View source for Smethwick Drop Forgings Ltd. Siding

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{| class="wikitable" style="float:right;"
| [[Smethwick Drop Forgings map | <img src="https://i.postimg.cc/4yZZWyp0/SDF-BSC-sidings.jpg" width=300px>]]
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| 1941 map of the proposed new track work<br>for SDF (north to the left)
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During 1942 additional track work was laid to enable the '''Smethwick Drop Forgings Ltd.''' ("SDF") factory on the Stourport road at Kidderminster to gain main line rail access via the British Sugar Corporation's [[Foley Park sidings]].<ref name=Turley>[[Bibliography#Books|Turley (2005)]] p. 77.</ref> Much of the land between SDF and the Foley Park sidings was owned by [[Thomas Vale & Sons]] who had their own private siding connected to the BSC sidings. SDF acquired an area of land from Thomas Vale prior to the new track work being laid.<ref>1940s plan of the proposed new siding</ref> 

SDF already supplied forgings for aviation and allied industries and the automotive, electrical, agricultural machinery and general engineering trades.<ref>[https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Smethwick_Drop_Forgings Smethwick Drop Forgings, Grace's Guide To British Industrial History]</ref> The idea of a modern forge was conceived prior to World War II, the 42-acre site acquired at Kidderminster and plans drawn up.<ref name=Worthington>[https://www.kidderminster.co.uk/reviews/139/ Worthington, John, 'How SDF began', kidderminster.co.uk, 21 November 2014] (Retrieved 27 May 2024)</ref> A shadow factory was built for SDF in Kidderminster in about 1939, making components for both aircraft and vehicles.<ref>[https://radish.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/media/4769796/heritage-impact-assessment-2019-appendix-a.pdf Wyre Forest District Council Local Plan Pre-Submission Publication September 2019 Heritage Impact Assessment] (Retrieved 29 May 2024)</ref> 

With the outbreak of war, the Ministry of Supply stepped in and speeded up construction. Production was mainly for the armed forces (including tank parts).<ref name=Beddoes>[http://www.miac.org.uk/drop.html Keith Beddoes via miac.org.uk]</ref> During the war about 1,200 workers were employed at Kidderminster.<ref name=Worthington/> 

Owing to the amount of wartime traffic it generated, SDF was provided with small shunting locomotive by the Ministry of Supply ("M.O.S.").<ref name=Turley/> The locomotive, W.G. Bagnall 0-4-0ST works no. 2664/1942 "S.D.F No 1", remained at Foley Park until late 1947 before moving to Newcastle Upon Tyne.<ref name=Beddoes/><ref group="note">Turley refers to "William Barclay of Stafford". This is presumably a typographical error; W.G. Bagnall were based at Stafford while Andrew Barclay & Sons were a Scottish company.</ref> 

After the war, military production was drastically reduced and the workforce at the site dropped to under 150.<ref name=Worthington/> The track work between SDF and the Foley Park sidings has not been found on any post-War OS maps, suggesting it may have been lifted again after M.O.S. use ended. The business ceased trading in 2016.

==See also==
*[[Private sidings connected to the Severn Valley Railway]]
*[[Foley Park sidings]]
*[[Thomas Vale & Sons]] 

==Notes==
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==References==
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==Links==
*[http://www.miac.org.uk/drop.html Railways in Worcestershire: Smethwick Drop Forgings Ltd.]
*[https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Smethwick_Drop_Forgings Smethwick Drop Forgings, Grace's Guide To British Industrial History]
*[https://www.kidderminster.co.uk/reviews/139/ Worthington, John, 'How SDF began', kidderminster.co.uk, 21 November 2014]
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_shadow_factories British shadow factories on Wikipedia]