Today the Severn Valley Railway is considered by many to be the premier heritage railway in the UK. It’s rise from the ashes of closure by BR in 1963 is due solely to the determination of early preservation pioneers who wanted to save at least part of the 40-mile branch line opened in 1862 from Shrewsbury in Shropshire to Hartlebury in Worcestershire.

This programme shows how the line became redundant in the early 1960s using rare archive films from the period. Included are scenes right up to the line’s final closure in 1969 following the shutting down of the last collieries around Highley and the first steps being taken to run steam trains once more by the preservation society.

As BR gradually closed down passenger services, volunteers began to take over from the Bridgnorth end and hold steam days to promote the project to rebuild the line and services southwards to Kidderminster. This was duly achieved fully by 1984 and the full 16 miles of heritage railway operational.

We examine each station with their differing architecture and cover many locomotive types associated with the line over some 50 years since the first train departed in 1970.

A special added section end the programme devoted to the last few popular steam and diesel galas so much a part of the railway these days.

Produced by - Kingfisher Productions
Running time -  100 minutes
DVD only
Released - July 2024