SVR General Discussion

I suspect the logistics of "your nearest loco is 400 yards away by rail" is probably rather easier than "it's fifty miles away by twisty road"!

Tom

 

In a routine sense yes, this is correct, a loco would have to be mainline registered and fitted with the appropriate safety kit. The driver would also have to have a UKTDL. There have been exceptions though with a lot of pre-planning and additional safety measures (such as working within a possession), Tom has pictured one and Locomotion last year would be another. Not quite as simple as just getting a possession, so not something to be arranged in a hurry to keep a line open.

I'd be intrigued if NR rang the SVR off their own bat, I'd suspect they tried Hanson & Hall (a private freight company) first who may have suggested asking them, does anyone know?

 

They may have, but with the Class Fifty Alliance having close industry links, and senior people at SVR being railway employees, I can also believe that the approach may well have been as direct as reported.

 

The SVR have a collaboration agreement in place with NR. This has borne fruit a number of times already, particularly with last year's landslip.
A number of railway professionals volunteer on the line, right up to the GM himself who held a number of senior railway management positions, but who was also in charge of the Fifty Fund (50049's owners), before becoming GM.
Either way, this industry collaboration is fantastic for both organisations, long may it continue. I understand the next one is the visit of a brand new Colas tamper which will attend to the new track work for the Kidderminster platform 2 extension and several other locations up the line - whilst providing a training opportunity for staff on the new equipment.

 

Branchline Weekend timetables now on the website.

https://svr.co.uk/event/branchline-weekend/

 

Interesting timetables with something for everyone and some unusual workings. What drives the first train off Bridgnorth being so early on Sunday? It's two hours til the next departure and the pannier has an hour and a half layover at kiddy before it's next working. I'd think it'd be likely to cart a lot less fresh air around if it was 45 mins/an hour later, plus a shorter day for the crew?

 

Pro

Probably down to somewhere to keep stock overnight. Plus...... the current obsession with not running as much steam off Bridgnorth.

 

The Pannier on Saturday evening takes part in a photo charter at Bridgnorth, with set MK1(4).

The Pannier also needs to haul the main service on Sunday from Kidderminster at 1020.

As such it brings MK1(4) down with it in an early path, whilst 1450 steam heats the main service set.

0855 arrival at KDR, 10 mins to detrain, 5 mins to set MK1(4) back to CS, 5 mins back out for water, 10 mins swap with 1450, suddenly only 55 mins to departure and the Pannier crew will need some form of break.

 

Trains crossing outside Kidderminster instead of connecting there is annoying

 

Unfortunately we have very little choice I’m afraid with this event. On the Saturday platform 2 will have the Boogie Lights Express set in all day, meaning that is effectively out of use as most of the trains are too long to arrive on top of it. So we are down to 1 platform.

On Sunday the knock on effect of removing those crosses proved to add nearly 40 minutes to the overall timetable which took it way later than the agreed finishing time. It’s already 30 minutes beyond what was initially set out so any more was pushing it too much sadly.

 

Good to see the window safety advise on the timetable too. Unfortunately there were some muppets at one of the 2025 galas.

 

Yeah it’s sad isn’t it that we’ve come to that. But much needed. Behaviour at a lot of events accross many railways is getting worse

 

Do we know if this will be rigidly enforced or will common sense and discretion be allowed?

 

I suspect that they will have to enforce compliance.

It is worth noting that the ORR sent a warning to the Swanage Railway last year, following video evidence from Facebook. No railway will want that happening and will therefore need to mitigate against and prevent offenders.

 

That clip certainly shows reckless waving, and although it was at a location with nothing anywhere near the track, it seems unlikely that all those people kept inside at other locations. However has it not been said some time ago that railways need to manage the risk but that one way of doing so is to ensure that no lineside structures, trees, etc are close to the track?

 

Not to say that it shouldn't or won't be enforced, but that advice has been printed on special event timetables/literature for the last couple of years.

 

In other news, 2026's fares are being held at 2025's levels.

 

Various places on this forum there has been criticism of Health and Safety culture.

There's why it's needed, because people can't be trusted to look after themselves, and others without someone looking over their shoulders.

 

It’s up to adults to be responsible for their own stupidity

 

Unfortunately not so in this day and age. If someone was to be hurt or killed while poking out of a window, it’s a pretty sure bet that the family would be suing the railway.