LAST year Severn Valley Railway carried almost 250,000 passengers and had a gross turnover of around £4 million.

It is far cry from May 23, 1970 when steam locomotive number 3205, a Great Western Railway 0-6-0, pulled six carriages out of Bridgnorth Station at 2pm with the first train on the heritage line.

Less than seven years after the line between Bewdley and Shrewsbury, via Bridgnorth, had been closed by British Railways, a group of enthusiasts had purchased part of it, brought in locomotives and coaches and had achieved a sufficiently high standard that the Department of Transport inspector approved the opening of the section between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade for public steam-hauled services.

In 1974 the service was extended to Bewdley and in 1984 on to Kidderminster.

From this humble beginnings the railway has thrived and grown into an award-winning tourist attraction.

One of the more recent developments has seen one of Kidderminster's largest ever buildings constructed in the former goods yard.

This is the carriage shed built to house 60 of the railway's carriage fleet.

It is not used for locomotives, or for carriage restoration, merely for storage.

It means the majority of the passenger carriage fleet can be kept under cover in all weather, rain or shine.

Consequently, when a group of carriage restorers finish their coach and it is put into traffic, it will stay in good condition longer and, therefore, present a better image to visitors than if it was left in the open to do battle with the elements.

The building was part-funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which awarded £1.757 million, while SVR had to contribute a further £580,000 to complete the structure.

Then £150,000 was needed to lay track and add landscaping.

All the money was raised through donations, purchase of further shares, bequests and legacies and members paying standing orders.

It is a tribute to the fantastic support the SVR receives from its members and shareholders that these vast sums of money have been raised.

The shed is vital to keep rolling stock in good order and houses carriages dating from 1912 up to 1963.