SVR General Discussion

https://svr.co.uk/wp-content/upload...026_Branchline-Weekend-Timetable-Saturday.pdf

https://svr.co.uk/wp-content/upload...-2026_Branchline-Weekend-Timetable-Sunday.pdf

 

Lovely first visit of the year to the SVR today. The Branchline gala clearly very popular, some of the trains this afternoon standing room only, helped by some nice spring like weather.
The view out of the back of the DMU showed much tweaking of the track work has taken place over the winter, but a strange 10mph speed restriction was in place by Bewdley tunnel, anybody know what that is in place for?
Platform extension at Kidderminster very impressive.

 

An extra last train was put on.
Track fault by the BS down distant, PWay have done some work on it and the length affected has shortened. Hopefully it will be cleared up on the next few weeks.

 

The timetable did seem poorly planned with only an auto off Bridgnorth after 1505 and the only train into KR after 1615.

 

As the person who wrote the timetable I can tell you it was exactly within the brief given to me. The Manor had to be back for Boogie Lights services, and the other trains were all themed to the Branchline event. I totally reject that it was “poorly planned”, it was planned to the brief, and it got the maximum mileage out of each train. There was no further paths to fill which didn’t impact Boogie Lights.

I have already looked at improvements for next year but people will have to chose between the Branchline feel, or longer trains, etc.

 

We did comment on that juxtaposition - how do you run 'Branchline Trains' with extra capacity..
One way maybe maximising use of saloon carriages and all standard class. The GWR set had a lot of compartments in it and there was at least one 2+1 layout coach in the local set.
At no times did the trains feel uncomfortably full though. Poorer weather tomorrow might mean the trains are less well filled.
As a new event nobody knew how well it would be attended, but clearly it hit the spot at the right time of year today - many comments about there 'not being much else on at this time of year'.

 

Well that’s exactly it. How do you write a Branchlines timetable, and not have short trains. If they are more than 4 coaches you can’t stop at Eardington, if they are more than 5 you can’t go inside at Highley and run easily, etc.

Carriages wise you work with what you have. The GWR set is formed as it will be all season, and we can’t justify the fuel, manpower, wear and tear, etc to swap that for one event. The Boogie Lights express requires all the open MK1 coaches so any MK1 sets have to be compartments or FOs. What we used was the highest capacity available.

 

You can disagree but as a customer of the SVR that was my thoughts on viewing the timetable and I cannot be the only one. An extra service had to be put on to cope with demand? I am surprised that was not anticipated.

 

Based on numbers for similar events that could not have been anticipated no. Infact based on numbers for previous similar events it was more likely to have needed 1 less train! We had an overly exceptional day yesterday, but having seen the popularity of the event we can now look to do more next year. Any business doesn’t go all out on a whim on new things, it explores them gently.

You’ll be pleased to know I sat till 3am doing a re-written version for next year with additional workings.