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?

 

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.

 

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

 

9017 is visiting this year on display while 7819 goes to Aberystwyth.

 

I think it is two years - spring 2026 to spring 2028.

Tom

 

Now announced on the SVR website:
Steam swap: ‘Manor’ and ‘Dukedog’ in a cross-UK - Severn Valley Railway

 

Very appropriate.

 

So with all 3 Manors not at the SVR, will this the first time the SVR has been totally Manor less since 7819 arrived in 1973?

 

Good knowledge!