Spa Valley Railway - Latest News

An interesting contrast of two versions of Caledonian blue!

 

Just what I have been thinking for a while. Can anyone explain, please?

 

I believe one was an earlier version and one was a later. Not dissimilar to the difference between Stroudley Improved Engine Green and Marsh Umber on the LBSC or Maunsell Green to Bulleid Malachite on the Southern to my understanding. Not 100% sure why the change was made but it provides a little more variety for us so I'm not complaining!

 

Wish I had paid more attention to people discussing this as I passed yesterday! Was it also (in theory) one shade for passengers, the other goods locos?

 

Isn’t it something to do with different shades from different works?

 

I thought one was a later era than the other like @ruddingtonrsh56 , the darker one being the earlier one?

 

Probably down to 2 different old notebooks held by the paint shop foreman giving the recipe to be used.

 

I think the darker colour was the older one. The lighter one was worn in the CRs later years.

Goods engines just wore a black livery

 

But what shade of black was it though?

 

I'm told by the owners rep for 828 that she is painted in the Caley blue that was around in 1899 and it was known as dark blue, although there was a darker blue before that. 419 is again, I'm told in the colour it was built in so was a later lighter shade of blue. I've learnt a lot about liveries in the last couple of weeks! Just passing on what I've been told as I'm no expert.

 

(Sorry - I’ll behave now …)

Tom

 

I think we have a similar sense of humour Tom, please keep on misbehaving!

 

2 weekends of Caledonian steam action has resulted in 2,700 visitors to the Spa Valley Railway.

1,813 during the Steam Up and this weekend just gone saw 465 visitors on Saturday and 422 on Sunday, 887 in total.

Whilst I’ve yet to calculate the exact final profit margins but we are looking at around £22,000 clear 'profit' as a result of doing this, so anyone who may have doubted what we're capable of that is the hardline fact from the person that manages the money. An excellent way to start off our 25th Anniversary year of operating.

 

Well done to the team there. Its great to see a decent financial return being made. Out of interest are there any plans to build any extra facilities to keep more locos and carriages under cover. I'd love to see the DEMU kept under cover. It's a shame Sainsburys were so greedy back in the 90s as there doesn't seem to be much spare land at TWW.

 

Nice to see its possible to have a Gala that doesn't rely on a big 'namer' can be profitable...

 

I would suggest 2 Caledonia locos = big namer particularly so far south.

 

Nope. It's been relayed on this forum how popular 828 was when it went to Severn and Llangollen upstaging bigger names.

 

The fact they're so very eye-catching doubtless has more than a bit to do with that. I'm hoping for an image of either at the head of some 'blood & custards'.

 

As someone at all 3 of those events 828 might not be a ‘big namer’ but it can certainly draw the crowds, my nice new pair of shoes I bought the day before I sampled 828 at the other SVR back in 2011 didn’t look so nice and new after they’d been trampled on after my jaunt with 828 in a very packed LMS buffet car.
Comes to something when 60163 was upstaged!

 

On the subject of Blue paint, there were at least four hues on show at Tunbridge Wells. The two Caley Blues, 828's being my choice I have to say, a Class 31 in BR Blue and a Class 73 in NSE Blue/Red/White