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

You've obviously never griced in the past when we had regular overnight trains all around the country. Dossing down on overnight trains was a sure fire way of getting the haulage and mileage in the book. Also a means of getting to tours that were starting hundreds of miles from home. Did several tours in Scotland courtesy of overnight trains. It's all part of the fun.

 

Very true, back in the 60s I regularly slept across the seats in a MK1 compartment on the overnight Euston - Manchester for a weekend grice in the NW. Some annoying person would then wake me up on arrival at 4 am to tell me I could sleep on until 7.30. They would then hold the Brute trolley Grand Prix on the adjacent platform to make sure I couldn’t

 

In the early days of steam on the S&C - when it was northbound one weekend and southbound the next - many enthusiasts would travel on the Euston - Barrow sleepers then return to Preston to hire a car to chase steam over the S&C. Between 1982 - 1984 I used to pick friends (from the Southampton area) up at Preston then go to Carnforth where visits were then allowed before heading for the 'chase' and many were the tales of sleeping on the ordinary coaches then having breakfast before I collected them.

Even earlier I used to visit Edinburgh in the 1960s and our return south was on the Waverley sleepers travelling in compartment stock; much enjoyed was the contrast between the solitude of the Waverley and S&C routes at night with the glare from the firebox of the steam traction at the head of the train and the glare from industrial Sheffield in the early pre-dawn hours. Whilst the SVR tries to re-create the ambiences of night travel, nothing can beat the real thing - and those days have sadly gone forever.

 

A regular bash in the mid 60s was 730 pm Aberdonian KX to Aberdeen then A4 on the 710 am to Perth followed by various trains including the 925 am Crewe to Perth which could produce almost anything including Clans, then 530 pm Glasgow with an A4 either to Aberdeen and into digs for the night or back to Euston on the 9pm from Perth which was steam at least as far as Carstairs. Always got a compartment to spread in on that though not on the 730 pm KX. In any case this was Deltic hauled so I would time it at least to Grantham. Then it was restaurant car for steak pie and chips and crash out to sleep sitting up in a compartment. A variation was a double overnight in Scotland by catching the overnight mails from Glasgow to Aberdeen with an A4 then another day with steam and back overnight to Euston. That's three overnights in a row. Couldn't do it now of course

 

Can't say I recognise the location of the Standard 4 (so maybe not a big gallery with you). Could you tell me where it is taken from please, a nice steam in the landscape image.

 

Coming off Vicky Bridge? Not the easiest spot to find, and only really doable very early morning.

 

It was possible roughly to tell one's location just by the smells. Mostly all long gone and probably today would be considered toxic.

 

For the "regular" traveller it was possible to know by the combination of train movement and sound ! When I commuted between Kettering and St Pancras in the 1970s and fell asleep during either journey I could tell within 15 seconds of waking up precisely where I was - without looking out of the window ! A skill sadly lost on today's high speed tilting network.

 

Suffered that on many of the "all shacks" overnight trains to Scotland. I did do some sleepers as some trains were sleeping cars only but if it was possible to travel "on the cushions" we would. Mind you, one August Bank Holiday I headed north overnight to ride behind 60009 over the Highland main line and on boarding the train, it was absolutely wedged so I dossed down in a corridor until luckily someone detrained at Grantham and I was able to grab a seat.

 

East bank I think. Taken with a drone?

 

No, taken from a field nearly Upper Arley. I've got a shot from a similar shot a few years ago, but can't find it at the moment.

 

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Thanks - I was alone for that one with only the wildlife surrounding me.

The shot, as others have mentioned, is from the east side looking across towards Victoria bridge, (hidden in the trees, middle left) accessed from Upper Arley, then down a lane to a BnB which then becomes a footpath climbing up away from the river. I was stood on my own two feet for this one.

This is the view from the lane down to the BnB.... a shot was taken from here many years ago but unfortunately is now nearly completely grown up!



Richard

 

An excellent few days at the gala, a shame about the problems with the Q and the delays on the Saturday (though I was about to leave for home just as they happened!). Here's my rather epic 44 minute video from the event, along with a few of my photos.

 

Among the elephants in the Safari Park?

 

Further to my previous post ....

It has been 4 years since I had been to a Severn Valley Autumn Gala so a return visit was long overdue, so about a month before I decided for attend for 3 days., and split time between travelling and photography. Ordering tickets for 3 days and a working timetable

Day 1 Friday

Highlight was travelling them in the toplights, then photograhy them passing over Victoria Bridge. I was planing to take the shot from dry land, but another member of the forum had someone else's picture which showed a reflection and worked out it was taken from the stones in the river. I agreed to move location although did not venture as far out into the river.

Day 2 Saturday

I decided I was going to Photograph the 4144 and the Toplights approaching Foley Park tunnel from the field first and make decisions what to do on the day. I ended up chancing on the highlevel view point, while trying to find the way down ( I had only been to the field once before on a photo charter). After being shown the way down to the field spent most of the morning in their before heading to the Bewdley Beer tent and some photography at the station before heading back to photograph the freight. Due to the point failure at Hampton Loade the the freight was cancelled but the Flying Pig appeared covering 34092's turn appeared in lovely light smoke box first

Headed to the Kidderminster Refreshment room for my evening meal before boarding a late running, and heavily delayed run to Hampton Loade and back - arrived back at my hotel just after 11pm

Day 3 Sunday

With the forecast for wet weather I decided to have breakfast on Valley Venturer from Kidderminster. A very enjoyable silver service breakfast for £ 12.00 with excellant service . I decided to change my plans to enable me to travel up Eardington behind 34092 , based on reports on here from the previous days and which lived up to my expectations before heading home.

Thanks to all the staff and volunteers involved.

 

I wasn't able to make it to this year's gala but I will chip in having slept on the train on the Friday night of last year's gala. The main points I take away from that are;

• It was hardly the warmest or most comfortable way to spend the night! That said, I was able to get sufficient sleep to function the next day, but I can only have sleeps like that every so often.
• Some people are loud initially, but it calmed down as the night went on. By about midnight it seemed that the vast majority of those on board just wanted sleep!
• I brought deodorant with me. I wish more people did the same!
  
• I remember waking up at about 6am at Bridgnorth on a cool, hazy morning just as 813 was taking over the rake. A truly unforgettable experience.
• It allowed me to enjoy the evening and morning running without having to worry about driving about or getting into accommodation at stupid o'clock.
• Would I do it again? Not sure...

 

Not seen a word about Sunday. Was it a total non event?

 

They've done that for most events. There was only the one year when the guy who's name escapes me fell ill, and they just couldn't find another volunteer to cover his "night turn" at the last minute. The museum team are a real credit with this service.

 

Everyone was asleep until 34092 exploded over the top of Eardington early afternoon at a rather rapid... 25.9mph