Manor 50th 14th & 15th November

Enjoyed riding on it - Thanks Matt and Martin

 

Plenty of people about today, more than I thought might risk the weather in all fairness and the timetable ran quite nicely.

 

The one issue I noted was only having the three toplights on the 9am non-stopper. I was waiting at Bridgnorth and it was crammed. Getting a seat for the rest of the day was fine but it was good to see trains well filled in late November.

 

Three "toplights". Strange decision that by the SVR operating people. A non-stop run up the Valley is a rare happening and was bound to be popular.

The videos appearing of Saturday show well filled trains. Weather today is much better. Should end up as a successful event financially.

Assuming a good "Santa" season, the SVR should finish the year on a high.

46118

 

My video at a couple of photos from the event yesterday, I somehow managed not to get a single photo of 7812 in full Cambrian regalia, oh well!



One of the supporting cast, in the only sun of the day, 4566 shunts its local service out of Highley to make way for 7812 bound for Bridgnorth.


7820 'Dinmore Manor' departs Highley bound for Kidderminster.


Not my best photo from the day, on its first day back in service, 7802 'Bradley Manor' heads away from Bewdley towards Bridgnorth.


The other member of the supporting cast, 1450 sits at Bewdley following its final Auto service of the day.

 

Great day on the Valley today. Well filled trains, friendly atmosphere and an interesting and varied timetable. Of the three manors, Dinmore sounded great but seemed to struggle with adhesion. Erlestoke looked amazing in full Cambrian regalia, but the star for me was Bradley Manor. The paint job is sublime and she looked incredible at the head of 10 Great Western carriages. The best was yet to come though, she toyed with the load and I'm surprised they didn't hear her the other side of Offa's Dyke! She has clearly had a very thorough overhaul and maybe a Tyseley tune up..? Either way, what has returned to the Valley is a Manor Gti! She was in a different league to the other 2 today and November 5th may have gone, but it was fireworks going up to the tunnel this evening!
With the auto train and 4566 supporting, this was a very enjoyable way to spend a November Sunday. I hope any concerns about loadings were well and truly put to bed. Well done and thank you to all concerned, can I suggest a repeat in 12 months time??

 

If only....10 years time for the 60th? 7819 would hopefully be in traffic, 7812 might well be on its next ticket if the EMF have the funds to avoid a long wait out of traffic, and it would be amazing if 7802 could hang around till that.
One can hope.

 

A set of photos of this event from Sunday 15th November can now be seen on my Zenfolio website at: - http://mickrogers.zenfolio.com/p176772658
A grey but ultimately most enjoyable day!



Cheers,

 

... and for those who believe in ghosts - an image NOT altered except for sizing and sharpening !!

 

That's absolutely unbelievable. Bradley looked like a rusty tube just a month ago. I really wanted to go to this but a nasty circumstance didn't permit me to do so. It's nice to see these photos!

 

My footage of the Manor 50 on Sunday. Despite the grey and dull weather it was worth going to. The three manors put on a good display and credit goes to the Severn Valley Railway to make this historic occasion possible.

 

I'm guessing that the fact that it was only three coaches was the reason it was non-stop and it was really just the means of getting the three toplights, which normally live at Kiddy, to Bridgnorth in order to work with 4566. I got on the train at about 8.30 and it was already pretty full then - I guess that "they" didn't expect so many people to turn up for the first train.

 

Congratulations to the organisers for a well supported event that appears to have confounded the many critics who must now be wiping much egg off their faces. I'm told that 1500 tickets were sold on Saturday alone but as a linesider I noted mainly that trains were well-filled on both days, the service frequency was sufficient and the supporting evening film show on Saturday night made for a good weekend.

Perhaps thought for a repeat / Cambian event next November centred around the return to traffic of 7819 Hinton Manor ?

 

Looked a good event with an interesting timetable. Maybe a similar timetable could be put out at the Members and Shareholders weekend next April?

 

My coverage of both days.

 

Hopefully an official total will come out in the not too distance future. Certainly Kidderminster booking office saw numbers on saturday which would fit in with a true gala.
I echo the comments about a semi-regular late October/early November event might go down well. Maybe not every year though.

 

Hinton Manor will not be returning to traffic next November (unless you are offering the proceeds from the Euro Millions on Friday to fast forward it!) . It is expected to return to the SVR during to 2016 to await overhaul at a later date.

 

Wasn't necessarily talking about a Manor event, however, an enthusiast event of similar type next November would go down very well