[Apr 18, 2024] Severn Valley Railway 2024 Spring Steam Gala (Severn Valley Railway)

Really enjoyable 2 days at the gala. Thank you to those who organised and operated the gala. Great to see the volunteers stepping up to clean the coaches after the paid cleaners were let go. Shame some people left all their rubbish behind though. A group of 4 blokes in the Kidderminster end tso of the mk1 local set left a good 10 bottles on the table after they departed at Bridgnorth at 9pm-ish.

Hope the moguls issue isn't anything serious.

 

Here's some footage from the event, a very enjoyable visit on Friday and Saturday, and some lovely weather to add too!

 

Fortunately not. I noticed that it twice dropped live coals in the four foot, and it is reported the dampers (although I suspect the hopper) doors aren't closing fully. A bit of tin bashing by Brian should sort it out.

 

Good to hear. She looks and sounds amazing. A loco to be proud of.

 

More reports of Lineside fires today, so definitely a risk if dropping coals. Hope it's a prompt return to business, looked superb parked at Bewdley earlier.
Quiet start, but seems to have got a lot busier lunchtime onwards. Very enjoyable day.

 

Finished off gala week firing the Express today!

Can I just add a thanks from your gala organising team for attending this weekend! It’s been absolute fantastic and we are pleased we’ve managed to pull off an event that people enjoyed. We’ve seemed to keep delays to a minimum and the timetable seems very popular all round. So a big thankyou to all of you, see you in September!

 

Thanks, Harry. I was on that train, having been riding for all but a few hours of the gala. A very enjoyable gala. The mogul’s failure was well handled and delay’s generally less than 20 min. Thanks to all involvd in organising it. Accommodation already booked for Sept.

 

As I said in a previous post, it was an excellent event. The timetable worked really well and delays were minimal. The only 'issue' my group saw was load 2 terrier being unable to cope with the number of people wanting Eardington. The train was often rammed and I heard a few people got stuck there for longer than planned due to being unable to board. Popular loco with rare station!

Please don't take that as a criticism, it's great that it was so popular but I'd say that was the only part of the timetable that perhaps needs some consideration. It might be that there is nothing that can be done but possibly splitting the demand by having the terrier working elsewhere on the line and the dmu or something home fleet doing Eardington might work.

 

I was at the gala yesterday and I thought it was an absolutely excellent experience. I second the praise for the timetable. It just worked, with due acknowledgement of the Eardington crowding issues with Fenchurch's limited load capacity. The weather didn't hurt of course - the forecast had suggested it would be overcast by afternoon, but not a bit of it. Catering provision has improved very substantially in the last couple of years and is now excellent. Having the kitchen car open and serving bacon baps during that set's long wait at Kidderminster was a very welcome idea indeed.

I had quite a long lunch break so I don't know what loadings were like at the absolute peak of the day, but for the rest it seemed pleasantly busy without being uncomfortably crowded, bar Fenchurch of course! Quite notable how many people stayed well into the evening, which I hope will contribute to pleasing visitor and income v budget numbers when those are totted up. I was on the 1835 southbound run with 4930, which arrived in Kidder at eight, and quite a few people were still planning on staying on longer to head up towards Bridgnorth with the Mogul.

Barring a few lineside fires up the top end, I can't remember anything else going wrong - a shame about 13268's failure, but I'm happy to read it's not a serious problem. As always, thank you to everyone who made this gala happen. Just as I was leaving the railway, someone next to me said "They're going to have to do something special in September to beat this one!" which just about sums it up for me too.

 

Wow, what an awesome couple of days! I've been coming to SVR galas for over 25 years and this was easily one of the best. A great timetable with lots of variety and evening running and some great locos (enjoyed the addition of the DMU too). As previously said by others the event seemed nicely busy without being rammed. The timekeeping was pretty much spot on, catering outlets (excellent breakfast at Bewdley again this morning) and the ticket office at Kidderminster really efficient and staff as a whole friendly as ever.

Fenchurch completely changed my feelings about Terriers, having never been a big fan previously the final run of the day from Hampton Loade on Saturday changed that completely, it was cracking!

Just enjoying a final beer in the K&C before heading home. Kudos to Harry and all those involved at the railway for a fantastic event, you've certainly set the gala standard for the rest of us to follow this year!

