SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY: A View from the Past

The Severn Valley Railway, which originally connected Worcester and Shrewsbury, ran close to the river for much of its length. Opening in the 1860s, it was typical of many of the rural railways opened in Britain, an essential life-line to those who lived along it but vulnerable to the rise of private motoring and the transfer of freight from rail to road. Closing as a through route in the early 1960s, the final passenger services over the line were those between Bewdley and Kidderminster, which lingered on into the start of the 1970s. However, enthusiasts ensured that the Severn Valley would not go the way of similar lines. From the mid-1960s onwards, preservation of the section between Bridgnorth and Bewdley (and ultimately Kidderminster) became a reality.

This book examines the history of the SVR in the years leading up to the route’s closure. Comprehensively illustrated with many black and white photographs and line drawings, it offers a superb account of an English country railway during the golden age of steam. Out of print for some years, this new impression will be sought by those who missed the first printing as well as those who have come to know and love the line since its preservation.

Author: Michael A Vanns
Format: HB 96 pages
Publisher: Ian Allan Ltd
Pub date: Feb 2006
ISBN 10: 0711025991
ISBN 13: 9780711025998

List Price: £15.99