Cliff Railway, Bridgnorth Castle, Rays Farm, Severn Valley Railway, Attractions Bridgnorth
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Bridgnorth
Cliff Railway |
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6A
Castle Terrace Bridgnorth WV16 4AH
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tel :: 01746 762052 |
web :: www.bridgnorthcliffrailway.co.uk |
The Bridgnorth Cliff Railway or Castle Hill Railway is a cliff railway in Bridgnorth,
Shropshire, England.
The railway links the High Town
and Low Town areas of Bridgnorth.
The track length is 201 ft (61.2
metres), with a gradient of 1 in
1.8 and a rise of 111 ft (33.8 metres)
at an angle of 33 degrees. It is
one of the steepest railways in
the country, and at least one source
(the information panel outside the
top station) claims it is both the
steepest and shortest.Following
a public meeting in 1890 to discuss
an alternative method of communication
between the two parts of Bridgnorth
to the 200 steps between High Town
and Low Town, a proposal to build
a Patent Cliff Railway was subsequently
put to the town council and construction
started on 2 November 1891.
The railway was opened on 7 July
1892 by Mayor William Burton. A
public holiday was proclaimed to
celebrate the occasion.
Originally the railway was powered
by a simple system using water and
gravity. Water was pumped into a
2000 imperial gallon (9000 litre)
tank beneath the top car until its
weight, a maximum of 11.5 long tons
(11.7 metric tonnes ), overcame
that of the lower car. When the
car reached the bottom station the
tank was emptied and pumped up to
a 30,000 imperial gallon (136,000
litre) tank on the top of the upper
station.
Between 1943 and 1944 the system
was rebuilt to use electricity,
with an official re-opening on 9
May 1944 by Mayor T.C. Pembro —
who had taken office only 2 hours
previously.
In 1955 the original heavy wooden
cars were replaced by the 'up-to-date'
stronger and lighter (5.4 long tons,
5.5 metric tonnes) aluminium monocoque
ones still in use today. Each car
can carry up to 18 passengers.
The rails were replaced in about
1972 with the bullhead design formerly
used on mainline railways. The track
gauge is 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm).
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bridgnorth_Cliff_Railway&oldid=44250315 |
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Bridgnorth
Castle |
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Castle
Terrace Bridgnorth WV16 4AH
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The
Castle, originally built in 1101
by Robert de Belleme (later Earl
of Shrewsbury) was besieged four
times in its history, last by the
Roundheads in 1646 during the English
Civil War when Bridgnorth was a
Royalists stronghold. Parliamentary
forces used an artificial hill (Panpudding
Hill) across from the castle in
order to bombard it and also tunnelled
deep into the cliff underneath Bridgnorth
castle in order to plant explosives
and blow it up. The threat from
this tunnelling (along with dwindling
supplies) caused the Royalists to
surrender Bridgnorth. Although the
castle survived the siege, it was
blown up by the Roundheads in 1647
to prevent its future use by the
Royalists should they have retaken
the town. The only part that remains,
part of the great tower, leans at
an angle greater than the Leaning
Tower of Pisa.During
the siege, a large part of high
town was set on fire. As a result
of the fire, there are no verified
images or detailed accounts of the
actual layout or even the appearance
of Bridgnorth Castle before its
destruction
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgnorth |
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Daniels
Mill |
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Eardington
, Bridgnorth , WV16 5JL |
tel :: 01746 762753 |
web :: |
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Rays
Farm Country Matters |
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Billingsley,
Bridgnorth, Shropshire WV16 6PF |
tel ::
01299 841255 |
web :: www.raysfarm.com |
At
Rays Farm you will see a variety
of deer, friendly goats and farm
animals. Watch the grace and splendour
of many owls, and explore a streamside
walk of myth and magic woodcarvings.
Relax and enjoy wildlife and nature
as it was intended - ancient woodlands,
winding pathways, wild flowers and
ferns. All creating the perfect
atmosphere to unwind and let time
drift by - come, listen to the SOUND
OF SILENCE |
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Bridgnorth
Sports & Leisure Centre |
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Northgate
, Bridgnorth , WV16 4ER |
tel :: 01746 761541 |
web :: |
Swimming
Pool, Badminton, Squash, Entertainment
Events, Club Sports |
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Severn
Valley Railway |
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Bridgnorth
Station, Bridgnorth |
tel :: Bewdley 01299
403 816 |
web :: www.svr.co.uk |
The Severn Valley Railway is a heritage railway in Shropshire
and Worcestershire, England. The 16-mile
line runs from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster,
following the course of the River
Severn for much of its route. Trains
services are hauled by both steam
and diesel locomotives, and also the
line's diesel multiple unit. This
last unit is used to run a Saturday
Evening Fish and Chip Special from
May to August, leaving Kidderminster
at around 7pm and returning at 10pm
after one hour in Bridgnorth.
The railway is one of the most popular
heritage railways in the country.
It hosts numerous special events throughout
the year, including both steam and
diesel galas, Thomas the Tank Engine
events, and Santa Specials. In October
2004, the line hosted the Railcar
50 event, to commemorate the 50th
anniversary of the introduction of
diesel multiple units by British Railways.
The Severn Valley Railway was used
as transport route for 101 years,
from 1862 until 1963. The Severn Valley
line was built between 1858 and 1862,
and linked Hartlebury, near Droitwich,
with Shrewsbury, a distance of 40
miles. Important stations on the line
were Stourport-on-Severn, Bewdley,
Arley, Highley, Hampton Loade, Bridgnorth,
Coalport, Ironbridge, Buildwas, Cressage
and Berrington. The original Severn
Valley Railway was absorbed into the
GWR in the 1870s, and in 1878 a link
line was constructed from Bewdley
to Kidderminster. This meant trains
could run direct from the West Midlands
industrial area, to areas of Shropshire.
Most Kidderminster to Bewdley trains
continued through the Wyre Forest
line (dismantled in the 1960s and
now a popular walking route) to Tenbury
Wells or Woofferton. At Buildwas Junction
(near what is now Telford) Severn
Valley trains connected with services
from Wellington to Much Wenlock and
Craven Arms. The Severn Valley line
was never financially successful.
Freight traffic, mostly agricultural,
and coal traffic from the Shropshire
Hills were the principle sources of
revenue. The line was strategically
useful in the Second World War.
After nationalisation in 1948, passenger
traffic started to dwindle. The line
was closed to through passenger and
freight services under the 'Beeching
Axe' in 1963 and the track north of
Bridgnorth was dismantled. A few passenger
services continued to link Bewdley
with Kidderminster and Hartlebury,
and coal traffic survived south of
Alveley, though these activities were
stopped in the late 1960s and early
1970s.
Today the Severn Valley Railway operates
as a heritage railway. Services began
in 1970 from Bridgnorth to Hampton
Loade, extending services to Bewdley
in 1974 and Kidderminster in 1984.
The line from Hartlebury to Stourport-on-Severn,
from north of Bewdley through the
Wyre Forest and to west to Shropshire,
and north of Bridgnorth has been dismantled
and the land sold up. Because of this,
never again will trains haul past
Ironbridge or to Shrewsbury. |
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