Heritage rail line hosts academy at Worcestershire base

The attraction will host a new academy that trains apprentices in track and rail repair

The Severn Valley Railway (SVR) in Worcestershire will a host a new rail academy, it has been announced.

Vital Skills Training have chosen the historic line's Kidderminster station site as the base for its regional training academy.

The company provides training for the construction and rail industry.

A spokesman said the new base would have facilities for 32 apprentices to learn basics of track and rail before working on Network Rail projects.

Nick Ralls, the manager of SVR, said: "These young people get the chance to work on the railways in a very controlled environment.

"Our trains run at 25mph, not 125mph as they do on the mainlines.

Mr Ralls also said the extra labour the academy would provide means they will be able to bring their repair projects forward and complete them in a much shorter time.

The academy is scheduled to open in October.

The 16-mile SVR runs from Bridgnorth in Shropshire to Kidderminster in Worcestershire and carries about 250,000 passengers a year.

It celebrated its 150th anniversary in May.