The preservation of the SVR dates from 1965, when a group of railway enthusiasts formed the Severn Valley Railway Society at Kidderminster. Initial efforts succeeded in raising 25 per cent of £25,000 purchase price for the closed 5-mile section of the Severn Valley line from Bridgnorth to Alveley. By 1967, the first rolling stock, an engine and four coaches, had been received. The next three years were spent in restoring the line to operating condition, and obtaining the legal authority, a Light Railway Order, from the Department of Environment, gained only after experiencing considerable difficulties. The section from Bridgnorth to Hampton Loade was opened for public passenger services in May 1970 and the remainder of the purchase price was paid shortly afterwards.

Following the closure of Alveley Colliery in 1969, and cessation of Bewdley passenger services in 1970, a campaign was mounted to raise a further £110,000. £74,000 was spent on purchasing the railway from Alveley through Bewdley to Foley Park, near Kidderminster, where an end-on connection was made with British Railways. Spearheaded by the late Sir Gerald Nabarro MP, the fund raising was successful, and after a huge effort by the Severn Valley Railway's engineering volunteers, the line was reopened, at first to Highley in April 1974, and one month later to Bewdley.

The 2 mile section from Bewdley to Foley Park, though bought by the Severn Valley Railway in 1974, was for a decade only used on special occasions, mainly by steam trains on Enthusiasts Weekends, by British Railways diesel units on peak Saturdays and Bank Holidays, and by British Railways diesel locomotive hauled excursions.

The British Sugar Corporation sidings at Foley Park became disused in 1982, and in 1983-4 over £370,000 was raised by share issue, £80,000 of which was used to fund the purchase of the stretch of line between Foley Park and Kidderminster Junction. The balance of the money raised was used to develop the former railway goods yard site in Comberton Hill, Kidderminster, to form a new SVR passenger station know known as 'Kidderminster Town'. The new section from Bewdley to Kidderminster Town was opened to passenger services on 30 July 1984.

Note - Locos that show as resident may be based here but loaned to other sites, click on 'Loco' to view the most recent location

Click on Thumbnails below to see a larger image.