THE Severn Valley Railway celebrated its 40th anniversary over the weekend with Bridgnorth’s Mayor praising the attraction from its famous platform.
The historic 16-mile line, which began as a 4.5 mile route from Bridgnorth to Hampton Loade, saw passengers board a special 2pm train with several pioneers of the SVR, to mark the ruby celebrations.
Councillor Val Gill was on hand to wave the train off from the platform and said she thought the wonderful attraction was a great way of ensuring history was maintained.
“It brings so many visitors and it’s a credit to the town,” she said. “All the people put so many hours of work in to keep it going.”
The train, which headed to Kidderminster on a 90-minute journey, whistled its departure at the same time and from the same platform as its inaugural service.
Guests on board the train included several people who first formed the Severn Valley Railway Society at a meeting in the Cooper’s Arms pub, Kidderminster, in 1965.
John Hill, a former SVR traffic manager, who drove the first public train in 1970 was also on the special service.
“In 40 years we have come from having absolutely nothing to a railway with 30 engines, 60 coaches and a variety of wagons,” he said. “This is due to the efforts of the volunteers. We need paid staff but without the volunteers giving up their holidays and weekends we would not exist.”
Mr Hill, 71, of Bewdley, said he was “absolutely proud” to be part of the railway and the celebrations. Sunday’s anniversary service also paused briefly at Eardington, the intermediate halt between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade, which has not been served by timetabled trains for many years.
SVR marketing manager John Leach said: “There were many who said the Severn Valley Railway scheme would fail and even Shropshire Council opposed our bid to reopen the line initially.
“But I think today’s Severn Valley Railway, operating as it does some 2,500 steam trains a year and running 40,000 miles, is the only riposte we need to make.”
The service has gone from carrying 32,000 passengers from May to December 1970 to 250,000 a year, with an annual turnover of more than £6 million.