Severn Valley Railway engine shed reopens in Bridgnorth after £475k revamp

A heritage railway locomotive shed is set to be officially reopened after undergoing a £475,000 refurbishment.

Thousands of donations were made to the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) Charitable Trust for the restoration of the engine works in Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

A new insulated roof with translucent panels has been installed along with wall cladding and a 6.3 tonne crane.

The project would ensure a "brighter, safer" workplace in which to overhaul the steam fleet, said the trust.

The roof was previously filled with holes and leaking badly, it said.

Founded in the 1960s, the heritage line, which runs between Bridgnorth and Kidderminster in Worcestershire, welcomes up to 250,000 visitors per year.

An extra appeal raised a further £16,000 in just two weeks towards the cost of installing an epoxy resin floor coating, providing a "more robust and safer" surface than the old damaged one.

"The difference the translucent sheets have made to the light inside the shed is remarkable," said volunteer project manager, Antony Bartlam.

"The fact that we now have the crane in place will make lifting heavy components much simpler and easier, and will avoid the complex shunting operations that used to be necessary."

"The expertise that Antony has brought as our volunteer project manager has been key to the success of this work," said Helen Smith, the SVR's managing director.

"He's delivered this major project on time and on budget. A special thank you also to the many other volunteers who've assisted at different stages; without their help we would have faced much higher costs.

"This is a wonderful example of teamwork at the SVR, and is truly something to celebrate."

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