Hawkhurst), was a halt station on the Kent and East Sussex Railway. It was located on the eastern side of the level crossing across the B2244 Junction Road near the hamlet of Udiam in East Sussex, England. Closed for passengers in 1954 and freight in 1961 with the line, The line through Junction Road Halt may yet be revived as the Rother Valley Railway, a preservation society, is proposing to reopen the line from Robertsbridge to Bodiam.
