Wagon shed planned for the Severn Valley

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By Paul Appleton

PLANS have been announced for a new three-road wagon shed to be constructed on the site of the former British Sugar Corporation sidings at Foley Park, between Kidderminster and Bewdley on the Severn Valley Railway.

The plan of the proposed new Severn Valley Railway wagon shed. SVR

The proposal has come about following discussions between the SVR’s wagon department and other related groups during the summer of 2015, which resulted in the formation of the Wagon Review Group, in order to progress ideas for a wagon shed and associated restoration facilities.

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Since then, a plan has emerged that will see a three-road wagon storage shed, capable of housing 60 of the line’s wagons, many of which are historically important, along with an external run-round loop to assist in the formation of demonstration goods trains without having to foul the main line, and an engineer’s siding for offloading ballast and rail.

Educational facility

The plan would also free up valuable siding space at Bewdley, allowing the goods shed area to be developed as an educational facility, telling the story of the humble goods wagon and its importance to the railway, and in particular the role of the goods train in the Severn Valley. A new dedicated wagon restoration shed would also be constructed in the yard at Bewdley.

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There are currently over 100 goods wagons on the SVR, with around half of these the responsibility of the Wagon Department to restore and maintain, while the rest are the responsibility of other groups and departments, such as the fleet of ballast wagons used by the permanent way department.

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