|
Severn Valley Railway
The Severn Valley line was built between 1858 and 1862 and is a full-size standard-gauge railway line - running regular steam-hauled passenger trains for the benefit of visitors and enthusiasts alike between Kidderminster in Worcestershire and Bridgnorth in Shropshire, West Midlands, UK - a distance of 16 miles (25.8 km).
The line was closed to through passenger and freight services in 1963 and the track north of Bridgnorth was dismantled. The preservation of the SVR dates from 1965, when a group of railway enthusiasts formed the Severn Valley Railway Society at Kidderminster.
A journey is full of interest, for the route follows closely the meandering course of the River Severn for most of the way on its journey between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth. One highlight of the trip is the crossing of the River Severn by means of the Victoria Bridge - a massive 200-foot (61 m) single span, high above the water which, incidentally, features in the film 'The Thirty-nine Steps' with Robert Powell in the leading role.
There being few roads in the Severn Valley, some of the views are only visible from the Railway. The scenery is varied and largely unspoiled, punctuated by the quaint 'olde worlde' charm of country stations, each one giving ready access to local villages and riverside walks. |
