Last weekend (27 and 28 July) saw the Severn Valley Railway celebrating a milestone in its history, as it marked 40 years since the opening of Kidderminster Town station.
Hundreds of people gathered to honour the occasion, as senior railway figures paid tribute to the volunteers, who 40 years ago, saw the potential and importance of creating a southern terminus for the Severn Valley line.
Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster, the SVR’s managing director said:
‘We’re celebrating the vision of those involved with the railway all those years ago who understood how transformational bringing the SVR to Kidderminster would be. They knew the positive impact it would have, with access to the national rail network and close proximity to major roads and motorway networks. It is therefore unsurprising that nowadays just over 80% of visitors to the railway begin their SVR experience at Kidderminster.
‘Also, we’re celebrating the vision of those whose ambition and desire to create something really special resulted in this magnificent station being constructed. In my view, it’s the most impressive entrance to any heritage railway, and a space that has a unique and wonderful atmosphere at any time of the year.’
Many of those attending the celebrations were part of that visionary team 40 years ago, including Malcolm Broadhurst who played a key role at the time.
‘It was an absolute privilege to be asked to be the first stationmaster for our new station,’ he said. ‘But also rather a challenge, as there was literally nothing there!
‘It was an adventure and I jumped at the chance. Contractors built the platform, but we formed a volunteer gang of around a dozen people, and trawled West Midlands railway sites and beyond, for bits and pieces so we could put together our station.
‘The edging slabs along the platform, the beautiful old table now in our booking office, the lamp posts that stand on the platform. All of these came from other railway locations, and all of them were destined for the scrap heap or bonfire until we turned up in the SVR mini bus to give them a new life.
‘When we opened Kidderminster Town station in 1984, even in its rather temporary state, it felt like the SVR had truly arrived!’
The SVR’s current chair Chris Walton was involved in the often difficult logistical and financial planning that had been going on for several years before the station opened. Forty years on, he’s looking to the future, and says there’s more to come:
‘Believe it or not, Kidderminster Town station isn’t quite finished yet. We are hoping that in the coming years we’ll be able to complete the original vision by extending the length of the platforms and installing a canopy all the way to the end.
‘Next year, we’ll be celebrating 60 years in preservation with special events and commemorations, and taking a leading role in showcasing Railway 200, Network Rail’s initiative to mark 200 years of UK rail and its continuing importance. We’ve got a lot to look forward to.’
On both days of the weekend, the SVR’s flagship locomotive 4930 ‘Hagley Hall’ left Kidderminster Town station at 12.30pm, recreating the ‘Kidderminster Venturer’ special, that it hauled back in 1984 on the day the station opened.
The opening of Kidderminster Town station in 1984 brought together a long-held ambition for the Severn Valley Railway, and meant that the line ran for 16 miles. The original preserved SVR line ran between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade, after the granting of a Light Railway Order in 1970. Four years later, it was extended to Bewdley.