Kidderminster Things to Do

A 16 mile long steam railway which travels from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth with stops at Bewdley, Arley, Highley, Hampton Loade inbetween.

We expected that we would hop on and off at some of those little villages and explore but because of the crowds for the 1940s weekend we did not do that. I hope we go back again and do so.

Go and spend time on the 16 mile long Severn Valley Railway. This heritage railway is adjacent to the main Kidderminster railway station. Most of the trains are steam hauled but the SVR now have a number of heritage diesel locomotives and one is used most days. Every Saturday our heritage diesel multiple unit operates a "fish and chip supper" service. From 8th May 2004 to the 26th September 2004 there is a daily service.
The whole railway is run and maintained by about 1500 volunteers with about 100 paid staff.
I spend quite a lot of time here, as I work as a volunteer about 1 day every 2 weeks maintaining the track. Quite a change from my old office job. The gang I belong to look after the southern 8 mile section from Arley to Kidderminster. Trains can be boarded at Kidderminster or at any of the stations along the line. Allow at least half a day if not the whole day if you are going on a train.
This photo is of a train leaving Kidderminster about to enter the single track line to Bridgnorth.

The collections are housed in a warehouse built by the Great Western Railway in 1878 for the storage of grain on the ground floor for the nearby flour mills, and wool on the upper floor for the local carpet industries. It had rail access on the one side and road access on the other. It was converted into a parcels warehouse in the 1960s and became disused and subsequently derelict in the early 1980s.