IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Hoo Road, KIDDERMINSTER, DY10 1LS

Looking South from the footbridge at SO 83727 75926, a steam train slowly makes its way along the last few hundred metres into the Severn Valley railway station in Kidderminster. On the left is the main line between Kidderminster & Worcester. Towards the top right of the picture is the back of the stand at Kidderminster Harriers Football Club.

A withdrawn and stored locomotive at the far end of the enormous carriage shed. It had previously been on display at the Engine House, Highley. The locomotive is The Lady Armaghdale a Hunslet 0-6-0T built in 1898 for the Manchester Ship Canal and given its current name and livery when transferred to ICI ownership in 1963. It has been at the Severn Valley since 1969 and is now out of service.

This is the end furthest from the station and is being used for carriage refurbishment/painting work to supplement the railway's other facilities. The carriage on the left is waiting to receive the sort of attention that has been lavished on the one on the right. The carriage shed is allegedly the biggest single storey building in Kidderminster. It was seen on a special guided tour during the diesel gala.

At the far end of the Kidderminster carriage shed with two other stored locomotives. It was dingy and the lighting was not good. Being down at track side emphasises just how big these locomotives are. This was a guided tour of the diesel depot and carriage shed and well worth the required donation. No. 45110 is a Stanier class 5 4-6-0 built for the London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1935. It was one of the engines in the well-known 15 Guinea Special farewell to steam on 11 August 1968. It was withdrawn from service into preservation and has done two stints at the Severn Valley with a major overhaul between. It was withdrawn from service last in 2008 and has been on static display in various locations. It is now hidden away safely in the carriage shed and not usually accessible.

A very gloomy shot in the far end of the carriage shed where we were shown three stored locomotives. On the left were The Lady Armaghdale and No. 45110 and on the right was GWR 2-6-0 No. 7325. Not a great photograph but a serviceable record nonetheless.

In the Kidderminster carriage shed. It was very gloomy in there and the ISO was at 1600. This 2-6-0 tender engine was designed by Churchward with later Collett improvements and built at Swindon in 1932. It was withdrawn in 1964 and went to Barry scrapyard from where it was saved in 1975. It was returned to steam on the Severn Valley Railway in 1992. A leaking boiler forced retirement in 2000 and it has only been displayed in a static condition, including some time at Swindon, in the years since. It is awaiting restoration. It was last seen on display at Kidderminster Station during the 2022 autumn steam gala.

A (rather plain) view of the mainline track heading south out of Kiddy, from a carriage on the Severn Valley Sunday service back to Bridgnorth.

The envy of the entire railway world, the SVR carriage shed is a third of a mile in length and can house many of the SVR's 60+ historic coaches. This is the half way point, looking towards Aggborough. Open to the curious during the Peep Behind the Scenes event.