Severn Valley Railway at Stourport-on-Severn

[martin_wynne]

I have found a couple of pics from 1969 (last year of passenger service on this section):

 

 

 

This location is just east of Stourport station. The track on the right led to Stourport Power Station. These tracks are now cycle/footpaths within the Leapgate Country Park.

 

Down on the left behind me below the embankment was a canal interchange shed with a steep incline down from the station. The canal basin is still there. It would make a fine modelling project -- this fascinating account of activity is from Stourport Civic Society:

__________

 

"Stourport was on the original Severn Valley Railway that ran from Hartlebury (joining the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway) to Shrewsbury; It was opened in 1862, being taken over by GWR in 1863 and closed just over a hundred years later.The last day of passenger services was Saturday, 3rd January 1970.

 

The late Stan James, former mayor of Stourport lived alongside the GWR basin. This was in the 1930s and he gives a vivid description of the hectic activity. Loaded trucks came down the incline from Stourport station by gravity; they were controlled by a man in the brake. Runaway trucks were uncommon - but dramatic! The O/S map shows two lines on the north and one on the south side of the basin. Stan recalls that the lines on the north side were usually used and that their termination was protected by heavy-duty buffers.

 

The commonest freight was iron and steel bars (10 ft) from South Wales. Each of these would be thrown into Merchants barges making a noise Stan still recalls. When full each 'barge' would set off for Pratt's Wharf Lock, for the Stour and Wilden Iron Works. Coal from Highley followed the same route. George Wood (who was employed all his working life, like his father and grandfather, with the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal Company) recalls that in the 40s many boats in the basin were loaded bound for Stourvale, also part of Baldwin's, just north of Kidderminster.

 

Just beyond the heavy-duty buffers was a platform made of Staffordshire blue bricks; it is still there though displaced. Stan recalls that trucks of sand came onto this from a quarry where there are now houses. These trucks came on a short railway line and sand was tipped from a considerable height into 'cut boats' on the main line. The quarry and short railway line belonged to Thomas Vale & Son builders who still trade under that name though now a PLC. A walk towards Hartlebury along the track of the SVR is rewarding. The branch to Stourport power station leaves almost immediately. Carrying coal to the power station was a tonic to S & W canal trade from 1926 till this branch of the SVR took it over 23 years later.

 

The embankment from here to Wilden is impressive and the viaduct carrying the SVR over the River Stour is a delight -especially in evening light."

_____________________

 

Here is what those steel bars were used for:

 

 

Martin.

[Phil Bullock]

Excellent shots Martin - thanks for sharing

 

Not much of the track bed left in town - how has it fared up the hill to Hartlebury?

Phil

 

[Blandford1969]

What lovley shots and unusual views. It is so rare to see this bit of the line. What a shame it did not survive, thanks for sharing them,

[martin_wynne]

Excellent shots Martin - thanks for sharing

 

Not much of the track bed left in town - how has it fared up the hill to Hartlebury?

 

Hi Phil,

 

It is now a public cycle/footpath/bridleway all the way to Hartlebury, shown on the map as "Leapgate Country Park". Start from the canal towpath near the Bird in Hand canal-side pub (the railway bridge over the canal is still there). Then along the embankment over Timber Lane bridge and the viaduct over the River Stour flood plain to Wilden. Beyond Wilden is a deep cutting spanned by an impressive high bridge carrying Wilden Top Road and sprung directly from the cutting walls. Then a pleasant country walk through the fields to Hartlebury. The railway bridge over the A449 has been removed, so the walk stops dead at a fence there. Eat your sandwich and walk back.

 

Martin.

[Phil Bullock]

Sounds idyllic Martin

 

The bridge over the 449 went a few years ago IIRC - as a lad I remember that one plus what we called "The Black Bridge" just a bit further along the over bridge where the Hartlebury - Kidder main line cross side road, awkward corner there on A449!

 

Still have family in Stourport - grew up in Ombersley - so back to the area fairly frequently. Have often wondered what remained of the line - thanks for explaining! Operations in the area in steam days are well described in Tony Barfields books which are a great read.

 

Thanks again

 

Phil

[SM42]

The power station branch lost a bit a few years ago as the embankment between the main line and the Hartlebury Rd was dug out to construct some new housing. From Hartlebury Rd to Worcester Rd it is still there.

 

Black Bridge is still called Black Bridge around here even though it's been a long time since it was black.

 

Way back when Stourport Power station closed I remember going under the bridge on the A449 and seeing a train of 21t hoppers. A look to the left as we came out of the dip revealed a  class 25 stood at the junction waiting the road. That was a lengthy train and obviously a clear out of the sidings around the power station had taken place 

 

The site of the  power station is now housing.

 

Interestingly, the signalman at Hartlebury Junction signal box was a very busy bee with lots of coal traffic to shunt in the sidings there.

 

His colleague at Hartlebury Station Box would be sat down with his feet up on the level crossing wheel watching events, safe in the knowledge that he was getting paid more due the level crossing giving the box a higher points score than the junction.

 

 

Andy

[Phil Bullock]

Unfortunately the bobby at the junction didn't always get it right!

 

http://www.macearchive.org/Archive/Title/midlands-news-26011967-railway-news/MediaEntry/10065.html

 

Theres a bit more on here

 

http://www.miac.org.uk/hartlebury.html

 

And remember seeing a coal working en route to here at Stourbridge Junction in Winter 1968 - motive power? D4!!!! Wasn't there to see whether she worked through to Hartlebury or dumped the train at Kidder but she returned light engine an hour later....

 

Cheers

 

Phil

[SM42]

As it was a pleasant evening and this is but a hop, skip and jump from SM42 Towers, I thought I would treat you to some now pictures of the locations shown and mentioned (and I needed the exercise too)

 

First a shot taken from around about the same spot as the picture at the start of this topic. The power station branch diverged somewhere around the largish tree, centre right

 

 

Next is the power station branch looking at right angles from the main line. The embankment (now dug out) followed roughly the course of the road in the centre and you can just make out the bridge abutment on the far side of Hartlebury Rd amongst the trees in the distance.

 

 

Wilden viaduct as mentioned in the text. Taken from in front of the houses on Wilden Lane  that can be just made out to the left of the line in the original pictures

 

 

And finally a shot, from the cutting, of the bridge that carries Wilden Top Road over the track bed. This is looking back towards Stourport.

 

 

Always found this spot a bit creepy and so I didn't hang around long

 

Andy