The Severn Valley Railway was opened to traffic on 17 January 1862 from Shrewsbury to Hartlebury. Thereafter connections were opened to Tenbury in August 1864, from Bewdley to Kidderminster on 1 June 1878. Branches were also constructed from Buildwas to Much Wenlock and Coalbrookdale. There were originally five places on the line between Hartlebury and Kidderminster where trains could be crossed, Stourport, Bewdley, Bridgnorth, Ironbridge, and Buildwas.  Trains were signalled by telegraph.  This required each Station Master or Signalman to seek permission for a train to enter a section by exchanging beats on a telegraph instrument and “pegging” the instrument to a particular indication. The late 19th century was a time of major…