The Severn Valley Railway is now one of the UK's leading heritage lines and embodies the atmosphere of the much loved former Great Western Railway. The line was closed by BR in 1963 but the revival began in 1970 when the first trains in the preservation era ran between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade. Since then services have twice been extended, in 1974 to Bewdley and then in 1984 to Kidderminster, resulting in the 16 mile route that we see today. Cine archive footage and sequences of trains captured in more recent times show just how far the popular line has progressed over 40 years in preservation.

£17.95

Format: PAL DVD -R 16:9| Region: 0 | Reference No: CMV 7097 | Running Time: Approx. 100 Minutes |

Back in 1995 the first ‘Past and Present Companion’ was published, to record and celebrate the scene 25 years after preservation of this beautiful line began. Much has happened on the Severn Valley Railway since then not least the potentially disastrous 2007 flooding and the construction of The Engine House, and these feature in this new second volume. Although the railway reached its full length, from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, in 1984, there continue to be many exciting developments: the roofing of the concourse at Kidderminster, the erection of a footbridge at Highley, the proposed £400,000 diesel shed at Kidderminster, the exploration of a commuter service between Bewdley and Kidderminster, and the first-ever direct run from Bridgnorth to Marylebone on 15 August 2009, in conjunction with Chiltern Railways.These topics and many more are covered in this in-depth survey of the line as it was in GWR and BR days, and the changes wrought since then, not only on the preserved section, but the lost stretch to Shrewsbury that has returned to nature. In the 40th Anniversary year John Stretton was granted extensive access to the SVR, and the contrasting views of the past and present demonstrate the vitality of the railway and the huge support it receives from its members, the public and the various grant-awarding authorities. Once more he has produced a book as full of interest to the railway enthusiast as to the casual visitor.

£17.99

Format: Paperback | ISBN: 978 1 85895 264 2 | Author: John Stretton