The line for all seasons (Severn Valley Railway)

Member Name: kjl12

Product:	Severn Valley Railway
Date:	10/08/05 (979 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: lots to see and do in spectacular countryside

Disadvantages: you'll need to go back time and time again

Despite my previous comments about how much I have enjoyed some of the other preserved railways around the country, I think the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) has to be my favourite. This 16 mile stretch of line runs down the Severn Valley (now there's a shock) from Kidderminster in Worcestershire to Bridgnorth in Shropshire, making it one of the longest preserved lines of the lot.

The 'Line for all seasons' certainly lives up to all expectations with a huge range of different events during the year which appeal to all of the family - Thomas the Tank Engine weekends and Santa specials for the little ones (although these are so good we did go before we had our son too...), Diesel and Steam weekends for the enthusiasts, War Weekends and fantastic dining trains for all the family - it really is the most diverse and professional of all of the heritage railways. This is largely, I suppose, due to the fact that they've been in business for rather a long time - the first section re-opened in 1970 after closing in 1963 - and they been the first on the scene with new marketing ideas which the other railways have then copied more or less successfully.

So, where to start with a visit? Well, let’s go for an ordinary weekend, without any special events as that would be my recommendation for your first visit as it’s much less crowded - the themed weekends, especially in the summer, get really busy. And let’s presume you’ve resisted one of their fantastic dining trains, because that will give me the chance to talk about eating in and around the line, which is one of my specialist subjects, it has to be said!

Right, first off I’d start at the Kidderminster end of the line and arrive by train. The mainline ‘station’ (yes, little brick hut thing) has a regular service and is only a two minute walk from the SVR station. Not only does this save you having to worry about the traffic and parking, it’s really great to walk from the modern station to the splendour and comfort of the old one - that two minute walk really feels like a walk back in time. There are the usual array of facilities at the station - toilets, gift shop etc. It’s really lovely if you go before Christmas as they also have a huge decorated Christmas tree. If you need a feed, head for the King and Castle which is a pub on the station - it doesn’t look much, but it serves good food , really good beer and lets in both kids and dogs, which is a major plus in our household. All fed and watered? Well, let’s head off down the line then.

The first bit of the line is a bit dull as you head out of Kidderminster, but you’re soon out into the open country, and don’t forget to look right out of the window as you get a good view of the animals at the Bewdley Safari Park on your way past! First stop is Bewdley, where you’ve got a couple of choices. It’s a neat station with the SVR locomotive works if you want to hang about and see what’s going on (it has three platforms and can get busy with trains), or you can take the short walk into Bewdley itself, an old market town with lots of character and some interesting little shops. But to be honest, my favourite parts of the SVR are further down the line, so let’s move on.

The next stop is the beautiful little village of Arley. Now, you really are getting off here to visit the village rather than the station, which is very pretty but quite small - OK for a picnic , though. What you really need to do is to head off into Arley, but be warned it is a 5/10 min walk and although the road is tarmac it is fairly steep. But the trip into the village is well worth it - it really is picture postcard. It has an arboretum, which I have to admit to never have visited, as our usual plot is a walk up to the church followed by the reward of an ice cream from the little tea room, sitting out on their picnic benches overlooking the river watching for trains. Lovely. Told you this would involve food! If you can drag yourself away though, there’s more to come yet..

Next stop is Highley, again nice for a picnic, but for me has two major points of interest. Firstly, it gets used for television filming - if you remember Oh Doctor Beeching, this was the station which they used, although the cottages were constructed out of board for the series and don’t actually exist. The second point of interest does, I’m afraid involve cake. They sell a thing called the ‘Highley Slice’ which is a very nice caramel and biscuit job - you’ll sometimes see someone pop out and deliver one with a cup of tea to the driver! It’s from a different era entirely..

There is a request stop next - Country Park Halt - but I’ve filed that one in my ‘request stops which we always talk about using but haven’t got around to yet’ file!

After that comes Hampton Loade station, a great place if you fancy a walk (after all that food...) -not only are there some really nice nature walks around and about there’s also another relic of a bygone age, a pedestrian ferry across the river. If you’re feeling keen, take the ferry and walk to Dudmaston Hall, the local stately home (1 1/2 miles). But personally, I don’t think a trip to the SVR is complete if you don’t go all the way down the line to the truly fabulous Bridgnorth.

The station itself is really great, including another pub (the Railwayman’s Arms) which is to be recommended, but don’t spend all of you time on the station - the town itself is magnificent. The station is in the top half of the town High Town. Walk over the bridge outside the station and take the cliff railway down to Low Town and you’ll find bustling little shops, pubs, tea rooms, historic building and riverside walks. A smashing way to end a day on the trains - the back on again for a relax and the ride home.....

Hope you’ve enjoyed the ride!

Summary: A beautiful 16 mile line of preserved railway in the Severn valley