SVR Spring Reunion Gala (5/6/7 March 2010)

Can't see a thread for this so here goes. It's 40th anniversary time for the SVR this year so the idea of this gala is to bring back some former SVR residents. Visiting locos still to be confirmed officially but I would of thought 5690 and 61994 plus 3205 (if it's overhaul is completed) must be at the top of the list..

 

I really hope the SVR can get Leander and the Great Marquess...that would be a dream line up on its own!

 

I wonder if 70000 has an outside chance seeing as she passed her steam test before xmas ?

 

See if 70000 can be any louder than 70013 was last year!!!

 

5690 was meant to visit the SVR for the Autumn Gala in 2007, but because of the 2 horrific floods that hit the SVR in the summer of that year, this never happened. I'm pretty sure the SVR will once again draw up a juicy line-up of visiting engines to go with their existing home fleet.

 

if they waited until sept 70000, 3205, 6960 and 46521 may all be possible.

 

Somewhat strangely, the SVR Autumn Gala, 24th -26th September 2010, appears to have a similar theme to the Spring Gala, at least that is what you can infer from the new 2010 SVR brochure.
Maybe, as inferred by KHARDS above, they will have a different set of former resident engines in September compared to the Spring event.

Personally I would have hoped for at least one "tank engine" event, because I think the smaller engines look more at home on the SVR, and they tend to have to "talk" somewhat louder! Still, its not up to me, and I appreciate that many people desire to see the biggest possible engines at work, so are probably the better money spinners.

46118

 

Interestingly it has been reported that the autumn gala last year was one of the most successful financially despite being down on the previous year's on passenger numbers. This could be down to the fact that there weren't any big pacifics which cost more to run in both coal and hire fees. I do hope that the SVR runs an event to commemorate the GWR anniversary as there are few other railways in the country that can replicate the GWR as well as the SVR with their locomotive and carriage fleet.

 

Alan, looking at the Special Events listed in the 2010 SVR brochure, I think the answer to your question about GWR 175 is "no", nothing shown as such. Maybe they thought commemerating the SVR's 40th on May 22nd and 23rd was the one to go for, as being unique to the SVR, and leaving the 175th GWR anniversary to others.

 

I'm sure the autumn gala is earmarked for the GWR 175 celebrations.

 

Nothing related to GWR175 came up when speaking to Dewi Jones at the Gwili last month. He raised the point that GWR175 will be done to death by other railways by next Autumn, and that there was a bit of a consensus that the SVR should 'go it alone' on the events front and do something different.

 

Also we have to remember that we did have the Cambrian Gala during 2008, which consisted of mostly GWR locos minus 42968 and 46443 which performed during the gala, so to do somthing for GW175 would be to simular to the event 2 years ago. Plus it would be nice to see some of the old SVR locos back on the line during September gala that proberly won't be back from overhaul till around that time i.e 3205,6960,46521,70000, as mentioned earlier. But if the Valley do, somthing in the end for GW175 i still won't be complaining!!!

 

So yes, time for a change, and Giants of Steam last year was the fantastic result...

 

A GWR mini branchline gala perhaps? Small tank engines with mixed trains and a couple of manors for the longer turns? Maybe for the October half term week? It won't be following the other railways but will be the SVR making a contribution in the unique way it can do.

 

Also, passengers might not appreciate being crammed in to prototypical branch line rakes on a busy gala day? Bit of a catch 22 situation there

 

Any news on visiting loco's yet?

 

We may not have seen the last of 5764, it is currently having repairs to it's boiler which should allow further use of it during 2010.