The Severn Valley Railway has joined forces with West Midlands Rail Executive and West Midlands Railway to launch a unique eight-week trial that will test the feasibility of extending regular passenger rail services from Birmingham to Bewdley.

Beginning on 1 September 2026, the trial will see heritage steam and diesel trains operating over the three-and-a-half-mile section of the Severn Valley Railway between Kidderminster and Bewdley, connecting with West Midlands Railway services to and from Birmingham. Passengers will change trains at Kidderminster to complete their journey.

The arrangement is believed to be one of the first of its kind in the UK, with main line rail ticket holders travelling over part of their journey on a heritage railway, hauled by heritage locomotives and operated by heritage railway staff.

The trial forms part of a longer-term project to assess the potential for introducing regular passenger rail services between Bewdley and the wider West Midlands rail network. If demand is demonstrated, it could pave the way for selected services that currently terminate at Kidderminster to be extended to Bewdley in future.

The weekday commuter service will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the trial, with two morning departures from Bewdley at 6.40am and 7.40am. After connecting at Kidderminster, passengers will arrive at Birmingham Snow Hill at 7.46am and 8.46am respectively, with a total journey time of just over an hour.

Evening return services will leave Birmingham Snow Hill at 4.46pm and 5.46pm, arriving back in Bewdley at 5.57pm and 7.02pm following a change at Kidderminster.

The project aims to assess passenger demand and demonstrate the wider benefits of connecting Bewdley more closely with the regional and national rail network. With significant housing growth in the area, improved rail connectivity has the potential to reduce road congestion for commuters while making Bewdley an even more accessible destination for leisure, tourism and business.

Further details, including timetables and ticketing arrangements, will be announced in due course. For more information, visit: svr.co.uk