Step Back to the 1940s

The Severn Valley Railway’s immersive Step Back to the 1940s weekends are back this summer! Tickets can be purchased in advance, saving 10%, or on the day from station Booking Offices.

What to expect at the Step Back to the 1940s weekends? There’s lots of Flyin’ Forties fun to be had for visitors of all ages as we bring the best of the British home front experience to life across the line. Travel in style by heritage steam train to experience it all and see the displays at stations.

Plan your day with the timetables:

• Saturday Timetable, featuring two steam trains and three diesel trains
• Sunday Timetable, featuring three steam trains and one diesel train

Please note, due to the current high temperatures, some steam-hauled services will be replaced by heritage diesel locomotives. 

Kidderminster

• M18 Hellcat Tank demonstrations at 11am, 1pm and 3pm
• Vintage bus rides from the station at 10.30am, 11.30am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.
• Extensive vintage vehicle displays
• Live performances from the Kalamazoo Dance Band, Pat Reyford, and Zakk Dien
• Traditional Service of Remembrance (Sundays at 4.15pm)
• ARP Post and Anderson Shelter
• 1940s home interiors (living room & kitchen)
• Hairdresser, Post Office & General Store
• WVS display, garden and privy

Access to Kidderminster Station is free of charge to Day Rover ticket holders. Subject to availability, access to the station for those without Day Rover tickets is £5 per person, purchased from the Booking Office.

Bewdley

• Military & civilian vehicle displays
• “Holidays at Home” living history experience
• Entertainment from Joe Thomas as George Formby
• Rotating themed displays (RAF or District Nurse)
• Laurel & Hardy appearances (morning meet & greet)
• Period shopfronts, including bomb-damaged scenes

Arley

• Wartime silhouette remembrance walk
• Real Anderson Shelter and Home Guard display
• Live performances from Johnny Victory and Lancashire Bell
• Military hospital train display
• Land Army and weapons exhibits
• Vintage vehicles and immersive station setting

Highley Station

• Military Vehicle display
• Entertainment by Jeep Johnson (first weekend) and Lisa Morrall (second weekend)

The Engine House (no parking available)

Open from 9.15am – 5.30pm on Saturdays, and 10am – 5.30pm on Sundays.

• Wartime Family funfair with junior swing boats and classic side stalls and sweet treats.
• Vintage Marketplace with traders selling a wide range of 1940s items
• Dance Lessons and vintage vehicles
• Entertainment from Kitten Von Mew and Vintage Class

Hampton Loade

• Military Police patrolling the station and station dressed for the era
• Authentic 1940s country station setting

Bridgnorth

• Vintage Traders, dance lessons and NAAFI caravan
• Military Police protecting the station with Bridgnorth Cadets
• Entertainment from the Ronnies and Shannon the vocalist
• Vintage vehicle display
• Replica Spitfire Cockpit photo opportunity and handling collection care of the RAF Museum Midlands (4-5 July only).

Along the line and on trains

• Costumed reenactors immersing visitors into the period
• Visits by Winston Churchill delivering wartime speeches at stations along the line
• Field Marshall Montgomery addressing the troops along the line
• Home Guard, Military, Police on trains and at stations checking I.D. cards
• Wartime Spivs on trains and at station selling black market items