Severn Valley Railway 2019 Autumn Gala 19th-22nd September

Thank you sir! Yes Swanage was nice to visit and being well into Southern territory I took it all in as I was the visitor. It was still fun seeing some engines up to their usual tricks like a Southern engine spinning its wheels on load 5! Its always a case of what your interested in and when looking to the valley the Western flavour is always interesting. As I said too I do look for good designs and the Western here don't disappoint.

But Galas are a chance to get in visitors and showcase other engines. Many will be pleased for the Southern flavour at the gala, like likes of Wells and the Q class being of interest for them. Personally I think Maunsell and other early Southern designs are often poorer to their other regional contemporaries. No matter - others will still love them and galas such as this are as much as us all enjoying the variety of engines as well as the following they have. There are some other engines I would rather see, others sadly that no longer exist that I would say are better than some of those that are left today, but sadly fate was less kind in areas that did not have a Barry of their own.

There is a lot at this gala that can still interest the great majority of people and I guess that's what matters most.

 

Anyone seen the WTT yet?

 

If you're talking aesthetics, then fair enough, each to his own. If you don't find Maunsell locos or those of engineers from the pre-grouping SR constituent companies like Adams, Wainwright or Stroudley handsome machines, then I utterly respect your opinion, even though I disagree with you. However, as far as the capability of Maunsell's engines, that's a different matter. I wonder if your reasoning is based on Maunsell's lack of opportunity to showcase what his engines could do in the same way that his contempoaries on the GWR, LMS and LNER were able to. Yes, there was the ACE and Golden Arrow, but not until the Bulleid era were there performances on the Southern which were on a par with the other companies managed in the 1930s with the Silver Jubilee, Coronation Scot, Bristolian, etc. Furthermore, under Sir Herbert Walker, the Southern embarked on a massive programme of electrification in the 1920s and 1930s and steam loco construction was minimal compared with the other companies. Indeed, Maunsell's entire output was less than the total members of some individual classes built by the other companies (8F, Black Five, B1, 57xx pannier, for instance)

Given these constraints, Maunsell did incredibly well and produced locos which were as good as any others of similar category. His King Arthurs were the only big-wheeled two-cylinder 4-6-0s which could hold a candle to Churchward's Saints, the moguls were as good as any others of this wheel arrangement, the S15s were excellent mixed traffic 4-6-0s and the Schools were the best 4-4-0s in the country. I am given to understand that preservation has enhanced Maunsell's reputation. with crews on the Bluebell, Mid Hants and Swanage Railways speaking well of his locos. I wonder if your views of his engines are shared by the footplatemen on the NYMR. I'm not in a position to ask as I live a long way away from this line, but I hope not.

On this issue, I agree with you 100%, especially LNER locos. I doubt if anyone would not wish for a couple more V2s, a second A3, maybe a K3...

Absolutely!

 

I can't speak for all NYMR crews, but from what I've heard I would say the key gripe about the schools is having to oil the middle engine!

 

30541 is indeed a gutsy little loco. We had a cracking run behind her over the Bluebell at one of the Giants of steam Galas. We had hoped to go behind the B12 but never got the opportunity as she failed on the day we attended. We caught a service hauled by 30541 to get back to East Grinstead. What a result. One of the loudest and liveliest runs we have ever had over the Bluebell. My Dad was in shock exclaiming "perhaps the driver wants to get home for their tea!"
She was also impressive over the MHR in poor weather conditions when she visited for the Guildford Shed themed Gala which I captured in this video:


Sent from my I3312 using Tapatalk

 

I remember that run very well - magnificent sound from 30541 as they tried to recover the lost time. Should perform well on the Severn Valley, especially as it had a bottom end overhaul fairly recently.

Regards,

Dan

 

Ordered but nothing as yet, will post when mine arrives. If anyone else gets theirs let me know so I know to ring again!

 

According to the office received today and now being put in the post

 

An interesting line-up this year. Looking forward to it as always. Plenty of home based locos including 75069 a real favourite of mine. Hope they get the fireman's side tender lining sorted soon, however. Most odd. I'm sure someone will tell me that's how they all were!

 

Why is that odd?

 

I bought one from Kidderminster ticket office today. Incidentally it's marked 'Last revision 03/09/2019' which gives an idea of the printing timescale.

 

75069 has re-entered traffic, having worked the bridgnorth turn today.

 

Had the pleasure of a run to Kidderminster Friday.

 

The top and bottom lines are not parallel. With the rules of perspective the nearer vertical lines should appear longer than the furthest.

 

I think you need to look at this loco in the flesh.

 

I agree it does look a bit odd in that photo, but it must be an optical illusion as I'm sure such an elementary mistake wouldn't be made by the SVR!

 

Like to put money on that? Seen this loco a good few times.

 

Here's a pretty much side-on view, plus close-up of the tender. Draw your own conclusions.

 

Looks like a case of OCD to me.

 

The top lining does indeed seem to slope down to the loco, and the front vertical lining looks shorter than the rear.
Was unconvinced by the original posting, but this seems to show it OK.