The Severn Valley Railway line was built between 1858 and 1862, and linked Hartlebury, near Droitwich Spa, with Shrewsbury, a distance of forty miles. Critical stations on the line were Stourport-on-Severn, Bewdley, Arley, Highley, Hampton Loade, Bridgnorth, Coalport, Ironbridge and Broseley, Buildwas, Cressage and Berrington.
The original Severn Valley Railway was soaked up into the Great Western Railway in the 1870s, and in 1878 a link line was constructed from Bewdley to Kidderminster. This meant tourism trains could run direct from the Black Country to areas of Shropshire. Most Kidderminster to Bewdley trains continued thru the Wyre Forest line (dismantled in the 1960s and now a preferred walking route) to Tenbury Wells or Woofferton. At Buildwas Junction (now the location of Ironbridge Power Station near what is now Telford) Severn Valley trains connected with services from Wellington to Much Wenlock and Craven Arms.
Before preservation, the Severn Valley line wasn't a success financially. Freight traffic, usually rural, and coal traffic from the collieries of Alveley and Highley were the principal sources of cash. The line was strategically helpful in the second World War as a by-pass round the West Midlands.
Features of the Line:-
Hartlebury station was reconstructed around 1865. The bridge of Kidderminster to Worcester road (A449) was demolished in 1985. About one miles from Hartlebury, the Regent Oil Company opened a depot on 28th Aug 1939. It was known as Leapgate Non-public Sidings and the link trailed in from the left.There were 2 sidings on both sides of a gantry and these could accommodate up to seventeen 20-ton vans.After the cutting there had been a sand quarry that was served by a siding about mile south of Stourport signal box. After the quarry closed the siding was employed to store coal trucks waiting for entry to Stourport power station. The development of Stourport power station was authorized in 1918. The train line connection was built in 1940. There was a nest of 8 sidings. A bridge over Worcester Road was dismantled on fourth Feb 1986. BR worked coal to the power station till March 1979.
The track was lifted in 1983. Stourport station was renamed on Severn in October 1934. Burlish Halt had one platform on the right. Sidings the left with a junction facing Stourport served the works of Steatite & Porcelain Products Ltd opened in 1929. At first this was through a crossing over the Stourport to Bewdley road but this was closed in 1935 although the sidings stayed in use. On the loop to Kidderminster a new locomotive depot was erected in year 1932 just beyond Hoo Road overbridge. The depot closed in 1964.
Sidings were the laid in 1925 to serve the Sugar Factory and were used till 1980.Foley Park Halt was opened on second Jan 1905.Originally on the southerly side of the line but moved to the northerly side when the sidings were laid to the sugar factory. It stayed in use till the line closed on 6th January 1970.