In what is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, the Severn Valley Railway is to trial early morning and early evening Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) services to allow residents in Bewdley to connect with mainline services at Kidderminster for onward travel towards Birmingham and Worcester.

The trial, which starts on Tuesday, 1st September 2026, will run for 8 weeks, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays only, and will use heritage DMUs based at the heritage railway.

Shuttling the three miles between Bewdley and Kidderminster, the services will form two round trips in the mornings and in the evenings.

The morning services will leave Bewdley at 0640 and 0740, following a change at Kidderminster onto West Midlands Railway services; this will give passengers from Bewdley arrival times of 0746 and 0846 at Birmingham Snow Hill station.

The 1646 and 1746 West Midlands services from Birmingham Snow Hill will connect with the 1745 and 1850 from Kidderminster Town to Bewdley.

With the town’s expansion in recent years, rush-hour commuting into and out of Bewdley has gotten slower as congestion has increased, with commuters having no choice but to drive or take the bus, most of them bound for Kidderminster. This eight-week trial is to assess passenger demand during the morning and evening rush hours and the benefits of connecting Bewdley to the wider rail network at peak times.

In return, the scheme can also transform Bewley into an accessible destination for tourism, business and leisure. The West Midlands Safari Park, which neighbours the Severn Valley Railway, has also shown a potential interest in these services and has hinted that it would run links from these services to the safari park if the trial proves successful.

If the trial proves to be successful, the railway would have to submit an application to the DfTO to allow it to operate a regular morning and evening timetabled service between Bewdley and Kidderminster.

Ticket prices for these heritage rush-hour DMU services will be announced in due course.

“I’m committed to building a transport system that’s affordable, reliable and better connected. That’s why I’m investing £2.4 billion into more tram routes, new railway stations and bringing the bus network back under public control.

“But this pilot shows how we can improve our network by being more innovative with the infrastructure we already have. And what better way to start or end your daily commute than onboard a heritage Severn Valley Railway locomotive.”

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE)

“I’m committed to building a transport system that’s affordable, reliable and better connected. That’s why I’m investing £2.4 billion into more tram routes, new railway stations and bringing the bus network back under public control.

“But this pilot shows how we can improve our network by being more innovative with the infrastructure we already have. And what better way to start or end your daily commute than onboard a heritage Severn Valley Railway locomotive.”

Denise Wetton, integrated managing director, GBR West Midlands

“Bewdley Town Council warmly welcomes this exciting trial, which responds directly to the strong local demand for better public transport links. It has the potential to improve access to employment, education and leisure opportunities, while bringing more visitors into the town to support local businesses. We encourage everyone to use the service during the trial and help demonstrate the case for a permanent rail connection.”

Sharon Harvey, Mayor of Bewdley