HILTON VALLEY RAILWAY HILTON, NR BRIDGNORTH
Cover Page Home History 1998-2000 Project 50 2001-2005 Hilton House Halt Contact
1988-2000 As the line transferred to Weston Park for the 1980 season, memories of the railway in the Hamlet of Hilton were fading fast. From the late 1980’s a young boy visited the railway there. Four years later he found his family living at Hilton House, the home of the Hilton Valley Railway. As a young boy he remembers exploring the track bed armed with his guide book. Seven years later, after extensively then and now researching the line he set about reinstating the line with his friends. Firstly up to the first loop at Lawn Pastures in time for a fifty year celebration of the founding of the railway. Due to the railway now been a very private one, there is no public access to the site. It is asked that this is respected, otherwise , it may hinder the success of the line in the long term. However, if you feel you could offer any assistance in anyway at all, please contact me Please read on for a pictorial view of the last decade of dedication to reinstate the line below:
The HVR revival began with a line on our lawn. This was constructed by ourselves and opened in 1995. The plan (Right) shows this railway in its final form. The railways main feature was a huge gradient known as ‘The Bank’ which tested the skills of any driver who undertook it. The railway hosted many family gathering as it was in a very close proximity to the house. Guests could arrive, meet and greet and then stroll down for an afternoon train ride.
			The line originally had no storage shed and a single road let to temporary cover. As time passed, it was essential to gain a base and as a birthday present, a 17foot lorry back was delivered and the following week was inched into place within a very small area. This temporary building  had capacity for three roads. Over the following months, a point was installed that then lead into the now two road locomotive shed. Over the years the locomotives were added to/changed till there were eventually four locomotives and five carriages. (Left) We see a younger looking Ben with locomotive number three ‘Snowden Ranger’ showing off a recently completed wagon built from one of the coach bogies. 1997. (Below) Edward Thomas in steam for my 16th birthday celebrations, this was the last open event on the lawn section.
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