Spa Valley Railway - Latest News

I certainly find the information interesting and will show the commercial guys at Swanage the details as a couple of events we could copy.
On the Downside, that same information could be used by the Bluebell and set up competing events. Someone living in Crowborough for instance which is 15 minutes from both railways could have a choice of events.

 

I can't speak for the Bluebell commercially, but I think there is more co-operation and less competition than you are suggesting. I don't think the intention would be to deliberately set up events in direct completion, beyond the things that are obviously time-sensitive. So we are all likely to have Santa services on the same few weekends a year, but ideally we'd avoid each other's big gala weekends for putting on events targeted at the same demographic. Of course, it may well be that the Spa Valley have a very enthusiast-focused event on a weekend when we are doing something family-oriented, and vice versa - that is probably inevitable, but not I'd suggest problematic.

There is an established grouping of the six major southern heritage railways (KESR, Spa, Bluebell, Mid Hants, Isle of Wight and Swanage) with the purpose of sharing ideas and best practice. I'd see that as a recognition that the sector needs to be above a critical mass to make certain items (such as coal supply, and some specialist engineerings services) viable. So we are stronger together than in competition - it is in no-ones interest to see individual railways struggle.

Of course, it is interesting to see how ideas do flow from railway to railway. I'd never heard of Bluey and Bingo until we did a family-focused event around them last year which was very successful in numbers terms; this year I have noticed half a dozen railways promoting a Bluey and Bingo event! Winter lights trains is another that took off very quickly after it was initially started by, I think, Dartmouth.

Tom

 

What is has shown is that you can no longer run a railway based on enthusiasts alone, just the same as you cannot not make mainline tours work with only standard class passengers who would want to hang out of the window if it was still allowed.
At least most steam enthusiasts will support what they can regardless of what is running. Look at some of the more diesel based forums full of I will not attend because x loco is (or is not) coming or is there along with the "wrong type of diesel"
As Al said any increase in attendance helps but even if the whole forum members turned up I suspect in the overall scope of things it will not cause a seismic shift in economics.

 

But individual enthusiasts do have indivudual loves and hates. And whilst it makes no sense for them to attend an event where there is nothing running that they have an interest in, there is nothing to stop them making a modest donation to a heritage railway that they would normally support by way of visits (and buying tickets!), when an event doesn't have anything that interests them.

 

Correct; I love the KWVR but I won’t be going to this years gala because Swindon 4-6-0s hold absolutely no interest to me. But for many others obviously these are a draw. Of course I will go on a normal service day, just because I enjoy it.

 

Swindon 4-6-0s are OK, they make a fine noise but they don’t belong in W Yorkshire!

 

Its different (isn't that what galas are about) and gas works engines do make a nice sound

 

Same here I went last year in the snow for what was running but no interest this year

 

Back on the Spa Valley, a question to @Jonnie if I may.

I've spent a bit of time at Forge Farm Crossing and am interested in the differences between the Spa Valley trains going over that crossing - at very low speed under a yellow flag held by the SPV volunteer on duty. And the main line demus passing at whatever line speed is. I am assuming for the SPV the very slow, yellow flag system is from a SPV decision on safe operations; or Light Railway Order regulations; and/or because there is no obvious automatic warning given to the crew of an approaching SPV train (especially those coming around the corner from Groombridge) that someone in a car had just opened the gate as the red warning light/siren started.

I am currently assuming that demu crews on the main line do have some sort of warning when the gate is still open as they approach; that warning being given in time for them to come to a halt from linespeed before getting to the crossing. That warning being needed to cover the eventuality of someone who has just opened the gate and is a bit slow in driving over the crossing and getting clear of the track before pressing the gate closure button. Especially for a demu coming round the corner on its way to Eridge.

