Railways Around Bridgenorth

[RogerFarnworth]

I have spent some time at the beginning of 2023 finding out as much as I can about the railways which served collieries either side of the River Severn and which were served by the Severn Valley Railway.

Years before the Severn Valley Railway was constructed tramroads brought coal and othe mine arisings down the the river for distribution around the country. The Tramroad served wharves on the river and Severn Trows took the load downstream.

This first article is about the Billingsley Plateway. .....

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2023/02/11...genorth-part-1

[RogerFarnworth]

I have not spelled Bridgnorth correctly, apologies!

[RogerFarnworth]

Railways Around Bridgnorth again. .....

South of Bridgnorth in the valley of the River Severn were a series of collieries and associated sidings:

Alveley Sidings and Alveley Colliery with a private railway/aerial ropeway;
Highley Station;
Highley Colliery & Sidings;
The Billingsley Railway & Collery; and
Kinlet Colliery and Sidings.

These locations were all within the Wyre Forest Coalfield. All were connected to the GWR Severn Valley Railway (SVR). This next article looks at each of these locations in turn:

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2023/02/13...genorth-part-2

[hereward]

Roger - I knew that Highley had been a mining village but didn't know it closed so recently, well Alveley at least. Still trying to get my head round those upcast shafts, one was used for coal hauling. The three mines I have been down the upcast was used, apart from ventilation, as service shaft for men etc. when the downcast was being used for coal traffic. Can't think of Highley without remembering Lesley Whittle, the kidnap victim of Donald Neilson (The Black Panther).