• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Severn Valley 1940's weekend coming up

They have had it there before I wish I could get up to it, I would if I lived in Brum:)
 
Ive been a couple of times, it realy does bring home what war time Britain would have been like. I would like to say a big thank you to all the organisers for a great day out. I think there is another one this week end. Well worh a visit if you can find the time.
 
Alf, I would love to go too. I did take my children on the run when we visited
years ago Kidderminster to Bridgnorth. It was wonderful for them to experience the compartments, etc. I am always glad that we went. Yes,
Robert, many thanks to the organizers for keeping that "era" alive in the way of trains. The trains played such a huge part in the movement of troops. What a different era.
 
You’ll be concerned to hear – it’s news that clearly has been kept from the public so that morale is not damaged– that Highley Station was captured last Sunday by a squad of heavily armed German paratroopers coming up the line from the Bridgnorth direction. The station was defended valiantly by a unit of the Regular British Army who were eventually overrun after sustaining significant losses. A counter-attack by the survivors, supported by US Army soldiers, was driven back. The engagement lasted some thirty minutes and it was all over by 13.30 hours.

Not long afterwards a Spitfire and a Hurricane were seen overhead but they were too late to affect the outcome.

And so after heavy casualties and the expenditure of much ammunition Highley Station remains in German hands. There is however the strong expectation of further British counter-attacks this coming weekend which, we hope, will result in this peaceful little station being returned to Severn Valley Railway occupation.

Chris
 
'We're doomed, I say, doomed.'
'But don't panic Mr. Mainwaring. Don't panic!'
 
I have been twice to the 1940s weekend at the Severn Valley Railway and highly recommend it whether you remember the war or not. Winston Churchill usually makes an appearance, and everyone is issued with an identity card which you must show when asked. Plenty of yanks and other allied servicemen, land girls, women in overalls and turbans, school children with their gas masks, spivs trying to sell you black market goods including nylons for the girls, unexploded bombs, "Glen Miller" type bands, all in all a great day out.
 
The Severn Valley Railway has been used for the filming of period dramas on quite a few occasions. These photographs were taken in 1987 during the filming of 'Miss Marples 4.50 From Paddington' , when Miss Marples was played by Joan Hickson. I think the sation was Bewdley.
 
"Vat iss your name?"
"Don't tell him, Pike."

Classic stuff.

Some of these wartime recreations fall foul of the do-gooders who want any re-creation of German wartime actions stopped. Whilst I can obviously accept that many horrific atrocities were carried out by German troops during the war (and they weren't by axis forces??), I think these people forget that the British wartime spirit and determination kept the country going in those terrible years, and would have seen the country victorious even if there had been an invasion, and that is what is being shown at these events. A few films have been produced over the years featuring a 'what if the Germans had invaded' scenario (particularly Kevin Brownlow and Andrew Mollo's spectacular amateur production "It happened here" made in 1965) and I'm not aware that protests were made about them. The dark days of the second war had their lighter moments, this is what people pay to go and see and participate in.
 
And the British have always used comedy as an antidote in troubled times. Sometimes these days that can be misconstrued or it may not be p.c.
Thank goodness for films like Mel Brookes 'Springtime for Hitler'.
Ann
 
The attention to detail by both the organisers and the participants on these days is truly amazing. Sandbags, fire buckets, taped windows, leather suitcases, travelling trunks, milk churns on the station platforms. And a large proportion of visitors dressed for the part, servicemen of all nationalities, especially German, American and British; and many civilians, the men often in trilbies and suits, the women in cotton dresses or tweed suits, sometimes in headscarves, sometimes wearing smart, elaborate hats. Well worth a visit – fun, educational and a reminder of just how much the world has changed.

Chris
 
Last edited:
Detail indeed! If it weren't for the spiv drinking his beer from a plastic 'glass' and the video cameras on the table in front of the US officer and his 'factory girl', you wouldn't know it was the 21st century.
Corporal Jones' van from Dad's army (in the B&W pic) lives not far from Cotteridge now (or did a couple of years back), perhaps it will appear too.
Here's a film of a similar event at another railway, complete with a battle for the station!
[ame="https://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YOBrdvKzWj4"]YouTube - East Lancs Railway War Weekend[/ame]
 
Thanks for the link to the Shropshire site Alf. It is a super one. I would definitely take that train trip again and I remember we used to drive to Bridgnorth and have afternoon tea in one of the tea rooms. When I went with my kids we walked around the path past the beautiful church and took
the cable car down to the Low Town and crossed over the River Severn.
The kids thought the cable car was very good.

I also remember going passed the Game Farm and seeing very high fences
up to stop people in the trains looking at the enclosures!
 
Another thing Jennyann The Pork Shop in the centre of Bridgenorth sold the best Pork Pies you ever tasted.
In the 70s I used to go just before Christmas to stock up.:)
 
Do you meen Beamans Alf. My son goes there to stock his freezer. We are off there next week. Only a stones through away from the van. Just come back and the forties week has been going on all the week. My friend has the Harbour Inne Arley and every night they have been rammed. We were there yesterday but the main events are this weekend. On the way home we saw an old Number 51 B bus Newtown road on it's way there. Bye for now. Jean.
 
Thats the one Jean, lovely grub and folks they don't only stock Pork Pies.:)
 
OK Alf....Pork Pies, the best there are ....sounds excellent. It does ring a bell
though. I really miss a good pork pie and always buy a lot when I visit Brum. I have bought them from the Bullring Market and the weekly Food Stalls at the top end of New Street where you can buy from out of town traders.

Thanks for that Alf.
 
I visited the 40's weekend 2 or 3 years ago and found it difficult to cope with the black German General strutting up and down Kidderminster station. Loved the 'Spiv' selling nylons and bloomers though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top