Shareholders

In 1969, just before our opening in 1970, Alveley colliery closed, which meant that a further 9 miles of the Severn Valley line became redundant. Since members of the company had expressed a wish to extend the Severn Valley Railway southwards to Bewdley and eventually Kidderminster, negotiations began with BR over its possible purchase. The sum required to buy this stretch of line was to be £74,000, and the only way that this could be achieved was to form a share capital company and issue shares in the Severn Valley Railway. So Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) Limited was formed in March 1972, and a share prospectus was issued one month later, in April. The issue was oversubscribed, allowing the Railway to extend services in 1974 to Bewdley. Some ten years later, in 1984, services were eventually extended to Kidderminster, our present southerly terminus.

Dividends have never been paid to shareholders. Instead, and in place of dividends, at each year’s end shareholders holding the qualifying number of shares receive free travel vouchers or a travel pass, depending on the number of shares held. Over the years from 1972, there have been a further five share issues to fund major projects, which have helped with the development of the Railway.