Severn Valley Railway Spring Diesel Festival 18th to 21st May 2023

https://svr.co.uk/event/spring-diesel-festival-2023/

Bringing together up to 13 classes of heritage locomotives and an extensive fleet of visiting modern diesel types to celebrate 50 years of diesels in preservation, including:

SVR-based Class 42 D821 ‘Greyhound’, the first diesel locomotive to appear in preservation in 1973.
SVR-based newly overhauled and repainted Class 33 No 33108

Guest(s) announced:

58023: BR Class 58 Co-Co will make its first-ever appearance in preservation

 

I'm going to throw it out there and see how far I am off the mark.
A class 70
37263
D9015 (55019 if Tulyar isn't ready)
A rat
A 47

 

2 out of 5 (possibly 3).

 

Something lightweight to act as brake translator wouldn’t be a bad shout, Is 20048 still about?

 

It seems there may be a set of air braked stock appearing as well, so no need for a translator loco.

 

47712 and the pull-pull mark 2 set announced today

 

Yes

 

Third guest: Colas class 56, identity TBC

 

Shaping up to be a cracking event!

 

Another guest announced today: a DBC 60

 

Today's announcement: a 57/3 from DRS/AWC for the Saturday & Sunday.

 

47, 56, 57, 58 and 60 announced, with the website and press release saying more announcements are planned

 

Personally I'm more for heritage traction but I know plenty go for modern stuff.
Hopefully the Autumn is more classic in scope.

 

How do you define ‘heritage’ though?
The first lot of 56’s were on the order books nearly 50 years ago, the 58’s came about nearly 40 years ago, and the first lot of 60’s came about 35 years ago.
Even the first 57 came about 25 years ago…

If we’re going talking in modern terms I’m guessing you mean the term ‘vintage’
eg 8568, 821, the thousands, the bucket and the 50’s?, the transition traction maybe?

 

Not overly enamoured with what's been announced so far, other than the 47 and 56.

 

I think you mean push-pull.

 

Depends if the DBSO’s in use…

 

If it ran with steam, it's fine for me. 50s are passable.

 

Anything up to Class 55 then! I guess that anyone under 40 will be familiar with the more modern (56s onwards) traction though.

I do wonder about expectations some people (mostly on FB) have. 9 SVR-based classes and five guests announced, with more to come, is a pretty good turnout.

 

Just not the classes people like. That's the problem. When you use language like "the biggest ever" and "celebrating 50 years of diesel preservation", people are bound to expect a lot.