Spa Valley Railway - Latest News

The weekend just past saw 830 visitors to the railway, all kept apart by selling tickets for different trains and spraying around a fair amount of anti-bac!

Total income for the weekend is just under £11,000 which is a much needed cash injection after the time of year we've had. I spent 05:30 to 16:00 on the Bulleid on Saturday as it's Fireman and it felt so at home at the Spa Valley, very ecnomical too! We've been using industrial locos or mainline locos of a much smaller power classification close to their limit for a number of years now so have burnt a lot of coal and used a fair amount of water, the Bulleid this weekend used no more than if we were expecting an industrial loco to do the same. If anything we'd have probably burnt more on an Austerity as you're firing on the run at fairly frequent intervals - little and often.

In general, the grate was covered with a bit more in the back and the pressure sat at around 200psi to 230psi most of the day. I spent most of the way up the line sat in the Fireman's seat watching the world go by and working the injectors! The loco would usually just pull 4 or 5 coaches around rather than this weekends load 7+ (with the Class 33) so it'll no doubt use less on an ordinary day.

Never say never to an Unrebuilt, who knows... As I've said to many others, re-wind the clock by 6 months and the prospect of becoming the South Eastern base for Southern Locomotives Limited and then having a home fleet Bulleid Pacific wasn't even thought of!

 

Pleased it went well with SKP. I think Swanage also found that, with care, coal consumption is reasonable. Working on Eddystone at the moment I must find time to visit.

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Thanks Jonnie for your detailed insight into the running of SKP. Who knows what the future may bring for SLL at the SVR.....

 

'Sir Keith Park' will next be hauling trains on Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th October as part of our 'Sir Keith Park Steam Weekend', the Bulleid operating probably 6 coaches in both directions this time.

Plenty of dining train opportunities too, including an evening Real Ale Train and Fish & Chip Train.

Full details: https://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/...team-weekend/ea1593145a6adb2b757866e2f76bab8b

 

If anyone would like two return trips to Eridge with 'Sir Keith Park' then on Friday 16th October at 19:00 we've added an additional Real Ale train. Tickets are available as 2s, 4s or 6s and work out at £10 per person, first pint is free.

Ticket link here: https://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/product.php/103/bulleid-pacific-real-ale-train

 

A few photos from SKP's first public day. Look forward to seeing the Bulleid out again in a few week's time.

 

My video and a couple of photos of "Ugly" in the uhh...inclement weather of last weekend...

 

Great feature on the railway in the latest issue of Steam Railway Magazine.

 

The Park out and about today. Some vintage vehicles turned up at TWW this morning (last-minute arrangement I believe) and set up in the yard.

 

'Sir Keith Park' is in steam again this coming weekend 24th & 25th October.

 

SKP & Crompton on a drizzly Saturday. So nice to film the Bulleid again.

 

For me a Nice Video. As one of the gang who looks after REG thank you for this. You can see the temporary repair to the roof vent over the electrical cubicle we did last Wednesday as during some full revs testing I noticed the cubicle had become a mini Niagara falls inside which was not a welcome sight and I spotted something else to check this coming Wednesday as well.

 

Your more than welcome! It's always a pleasure visiting and filming at the SVR, as the locomotives and stock are always well looked after. Both engines sounded great today, I'll try and return when the 20 comes out to play.

 

What is happening with the footbridge at Eridge station? The original LBSCR structure seems to have been demolished, with the corresponding doors and windows in the station building boarded-up. Is it being replaced with a new one, with lifts for disabled access as seems to be the norm now?

 

This is thinking quite a way into the future, and there would be no point in doing it until the SVR had a main line connection at Eridge, but there is a way - theoretically - to create a turning facility for locomotives at the SVR.

There is no room at Tunbridge Wells West for one, despite the yard there once having had a turntable, but there may be a way to create one at Groombridge:

Extend the existing SVR track from Birchden Junction to Eridge Northwards beside the Network Rail line, using the empty Down Uckfield line formation, until you reach the point where the Ashurst spur from Groombridge Junction joined the Uckfield line. Then, relay a single track along the Ashurst spur until you reach the end of one of the present sidings on that spur, and link up with it. With this new track in place, the Groombridge Junction - Birchden Junction - Ashurst Junction layout would create a turning triangle for main line locomotives. Network Rail's co-operation would be needed to relay the section of Down line beside their existing single line, as it will be to extend the existing track South of Eridge station to install the run-around loop, as the current potential shunting neck beyond the station overbridge is a bit too short, in my view. Otherwise, this would be a pretty straightforward exercise, using existing track formations.

 

It has all been replaced and completed. Official NR press release here - https://www.networkrailmediacentre....U9UqjL_gniN0ADClk9593zhSdQmOzwEb7ojUE2iarNibI

 

We lost access to the Ashurst Spur sidings in 2018, they've all since been lifted and officially closed (again). The last form of 'passenger' train to go in the sidings took place during the 2018 Summer Diesel Gala with brake van rides. The land wasn't ours and only ever leased and the landowner wished it to be returned for their own use, there is also a missing bridge (including the parapets) around the corner!

The current bit of track beyond our platform at Eridge is a lot longer than people realise and wouldn't need much adding to use as a headshunt if the line through platform 4 was ever re-instated. We have the ambition to run around at Eridge, it would make life a lot easier operationally (something we'd love!) and add appeal to visitors but if anyone out there would really like to see it happen in any case, we're looking at a substantial 6-figure sum and we'd be delighted to hear from you in terms of helping make a dream a reality.

 

All understood, but with so much in place, why so expensive? Is it just the proximity to Network Rail, or is there something else?


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Any work, much like the track inspections on the section we have now, would need to be done by our NR approved contractor.

There is then also the public access across the track from the car park onto our platforms. That access has to be maintained, solution was a swing bridge similar to the one that used to see use at Brockenhurst.

As you’re putting in a bridge over a railway and involving the the public that brought in signalling. Whilst this signalling is all completed in terms of a design the physical cost of installation and testing was a big cost in the project.