Arley railway station

Arley

GWR 5101 Class 2-6-2T on a train at Arley station
Location
Place Arley
Area Wyre Forest
Coordinates 52°25′01″N 2°20′53″W / 52.417°N 2.348°W / 52.417; -2.348Coordinates: 52°25′01″N 2°20′53″W / 52.417°N 2.348°W / 52.417; -2.348
Grid reference SO764799
Operations
Original company West Midland Railway (Severn Valley Line)
Pre-grouping GWR
Post-grouping GWR
Operated by Severn Valley Railway
Platforms 2
History
1 February 1862 Opened [1]
9 September 1963 Closed [1]
18 May 1974 Opened by SVRPS[1]
Stations on heritage railways in the United Kingdom
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Arley railway station is a station on the Severn Valley Railway heritage line in Worcestershire, situated just over the River Severn from the village of Upper Arley; a footbridge crosses the river to link the station to the village. The station is about one kilometre north of Victoria Bridge, on which the SVR crosses the River Severn.

History

The station was built along with the line in 1862 and opened on 1 February that year.[1] The first signal box was built in 1883, and the platform built to accommodate six coach trains. The main brick-built station building with booking office is located on the easterly platform. The local transport needs were met quite adequately, as the local roads and paths were, to say the least, primitive. Passenger trade was busiest with summer holiday visitors, and Arley was home to a small goods yard.

Opened by the West Midland Railway (Severn Valley Line), and absorbed by the Great Western Railway on 1 August 1863,[2] the station stayed with that company during the Grouping of 1923, passing on to the Western Region of British Railways during the nationalisation of 1948. It was later closed by the British Transport Commission (BTC).

Although closed by the BTC on 9 September 1963[1] during the implementation of the Beeching Axe, plans for its closure had already been made before Beeching's report was published. The passing loop was taken out, sidings cut up and platforms removed, with only Alveley coal traffic surviving. In 1969 the line through Arley finally became disused.

Preceding station   Heritage railways Following station
Highley   Severn Valley Railway   Northwood Halt
Historical railways
Highley
Line and station open		   West Midland Railway
(Severn Valley Line)
Great Western Railway
   Bewdley
Line and station open

Preservation

Arley station and GWR signal looking south in 1995

When the line was reopened by SVR preservationists working up from Bridgnorth in 1974, work got underway to restore Arley to its former glory. The main railway building was in relatively good condition and was totally renovated. The platforms were rebuilt and track re-laid. A fully signalled passing loop enables full length north and southbound trains to stop and pass each other within the station limits.

The old signal box having been demolished, a replacement of LNWR design was bought from BR and brought in from Yorton, near Whitchurch, Shropshire, with the lever frame from the Kidderminster station Signalbox that was originally sited on Kidderminster (mainline) station. The station was re-opened on 18 May 1974.[1]

Arley station has been used as a filming location for a number of films and TV programmes, such as the BBC sitcom Oh, Doctor Beeching!, The Box of Delights and The ChuckleVision episode Oh Brother.

Arley station is the current location for the Santas grotto each Christmas. Passengers Travel from Kidderminster Town to Arley Only.

Gallery

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Butt (1995), page 18
  2. ↑ Awdry (1990), page 51

Sources

Further reading

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