A SERIOUS embankment slippage on the Severn Valley Railway has left the track impassable and will affect some services.
The damage was to a stretch of track 300 metres north of Sterns on the Shropshire section of the line.
Although the Sterns area has suffered previous landslips with considerable remedial work already carried out, the location of this failure is not one the railway previously had concerns about.
The SVR’s head of infrastructure Chris Bond, who visited the site to make a preliminary inspection, said: “We’ve suffered a significant embankment failure and damage to approximately 30metres of the track and track bed.
“The area remains in a dangerous state and further slippage may occur so we are warning people to stay well away.”
Picture by Leigh King. s
He added the SVR would seek further guidance from specialist contractors, but said it was already clear this would be a major infrastructure repair project that would take considerable time and money to put right.
The affected area lies between the SVR’s northern terminus station at Bridgnorth and the smaller Hampton Loade station.
Until the railway can repair its line, it won’t be able to operate services between the two stations, although fortunately the rest of the line, between Kidderminster and Hampton Loade, is not affected and can operate.
Blow as new season is about to start
SVR managing director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster said: “We’re due to reopen on February 15 for half-term and the start of our 2025 season, but clearly services between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade cannot run.
“We want to reassure passengers who’ve pre-booked tickets that we’ll be in touch soon by email, and they don’t need to phone us.
“We’ll get this sorted out as quickly as we possibly can.
“There is of course, a further impact on us as a heritage line, and that’s the cost we now face to bring our full line back into operation.
“Things were just beginning to stabilise for the SVR, following several years of financial struggles, and this is the last thing we needed.
“Inevitably, we’re going to have to find the funds to pay for this essential repair, and would welcome all the help that we can get.”
He urged anyone who could help by donating to the SVR Resilience Fund to visit: svr.co.uk and pledge cash there.
