SVR Spring Steam Gala - 18th-21st April 2025

Well indeed, however, had it been delivered to Kidderminster it would have been another steam back up option* & saved another 2 loads of transporter expense to bring a second loco down.

(*subject to successful running in at the south end of the line).

 

It would’ve been without a tender though given ours is at Bridgnorth…

 

Very good point..

 

Guessing if Planty does a benefit gig at Bewdley town hall Martin won’t approve of this one then?

 

Well, I wasn't expecting that response. Are we not meant to mention a huge thing that's happened that will affect this gala massively on a thread about the gala?

 

At this stage it’s not known whether it will or will not affect the gala. Let’s wait for some time scales and estimates to come out before writing off/massively changing things.

 

Hopefully the railway can salvage some form of gala as the line will be needing the money

I also hope that if, for whatever reason, the line does have to pull the gala then those of us who were planning on attending consider handing over the money we were planning on spending as a donation in the railway's hour of need

 

Bahamas arriving via the mainline's at least one positive for the gala !!

 

This thread is about the gala, though. Did you not expect anyone to mention it?

 

The gala is one of a number of problems the railway now needs to overcome, but the most immediate is getting into a position of being able to run some sort of basic service in a couple of weeks time. Then there are the practical issues of steam locos and stock being separated, engineering support being at Bridgnorth, oh and the likely massive repair bill - even trying to figure out the repair itself. The gala unfortunately is probably a bit further down the list of concerns at the moment.
I suspect for involved with the SVR emotions are running high as we have been here before and know the difficulties ahead. If all of us planning on attending the gala were to offer some financial support now (perhaps to the value of a Spring Gala Rover ticket?), then maybe the line might get fixed a bit quicker. 5000 x £40 comes to a tidy sum..

 

Well, I've bought 2 2-day rovers (one for me and one for my wife). I certainly won't be asking for my money back.

 

I'm sure there will be some kind of gala given what happened some years ago when much bigger sections of track were washed away. They still managed to stage a gala then even though only the Kidderminster to Bewdley section was available. I can't remember exactly what the loco lineup was but I remember that Tyseley sent a couple of their fleet. Maybe they could help again if needed?

 

Remember it well, Green Arrow was the star and gave some spine tingling runs up to Bewdley tunnel despite being in the last few months of its ticket. Kinlet Hall and Pitchford Hall were sent from Tyseley and provided runs from Bewdley to Birmingham Snow Hill with Vintage Trains stock. I was lucky enough to be on the final double headed run back to Brum which was very energetic! One of the most memorable galas in SVR history, a triumph from adversity some would say.
I am sure something will happen, but what, we will have to wait and see.
I am not a Civil Engineer, but I am a Project Manager & learnt a long time ago to not put a timescale on things until you are very clear what is achievable - and not to be influenced by artificial deadlines such as a date on a calendar.
The line will reopen when it's ready.

 

I remember it well.
Could autotrain shuttles still run Bn to Ea?

 

Green Arrow put in some of its best performances in its last few months. It was amazing at the CVR. It was a little tame at the NYMR, though.

 

Theoretically yes, but again loco and autocoach(s) are at opposite ends of line. Guess it depends where the SVR (& it's owners) deem 1450 to be most useful in the short to medium term, as either loco or coach would need to be moved.
Or put it another way, is there a market for Bridgnorth to Eardington auto trains outside of the gala to make moving a coach viable?? Or can 1450 be used more effectively at the south end?

 

In the short term no. I believe both autocoaches are not presently operational, as the last time one was used was late 2020 on 1450's final day in traffic.

Not to mention given the 4+ year gap, crews and guards would need to be re-trained on them.

Personally, I'm not sure it would be viable to do autos on the short section of the line, if say during a gala how do you get people from HL to Bridgnorth, the lanes aren't suitable for vintage bus operation and you can't expect people to pay for parking at Bridgnorth then drive all the way to Bewdley/Kidderminster to then pay again. If an auto was operational and crews trained it would make sense to have it on the HL - KDR section as an extra draw.

I wonder how lucrative it would be for the railway to run some form of LE footplate experience between Bridgnorth and Eardington with one of the engines that wont be taken to the KDR end, couple of round trips?

 

There was definitely a period in the last closure when trains ran out of each end (graned as far as Hampton Loade from Bridgnorth), so there is a precident... Whether a combined rover was offered escapes me, though I recall doing both ends in a day so it's quite possible.

 

Wasn't that with the 8F and a couple of coaches? If so weren't they already all at Bridgnorth so no low loaders were required?