Severn Valley Railway,March 6, 7, 8, 2009 Festival of Steam

Thanks for linking my gallery!!!!

Saved me a job there!!! 8-[

 

It looks like anyone who's anyone will be there some time this weekend. I'll be there Saturday, fairly non-descript; average height, brown/grey hair, middle age male! Shall carry rolled up Times newspaper plus (on present forecasts) black umbrella, not to forget old Agfa camera. Looking forward to a great day.

John

 

I`ve noticed this on the website; ADVANCE BOOKING IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. BOOK YOUR TICKETS ONLINE NOW AT OUR TICKET OFFICE., does this mean they only sell a limited amount of tickets on the day???

 

No, I think they simply expect there to be long queues at the ticket office.

 

It should be possible on this gala, as the through trains are booked to both stand for a few minutes (if they are running on time), with the crossings booked to take place between platforms 2 & 3.

The down side of this is that it more or less kills the opportunity to find paths to run locals and goods trains around the south end of the line, with the result that the home fleet will be sitting mostly unused (3 locals per day instead of the more usual 15 or so). But given the 4 very high profile visitors, I guess it's best to maximize their use on through trains.

 

thanks mate

 

I accept the point about the last train back to Brum, but if that was to leave say 25 mins earlier to guarantee that connection ('cos London Midland won't hold it!) that means a 21.15 final dep from Bridgnorth which is very early for the final evening service, and is too tight considering that the incoming 19.35 from Kidder that forms that train only arrives at Bridgnorth at 20.57. Not doubt if we tried to do that, we'd get criticised for that as well.

I don't see what's wrong with the 18.23 from Snow Hill that arrives in Kidder at 19.06 or the 18.43 from Snow Hill that arrives in Kidder at 19.19 to get there though...

Hopefully see you on Sat and Sun

 

Generally speaking it appears southbound services are timetabled for a 10 minute stop at Bewdley, northbound 4 minutes. (Looking at mid-day services on Fri/Sat). Although the trains depart a minute apart changing at Bewdley shouldn't be impossible - especially if your changing onto a northbound service. Getting over the (undoubtedly crowded!) footbridge in the four minute window to catch a southbound train back to Kidderminster though (which is what you're describing) is always going to be a bit more sketchy though - especially if the northbound train is late in.

In defence of the SVR though I'm sure they do the best they can with the timetable and don't deliberately 'work in' tight connections out of some form of cruel amusement! lol I suspect the domino effect of allocating an extra couple of minutes to guarantee the change at Bewdley would have serious rammifications elsewhere to the timetable.

 

SVR is sort of damned if you do and damned if you don't in this sort of situation, personally i think given how many trains and movements there are during the day, the loss of a final 16 mile run after countless others earlier to catch your train home is minimal.

 

As my train will be arriving at 11:05 on Saturday, it gives me a good half an hour to queue before the next train departs for Bridgnorth. I therefore don't mind waiting! The sad thing is, I have to leave on the last train in the Worcester direction, which means I have to be in Kidder by 18:20 at the latest, so no late night running for me!

 

I have now uploaded some photographs from this afternoon which i took at Bewdley MPD.
Enjoy!
http://www.ryan.photoblog.org.uk/c1662817.html

 

I'd have settled for 10 minutes earlier for the return journey..it's not that far from Kidderminster SVR to NR
as for the outward.. if you can't get home there's not much point really

I'm working in Knutsford earlier in the day and making my way back to london "via Kidderminster" with a night stop over in Brum... means I wont make any earlier train out to the SVR.. it's just a bit frustrating to miss it by a few mins in both directions.
However I will be there bright an early Saturday morning...
Priority 1 a ticket.
Priority 2 a bacon butty.

 

Great pi, thanks for sharing.... its all simmering up nicely

Hope the weather cheers up just a little though

 

Go for the full breakfast in Kidderminster tea rooms. Autumn Galas its a must for me.

 

I will arriva at 10:12, connection at Smethwick permitting...

 

Priority 3 a pint of cyder in king and castle!

 

Shaping up quite nicely..

I'm planning an early start 0753 from Snow Hill to Kidderminster, and the 0935 Express to Bridgnorth on saturday morning.
With an hour to kill at Kidderminster.. will breakfast be served at 8.30 ?

Timetable doesnt show 09.35 as stopping anywhere, but as it's passing the freight and the 0950 from Bridgnorth, will it actually be a nonstop ?

 

The 0935 will be non stop (as long as the 2 trains you mention above run to time - they are both due in at the crossing places in plenty of thime for the 0935 to get a through run).

 

A good day at the SVR, with everything running to time, and plenty of visitors.

The Pacifics looked superb, but the prize for the best turned-out loco has to go to Erlestoke Manor!

As an aside, there was a "man with a van" at the far end of the Kidderminster car park from a site and soil investigation firm who said he was working at the "diesel shed site", so it looks as though things are progressing at long last. The latest SVR News said that ground tests needed to be carried out on the diesel shed site.

46118

 

Can anyone confirm that I'll be able to connect at Bewdley from the 2214 southbound to the 2214 northbound? Don't fancy spending the night on Bewdley platform...