The Bridgnorth Yard Project is a major scheme being undertaken by the Severn Valley Railway in a bid to protect the long-term future of the yard which supports the running of the well-loved railway.

Volunteer Project Manager Nick Yarwood has revealed that this stage of the project will see the height of the pit on Road 2 increased by approximately 270mm, which will require the unbolting of the pit rails. This stage of the project will also see the existing walls exposed using a technique called scabbling, which sees concrete or stone surfaces reduced, in this case, a thin layer of concrete will be removed.

The concrete surface adjacent to the walls mentioned above has already been cut back, broken out and measured for the temporary formwork, which later will see concrete poured. All of this work has been carried out by Severn Valley Railway’s amazing volunteers!

Further work during this stage of the project will also see:

• Cleaning of the sleepers on roads 1 and 2
• New ballast laid
• Relaying of the track and turnout

The turnout and track components had been recovered from Brownhills during 2023 as part of the landmark partnership between the Severn Valley Railway and Network Rail.

It is hoped that during this month and February, the pouring of concrete on the pit and adjacent surfaces will get under – with fingers being firmly crossed for the necessary weather conditions to get the job done.