That crossing takes me back to photographing 01 pacifcs, 23 class 2-6-2s and the wonderful 44 class 2-10-s on heavy freights on the Moselbahn - the line that ran from Trier to Koblenz alongside the River Mosel in what was, in the early 1970s, part of West Germany. One farm crossing earned the name 'The Talking Level Crossing'. It was near Wengerohr and to cross it to photo the steam activity from the other side, we needed to press a button (or pull a small lever, I can't remember now), and a voice from a small metal loud speaker would either ask you to wait, or the signalman (presumably) in charge of that section of track, would remotely lift the crossing barrier, asking you to 'call back' on the speaker (also a microphone) when you were on the other side, so the barrier could be lowered. That always seemed a very safe way to operate that fairly remote crossing.

 

Sorry for the lack of updates recently, I've found myself tucked away in the shed with my other interest, railway modelling (I model in O gauge, 7mm) in particular the Western Region.

Spa Valley has had a particularly bust couple of weekends with a Leadership Team meeting Friday night at Tunbridge Wells West, Cheese, Gin, Whisky, Fish & Chips, Real Ale, Murder Mystery and Afternoon Tea so the railways made a good profit the last couple of weeks. I have done my spreadsheet but I've not sent an internal report out yet. I spent last Sunday driving the Class 25 D7535 which after having spent a lot of hours helping sort some faults (I'm an S&T Engineer by profession so diesel loco wiring is quite similar to what I'm used to and I enjoy fixing faults!) was very enjoyable. Something about a Sulzer 6LDA that I don't personally think other diesel locos can beat for such a nice sound.

Bulleid Pacific 34072 '257 Squadron' is in use again this weekend, I'm driving Saturday daytime so please feel free to say hello. I'm then working the James Bond train in the evening.

Forge Farm Crossing
"I've spent a bit of time at Forge Farm Crossing and am interested in the differences between the Spa Valley trains going over that crossing - at very low speed under a yellow flag held by the SPV volunteer on duty. And the main line demus passing at whatever line speed is. I am assuming for the SPV the very slow, yellow flag system is from a SPV decision on safe operations; or Light Railway Order regulations; and/or because there is no obvious automatic warning given to the crew of an approaching SPV train (especially those coming around the corner from Groombridge) that someone in a car had just opened the gate as the red warning light/siren started.

I am currently assuming that demu crews on the main line do have some sort of warning when the gate is still open as they approach; that warning being given in time for them to come to a halt from linespeed before getting to the crossing. That warning being needed to cover the eventuality of someone who has just opened the gate and is a bit slow in driving over the crossing and getting clear of the track before pressing the gate closure button. Especially for a demu coming round the corner on its way to Eridge."

Forge Farm Crossing... I used to maintain that when I worked at Brighton S&T in the early 2010's, it is a lot better now! So what happens then, well we have a Forge Farm Crossing Attendant on duty, although we can if it really came to it use the Guard on the train to go over the crossing.

When the FFCA is aware of an approaching train they change the lights to red using the local control unit (LCU) which was something installed as a donation/training exercise by Westinghouse during the extension to Eridge saving £25,000. The LCU is a box with a key switch and displays red or white lights. The key switch overrides the Solid State Interlockings automatic arrangement which controls the Uckfield Line and retains the lights at red, when the switch is 'Normal' the crossing operates automatically on the Uckfield Line, when we turn our switch the lights go to red and stay red all the while the switch is in the 'Closed' position.

When the FFCA has confirmed the lights are at red on the LCU they await the train, there is an outer whistle board which will alert the FFCA to an approaching train but our Guard at Eridge also presses a plunger on the platform to alert the FFCA of an imminent UP train departure and the Signalman at Groombridge will do it for the DOWN direction. The FFCA should have a yellow flag on display as if the crossing is showing red it is safe for our train to proceed.

As a drive you're preparing to stop in any event but if you're looking for a yellow flag, if you see it in the case of the steam crew both the Driver and Fireman have to confirm if, on the diesels the Driver and 2nd Man have to confirm it and if you're single manning a diesel or the DEMU you say it out loud (we can single man diesel locos or the DEMU if the Drivers Safety Device is in working order) and once satisfied it is 100% on display you can pass the stop board at no more than 15mph, you sound a low tone on the diesels of a short whistle on the steam engines.

