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

I had always thought the terminology was push-pull. Then I saw the owners of GWR 1450 were pull-push and read the GWR auto trains were called that. Is there some protocol about what’s called which? Does it matter?

 

I think we know what’s meant.

 

Last seen having trouble with a door marked Lift.

 

I thought the decision was financial - the Castle sets are far more expensive to run than a DMU and all the TOCs are being asked to make significant savings - these are an easy target. CrossCountry are also withdrawing their HSTs, trouble is there are no obvious replacements (yet). CrossCountry believe they can maintain capacity with their existing fleet, anyone who has been on one of their services recently may raise a wry smile at that one..

 

Cross Country may be able to "maintain capacity" but at what level of passenger comfort ? I can't say a journey on one is a journey to look forward to - at any price !

 

Passenger comfort hasn't been a priority for years for them, don't think they will start worrying now!

Medium term the Avanti 221s and also Midland 222s will be becoming available - however, there is no indication Cross-Country have any interest in them yet. Either way, still a reduction in quality from an HST.

 

It’s truly off thread now but it’s not for Avanti to show interest, the DfT have to pay any additional XC leasing costs and haven’t yet said they will. There’s straws in the wind that things might be starting to ease, they’ve signed off the rewiring around Bedford to allow the new 810s to run at 125, and the long promised upgrade to IC standards for the 360s. There’s a tender out for units to increase capacity on the GN. And to bring it neatly back on thread, they’ve also consented to retain a few Castle sets (where no ROSCo lease is payable) for another year.

 

Love to travel on the most neoliberal units working in Britain: 220s/ 221s

 

On display:
Class 20 – 20142
Class 73/9

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

I make it announced thus far is:
Class 17 – Clayton D8568
Class 20 - 20048
20142: E.E. Class 20 Bo-Bo (on display)
20189: E.E. Class 20 Bo-Bo
31270: Brush Class 31 A1A-A1A
Class 31 – 31466
Class 33 – 33108 in new livery
37263: E.E. Class 37 Co-Co
Class 40 – 40106
Class 42 – D821 in new livery
43186 and 43188: B.R. Class 43 power cars in GWR Castle Class 255 High Speed Train set
[EDIT, see below: Rail Adventure HST Power cars 43465 and 43484 will be working on Friday only at the event, and on display Saturday and Sunday at Kidderminster.]
47712: Brush Class 47 Co-Co and push-pull DBSO set
Class 50 - 50035
Class 52 – D1015 and D1062
56XXX: BR Class 56 Co-Co, identity TBC
573XX: Brush Class 57 Co-Co, identity TBC
58023: BR Class 58 Co-Co
60XXX: Brush Class 60 Co-Co, identity TBC
739XX: B.R. Class 73 Bo-Bo, identity TBC (on display)
88XXX: Stadler Class 88 Bo-Bo, identity TBC

I don't know if any of the home fleet that not is use (shunters, D9551, Hymek, Class 37, Class 50s, D1013, DMU) will also be displayed or viewable

 

I’ve seen elsewhere that the 58’s a no show? Any truth in that?

 

What an amazing list!!

 

XC may well like them, but it is not their call is it.

 

On a line that precludes large loco double heading, the ability to run 18 different locos/HSTs seems a bit much, doesn't it? Especially one currently with the begging bowel out for £1.5 million.

 

I don't know how much the 'modern' traction - the current mainline train operating companies' vehicles - costs the SVR. They've certainly got many professional and business connections and a couple of the board members were recently employed by TOCs. This event has examples, at the least, from Locomotive Services Group, Colas Rail, DB Cargo, Avanti West Coast, Direct Rail Services, [EDIT, see below: Rail Adventure] and GWR. Speculation, but it may be that they aren't always paying top dollar for hire or movement. They've also in the past been able to offset fees against use of the TMD facilities.

 

Rail Adventure HST Power cars 43465 and 43484 will be working on Friday only at the event, and on display Saturday and Sunday at Kidderminster.

 

Heard the same Pete, hence me asking the question

 

Could really do with a timetable now, only a week to go!!

 

Many trains all conveniently located along 16 miles of track - virtually impossible not to see everything! The timetable will be ready when its ready but its absence now isn’t really a problem.