Severn Valley Railway Autumn Steam Gala 14th-17th September 2023

Been a while since an Ivatt 2 tank visited I think. I remember the 2009 ASG, any other visits since?

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Wow. An S160.
This gala is ticking so many boxes.

I cannot wait.

 

41241 was the 2009 guest. 41312 was here in 2017 (and previously in 2000).

 

They are always welcome. Lovely locos IMHO and look just right on the line.

 

Agreed, and historically appropriate for the Severn Valley Branch. A number of them were used here in the BR era, with 41207 working the last ever Bridgnorth to Shrewsbury passenger service on 7 September 1963.

Reading Adrian Turley's "The Railway at Kidderminster in the 1940s", plenty of S160s were seen at Kidderminster during the War. I had wondered if any of them were used on the hospital trains to Stourport, but Turley suggests they were all worked by LNER B12/3s. So as far as I know, 2253 will be a first on the Branch in either service or preservation - unless anyone here knows otherwise!

 

Timetables now live

Thurs: https://svr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/SVR-ASG-2023-PTT-Thursday.pdf

Fri: https://svr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/SVR-ASG-2023-PTT-Friday.pdf

Sat: https://svr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/SVR-ASG-2023-PTT-Saturday.pdf

Sun: https://svr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/SVR-ASG-2023-PTT-Sunday.pdf

 

Absloute crackers! This event is tempting me so much!!
Although, I do wish more double-headers were on Saturday.

 

Difficult to run the intensive timetable planned and have lots of doubleheaders. So one thing has to give

 

Especially if it starts falling apart around Highley as it has done in recent memory.

 

I'm sure I read somewhere that the WTT could be purchased for £5. I can't seem to find out how you can do this! Any ideas please?

 

It is listed in the options when you buy the tickets through the website or by calling the office. It's £7.50 and my confirmation of order says I still have to collect that and the tickets from the booking office at either Kidderminster, Bewdley or Bridgnorth at the start of the day, which is annoying.

 

Many thanks. Unfortunately, I purchased my tickets a while ago before the WTT was announced. The 'system' wont let me just purchase the WTT and I don't really want another ticket! I think I'll ask at the booking office when I arrive at the railway. Cheers.

 

I'd ring or email visitor services and ask them to amend the order. It would avoid delays on the day while you're hurrying to catch a particular train

 

If you ring the office you can just order a WTT, that's what we did.

 

A friend of mine has had much had the same experience as me. It was impossible to book online because it wouldn't accept passwords, so he's going to pay at the station when gets there. There seems no point struggling with online booking when you still have collect the tickets and the WTT anyway. My confirming email said I should be at the station 40 minutes before my train leaves! There wasn't this hassle with the Spring Gala, and my WTT was posted then as it has been in previous years.

 

For those of us travelling a long way by train allowing 40 minutes to collect tickets is a turn off. We won’t be going

 

I think it's just an over cautious thing, I certainly won't let it put me off, and I'd hate to think I'd put anyone else off. Also, if your staying, I expect you'll be able to collect other day's tickets too. You could ring them for advice, as I had to to book. I've always found them helpful.

 

But why can’t the tickets be sent by email like many (most?) other railways do now

 

This was exactly the same arrangement at both the Spring Steam & Diesel Gala folks. Despite the Saturday of the diesel gala being one of the busiest on record I was in possession of my tickets in 10 - 15 mins of arriving. The ticket is a wristband at gala events which need issuing by the booking office as it is colour coded to the day.
This gala will be a superb event, if you get put off by this simple requirement you will seriously miss out.