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

Thankfully steam didn't end in 1968, indeed many locomotives' preserved lives are much longer than in service. Therefore I am quite comfortable with some owners using some artistic licence to create some 'what might have beens', satisfy whims, raise some sponsor cash and definitely subtle modifications to allow easier disposal or crewe comfort - this is after all what would have happened in steam days and these are working machines.
I do think there are some double standards here, no one seems to complain when industrial locos get painted in pseudo BR livery (that the majority never carried) and the Fifty Fund don't seem to get loads of flak with their what if's, recreations and of course GB Railfreight livery (that looks very smart IMHO!).
If you want to see perfection then there are a number of museums around with static locos and in the case of Taw Valley plenty of other southern pacifics in the 'correct' livery.
As always, ultimately it is those who pay the bills who decide what clothes locos wear, no amount of NP wibble will change that - thankfully no owners appear to have been undying fans of Mr Blobby..
However, if Noel Edmunds wants to bring him back and is happy to pay Phil Swallow a significant sum for an advertising campaign...

 

Good day all, after a slight scare with a very sore back over the weekend, things are now looking better for my planned visit to the ' Valley on Friday and Saturday. Can anyone confirm the above is still the situation please? Many thanks.

 

We’ve been here before. Working steam did finish in 68 and those engines that were saved became museum pieces to help tell the story to future generations. We are lucky to live in a country that leads the world in working railway museums (heritage railways). If we get to the stage where they are reduced to some sort of linear theme park we may as well pack up and find another pastime

 

Oh John, there really is no pleasing you is there.

I don’t know if you know mate but there’s a financial crisis on. Just being a heritage railway doesn’t cut it any more my friend. The days of a good hearty gala, some photo charters and a nice matching set of MK1s with a Standard are just not going to draw in the revenue.

For some of the time we now have to think outside the box and do different things. And the purple effect of No.70 proved that!

 

Currently the same still applies….However please bear in mind Vulcan, Omaha and 41312 have yet to arrive. They may arrive the wrong way.

21C127 was due to be turned Sunday just gone. Trying to confirm if that happened

 

If we wish to see steam continuing to work well into the 21st Century we need to think outside of the box & accept that authenticity will slip. That may include temporary paint schemes to raise funds, adaptations for mainline working, increasingly having to consider different types of fuels.
There are few purely authentic locos left, Caerphilly Castle is one of them and that will rightly never work again.
Fortunately for John, authenticity also sells, if people want Disneyland they can go to Paris.

 

Back to Friday evening, do we know if there is a members discount on the Evening fare, I have a friend who is only available after work and would like to travel.

 

I can ask and come back to you on this

 

The Bluebell, East Lancs and Worth Valley seem to be having a good year without all these gimmicks by adding value to what the have got. Other railways seem to make money out of charters too.
I accept that Lilac Liz was a special case

 

Thanks. Will hold fire in marking my timetable up!!

 

This will be the Bluebell who’ve been doing all the non-heritage railway related activities for kids will it? That thing called diversifying!

I’d also ask how good that year would be without FS!

Anyway John I must dash. Off to the SVR today to have 7 days playing trains. A firing turn on the Black Bullied awaits on Friday. Very much looking forward to the inauthenticity!

 

No worries. Normally Bridgnorth are very good at getting stuff off loaded facing the right way. But as and when I see pics I’ll confirm on here.

 

Yes, there is. £18.50 rather than £27.50

Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk

 

I would disagree that those locomotives purchased from BR or Barry were necessarily purchased as museum pieces. I would also disagree that "what if" liveries (e.g. 21C127 in black, 35005 in blue) do not help tell a story - they shed light on it, from a different perspective.

 

It did. Saw the webcams on the last service from Highley facing Kidderminster.

 

You Sir talk common sense! Well done

 

Excellent. Much needed

 

When a business sees demand reduce there are two options, reduce supply to the level required or do something to stimulate greater demand. The Bluebell still does what it’s always done, offering an authentic vintage train ride but they have moved to giving additional, off railway attractions to increase patronage and it seems to be working.

 

And how do the SVR not do that? Because we’ve painted one engine a different colour which has ran for less than 5% of our running days this year?

Or are you about to tell me 75069 on MK1s is inauthentic?

 

Thank you & also @2857Harry , much appreciated, I will pass on. Very much looking forward to this one!