Once the driver has made sure the gates are closed and the crossing is clear you can accelerate back up to line speed, the FFCA will return the LCU to Normal once the train has passed complete with tail lamp and the whole process awaits another train.

The Uckfield Line works automatically, there are track circuits/treadles that operate the crossing and Southern drivers get no indication of what the crossing is up to, the Oxted Signaller can see if the crossing is working normally and if it fails they get an alarm and would then take appropriate action.

O gauge
I mentioned at the start of this thread I've been busy with some O gauge, that is my escape from what can be quite a difficult and challenging hobby to work in as a volunteer in what is a full time position really. Anyway, you might like to see what a GM does in their free non-running a railway time so here are a couple of pics of Paystow which does appear at the Spa Valley's Model Railway show.

 

Jonnie, many thanks for that detailed description of how Forge Farm Crossing works for the Spa Valley Railway.That sounds like a very well thought out system.

And now that 0 gauge model. Superb - amongst a lot of great things there, I don't think I've ever seen a background that looks so real, it's almost 3 D.

Thanks for posting those photos of it.

Bryan

 

So
Some really bad luck reported on the railway’s FB page

https://www.facebook.com/SpaValleyRailway

 

I won’t like that, but I really hope things all work out for @Jonnie and the team down in Kent.
Honesty and transparency hmmm there’s a few people that could learn from that…

 

Yes John, I saw that earlier this evening.

The railway look to have planned an incredible response to try and keep as much as this weekend's activities running in a rather different form. I just hope that works.

But the underlying issue with that embankment sounds quite serious, although the amount of recent rain, especially in that area, has been quite incredible. Thankfully the forecast is now looking a lot better, and hopefully that will see the water level in the embankment fall to a level that will see services resumed before too long. Sadly, due to a family get together tomorrow, and a commitment to nature reserve volunteer work on Sunday, I can't go there this weekend to at least add to the numbers and show support for the way the railway plan to run things at 75F. But I can at least do something equivalent to going there.

Bryan

 

With the M25 shut I wouldn’t try this weekend

 

Looks like there could be some good news on the way.

https://www.facebook.com/SpaValleyRailway/

 

Sorry for the rather shoddy lack of updates, its been a very busy couple of weeks with embankments, a change of bookkeeper, meetings and dining trains but we're still plodding along and heading into Easter as normal, I hope!

We had a very interesting meeting on 15th March regarding the next 25yrs of the Spa Valley Railway and what it looks like, more on that later but we concluded we really need to finish a lot of the projects we already have on the go before trying to do anything else. We then had our Society AGM on the Saturday 16th and were open to the public which despite the embankment issues meaning trains couldn't run until the afternoon the ideas we came up with and what did instead proved very popular. Last weekend was busy as ever with dining trains, meetings and now we've over 30,000 people booked for Polar so it's not been a quiet few weeks.

This Easter is the last chance to see 80078 running at Spa Valley before she heads off to Mid Norfolk for the Summer, the loco will then be back for our Beer Festival and Polar season. 80078 is running Good Friday 29th March and Easter Saturday 30th March, I'm driving 80078 on Friday so please do say hello. 34072 is running Easter Sunday 31st March and Easter Monday 1st April.

In the Summer some dates for your diaries, 34053 and 34072 are both intended to operate on 12th, 13th and 14th July, 34072 is then going on hire elsewhere for the rest of July, August and I suspect most of September. Both 34053 and 34072 are classed as being based at Tunbridge Wells West but we won't always have a need for two Bulleids so one is possibly going to be on loan elsewhere at times.

I'll provide a better update after Easter.

 

Many thanks for the updates, and yes it does make sense to me to finish existing projects before starting news ones.

I had hoped to be able to enjoy 34072 over the past weeks and also 80078 before that loco heads away. But I'll have do that on your webcam as I'm laid low with bronchitis at present, although there are signs I may be able to open the regulator a bit more than just cracked open soon - but no chance of getting it closer to 'in the roof' for a while yet!

 

Thanks for the update, hopefully there will be a chance for a photo charter with 34053.