Virtual Railfan Tour UK - Severn Valley Railway - Bewdley and Kidderminster

 

Bewdley station

Bewdley is a small town on the river Severn.  It is a popular tourist destination and provides much traffic for the railway. Many motor coach tours will bring a party here and then pick them up at either Bridgnorth or Kidderminster - of course there are many variations of this.

Bewdley looking towards Kidderminster

The Great Western public convenience is well worth a visit

The building on the island platform is well restored

A Great Western 5700 class 0-6-0PT arrives with a train of chocolate and cream coaches. These were neat little engines to work with - you could set the injector by sound using your foot to make the water adjustment - better than having to bend double to use your hands.

This DMU can hold a lot of passengers and is now a heritage unit.

A walk into town is worth while although the inhabitants will sometimes get in your way.

If you can find the right pub you can drink an excellent pint

Having quenched our thirst we can then ride behind the real 2857 (Great Western 2-8-0) to Kidderminster

On the way to Kidderminster don't be surprised if you see some elephants, or zebras as we make or way through the West Midlands Safari Park.
Kidderminster is a large station which has been constructed completely from scratch. It has a good GWR feel about it. 
Arrival at Kidderminster - Manor class 4-6-0 7802

A Victorian octagonal post box on the Kidderminster station

There is an extensive museum of smaller railway artifacts

This class 08 shunter/switcher is doing carriage shunting. It is named "Dick Hardy" who worked on the Eastern and Southern regions, spending some of his career as shedmaster at Stewarts Lane. He wrote extensively and was well loved in the railfan community.


This is a Bill Wright photo of the view from Kidderminster Town booking hall which I found on Flickr. The bus is a 1952 Bristol Model LWL 6B, former Thames Valley Traction 616. Taken on 4th July 2019. Do not reproduce without permission.

So here we end our visit to the wonderful Severn Valley Railway. One could easily spend a week in this area enjoying the trains and rambles in thee countryside.











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