Spa Valley Railway 2016 Steam Events

After a couple of years absence the Spa Valley Railway is proud to announce it is running some Steam based events during 2016!

Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th March 'Steaming back to Eridge'
This is event is a celebration of 5yrs since the opening of our Eridge extension and will see an intensive train service with trains crossing at Groombridge. Both Austerities No.3155 'Walkden' and No.72 will be in action along with our popular Class 10 D3489 and possibly one Class 33 over the two day event, it is hoped to have our Queen Mary Brake Van back in service after winter repairs too.

Other attractions will be displays of the railways history and hopefully our shed opened up to the public for access, the 5th is our first operating day to Eridge of the 2016 season.

Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd July 'Summer Steam Festival'
An event already well ahead in the planning stages and new to our calendar, it will include a display of road engines at Eridge Station and also should see both the Austerities in action plus after a re-tube RSH 'Ugly' No.62. The three steam engines will be joined by the Class 10 on our most intensive steam based service since opening to Eridge making good use of Groombridge passing loop, there'll be top and tailing, double and even triple heading plus passenger and freight services, passengers can travel on our freight trains in the Queen Mary.

At Eridge the display of road engines will be alongside a selection of Real Ale's and Ciders plus the very popular BBQ service we have to offer. The Saturday should see operations well into the evening with an on the train food service being planned.

Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th September 'Southern at 75F'
A brand new event and themed around the former Tunbridge Wells West site shall hopefully see at least two Southern Region Steam Locomotives, a full rake of Green MK1 coaches, two Cromptons and also a true work horse of our line DEMU 1317 in action.

The event is in its very early planning stages however if people can remember back to 2007 when the Beattie Well Tank and E4 visited us we're hoping for something of a similar theme.

We're open to suggestions and are launching back into the Steam events world after a few years away and supporting these events means we can expand and develop them more in the future!

More details will follow in the future...

 

Great to see, always enjoyed the Spa Valley on previous trips

 

Looking forward to going to the Summer Steam Festival event on the 2nd & 3rd July never been to the Spa Valley before (any good places to take some photos along the line (no car going by train from Cambridge)

 

Get off at Groombridge and take the public footpath that head North East from Lealands on this map http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?...ty/Town/Village]&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf. Photo taken just after one footpath goes under the railway.
Harrision Rocks is another location, also on above map. Photos from 9 onwards taken on a photo charter at this location http://paulsimpson.zenfolio.com/p242646005.

High Rocks Halt if loco facing Eridge is another location, will try and find a photo.

 

Forge Farm foot crossing on the Spa Valley/Main Line bit (off road south of line from Eridge station - shouldn't be too far a walk from Eridge though I have always driven) and several footpaths allow you close to the line between Birchden and other side of Groombridge plus three over bridges around Groombridge station. Photos here all geo-tagged...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/albums/72157630482321082
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/albums/72157626437343964
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alts1985/albums/72157622417888150

 

Of the stations, Eridge is the one I have always found it easiest to photograph at, although for engines facing Eridge then the path from the platform at Groombridge back towards the old station building provides an opportunity.

Eridge - https://railwaygalleries.smugmug.co...ts/Autumn-Steam-Gala-October-2011/i-dcQm7hS/A
Groombridge - https://railwaygalleries.smugmug.com/SpaValleyRailwayphotosets/Spa-Valley-spring-2011/i-gCwcR22/A

 

Unfortunately best made plans never seem to come off when you want them too!

Due to the failure of Austerity 'Walkden', the availability of only one brake vehicle and also the points at the West end of Groombridge Loop being relaid in about two weeks time the Steaming back to Eridge event has been curtailed to a operating just a standard green timetable. However there will still be plenty of displays relating to the Eridge Extension project which after 5yrs of running seems like only yesterday to most of us and quite a lot still find it odd operating next to the mainline!

We are working on events later in the year, namely the Summer Steam Festival which is picking up with 6 confirmed road engines so far and also the Southern at 75F Gala which we hope to feature two Southern steam engines at.

http://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/events/Steaming_back_to_Eridge_-_Spring_re-opening_weekend/