 

My coverage of the gala, the personal highlight being 72 'Fenchurch' on the local.

 

Great guard (!!) and brilliant crew on that last one!!

 

Last train of the Gala in terminates at Bewdley 2 Early. A few members of Team Gala celebrating beneath

 

Each to their own.

I've read the reports, and pleased it went well for those who attended, and for the SVR.

I am an intermittent attendee of SVR steam galas; I have been to about 1 in 4 over the past 15 years or so.

I had planned to go to this one, I had booked accomodation, but it was cancellable accomodation; likewise annual leave. I did it this way as the advance info on visiting locos as it came out not that interesting to me, and, then, when I saw the timetable, was uninspired by the whole thing. So I pulled the plug on myself and cancelled.

Reason for posting this is not to attack or criticise anybody or anything, but just to record not all of us were that impressed by what was advertised - and if anyone from SVR organisers does read these threads, they'd get a false impression. Those that DID attend were obviously content, and I am i no way trying to undermine that, but reports only from attendees without comment from non-attendees is one sided. It is as impotant to give feedback as to why some do not attend some events as well as complimentary froth from those who do.

I would say though one contributing factor is the stoppage (for reasons I fully understand, there is no need for anyone to repeat why) of my top two SVR home locos - 43106 and 1501 - and I also much liked 2857. What is left of the 4 home working locos, well I have had 2 already this year on non gala days, and none, and I mean none, of the visitors interested me. Subjective I know, but there we are. For me, there has to be either a theme, or visitors that tick my boxes, and I am afraid diminuitive Victorian 060 tanks do not tick boxes, no matter how old they are or where they have come from. That is just one example.

I am not rail staff with priv travel, so I have to factor in working round cheap fares, which tend to lead to having to take leave; I prefer not to drive to rail events, and, then accomodation is not cheap post covid. Especially as I prefer to be on site in Kidderminster or Bewdley within walking distance. So adding it all up - fares + accomdation + uninspired by it all => I cancelled.

As a side note, As it happened, the hotel I had booked was enough in advance to not need a 2nd mortgage; the hotel was sold out before I cancelled, I checked, a couple of hours after I cancelled I deliberately looked if they had released the room, and, they had, at 3X the rate I would have paid.

 

What had Gary got on in the Western Harry?

 

Given what you have written the obvious question has to be what WOULD have "floated your boat" and made the gala unmissable (within reasonable haulage & hire costs)?

 

Can't really add much more to above other than I had thoroughly enjoyable time today. Timetable spot on, catering much improved and now a new favourite loco... Fenchurch! What a simply superb bit of kit, looks gorgeous, sounds fantastic and goes like the clappers! (Although it may possibly be guilty of starting a couple of fires on Eardington..!). An inspired hire for me, no issue with old tank engines here..
Suggestions for the future, how about Furness Railway 20?? Or the L&Y tank from the East Lancs?
Has to be said, really lovely atmosphere around the railway today, quite relaxed for a gala and helped by the sunshine this afternoon.
Big thanks to all involved in pulling off another super event, it seemed popular but who knows until the all the bills are paid. Personally I didn't miss the Grange and I will visit again if it has a running day on the SVR and I'm available - otherwise will probably catch it at Toddington.
Still sorting through photos and WiFi on a go slow, so will post some tomorrow.
Roll on the diesel gala!

 

I can totally understand what you mean.

This was the first SVR gala I've missed since Spring 2019. Even though I was hoping to make a visit yesterday but couldn't due to other matters. Part of the reason I didn't go was the line up in itself. (Again without any insult aimed at anyone or the SVR) The only guest that had me interested was No. 29. But as it was announced for the Mid-Hants gala the following week I decided this would be better for me financially as well as mentally plus the added bonus of "Leander"

In addition I live close enough to 72 anyway to see it every day and with 1369 joining 72, 7714 and 7812 at the Bluebell gala in three weeks time just wasn't enough to tempt me to visit which would cost between £80--£200+ adding the hotel, travel and other sundries depending on whether I do one, two or three days of the gala. Which I have done in all of my other visits since Autumn 2019

I am eagerly looking forward to the Autumn Steam Gala as well as any updates to come from it and I do hope that this weekend was a success for the SVR.