Avon Valley Railway Updates and Videos

called in at Bitton this morning dosent look as if the DE is running as no sign of activity and station was full of carriages.

 

It is running Chris. The course will consist of four round trips with L.150 and the maroon stock. <BJ>

 

Thanks for organising the event, and I can only reiterate your points re hospitality from AVR.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16582147@N07/sets/72157648659282649/

 

Glad you enjoyed it!

 

I headed down to the line again yesterday with just my DSLR this time (no tripod to weigh me down!) and had a little ride behind both 47406 and L150. Here's a few of the shots that I got during the day.


L150 departing Bitton with the first train of the day.


47406 heads towards Oldland Common with it's first train of the day.


L150 stands at Oldland Common prior to running round its train.


I was trying to be a bit arty farty here, not really sure it worked.


A rainbow lands right in L150's funnel as she runs round at Avon Riverside.


47406 arrives at Oldland Common from Bitton.


Trying to be arty farty again.

 

'evening all, with Santa Specials just around the corner, here's a selection of clips harking back to when 47406 was at the railway's 2014 End of Season Gala, featuring passenger and goods workings.
Hope you enjoy!

 

Nice to see your article in the latest addition of Semaphore.

 

Thank you!

 

Corbs - I like your video footage - I'm in it (as the signalman at Bitton North), I'd like to have met you after I sent you the archive photos of mine off the Western Thunder - perhaps at the next gala.

Lovely photos too of 'our line' we always try to make people welcome at Bitton - and gently relieve people of money to keep making the facilities better )

Rgds Paul

 

Really? I think we met each other then! I had an orange jacket and have matching orange hair.
I posted up some of your father's pics on the BHR blog too

Would be good to meet up 'officially'

 

Failure of the DMU today meant new arrival 31 101 was pressed into service!
(Photo by George Aldridge)

 

Coverage from the 1940s weekend, the weather was so nice!

 

Hello, as there on Sunday.
Had a fun run with the GoodsTrain!
A rather shakey vid of the run can be found at



Great fun!

Nick

 

Visited Bitton on Saturday after walking up from Bath. Was very impressed, especially with the cafe which had a great vegetarian selection and even soya milk! Mighty tempted to volunteer

 

Are there still plans to extend?

 

Thanks for the kind comments, yes the buffet is most excellent and is a massive boost to the railway, it gets lots of good feedback.

I believe so, but at the moment the railway is trying to consolidate its position, for example building a locomotive pit that has been a long time coming, and overhauling more of the home fleet to rely less on hired in motive power.
I believe that an assessment is being made on whether to overhaul Littleton No.5 or RSH 7151 (both owned by the society). The Avonside 0-6-0st 'Edwin Hulse' is in the midst of an extensive restoration, and the Fry's Chocolate Factory Sentinel is tantalisingly close to being completed.
A concerted effort is also being made to churn through the Mk1 coaches one at a time, whilst maintaining the ability to put on special trains like the buffet/curry/pie and a pint runs.
The yard at Bitton has also been cleaned up a lot in recent years, for example a while back the rusting ex-Barry hulks were removed, and this year the tatty black corrugated iron shed was demolished.
Any and all help with volunteering is much appreciated, it's amazing how many jobs on the railway are done by a small but dedicated group of people!

 

I hope the choice between Littleton No 5 and 7151 falls on Littleton No. 5 - a superb machine!

 

It may have been tatty but the amount of engineering work carried out there was very impressive. There were just two chaps working in the cramped shed but achieved much more IMHO than at other parts of the site. Many parts were fabricated at the shed for Southern Locomotives Ltd. I remember being shown a brand new dragbox being fabricated for 34028 'Eddystone'. On another occasion a chassis for a Bulleid tender was under construction. I was sad when the shed disappeared as I appreciated the fine work carried out there .....but that's progress. <BJ>

 

Are there any plans to replace it?

George Aldridge posted this pic on facebook, I rather liked it. Something about a 2 coach train that just looks nice.