Severn Valley Railway Spring gala 14-16 April (plus Pendennis Castle trips 13 April)

According to a Facebook comment by an SVR Volunteer
Facing Bridgnorth - 4555, 7714, 75069 (Spare) and 78018 on Fri and Sat.
Facing Kidderminster - 4079, 4930 (being turned to face this way on the Friday of the event), 7812, 34027, 43106 and 78018 on Sunday.

 

Thanks for posting, I’m sure on the old website the home fleet facing directions was posted somewhere but couldn’t see it anywhere the other day when I checked!

 

I couldn't think of anything worse than going to a gala for 3 or 4 days!

 

+1

 

Have you ever heard of YouTube / Webcams?
Perhaps, when you look back at videos and notice a few faces you maybe have seen on the Saturday, you also see on Friday / Sunday of the same event in the videos.

Three days maybe:
1 day travel down.
1 day at the railway.
1 day travel back.

Four? I suppose it could give you an extra day, perhaps go and do something else, especially if there other things to do e.g. Zoo's, Museums, Art Gallaries, Historical Buildings, etc.

 

I've not studied railcam or YouTube sequences, especially not 3 to 4 days worth, to the extent of trying to recognise the passengers aboard. Good for you for taking the time to do so [BJ]

 

Updated loco directions

Facing Bridgnorth
4555 Fri + Sat
7714
7812
34027
75069 (Spare)

Facing Kidderminster
4079
4555 Sunday (being turned Sun AM)
4930 (being turned Friday AM)
43106
78018

Info posted on social media by same SVR volunteer, hopefully no more revisions now! Additionally I believe 2857 is to be on display in Kidderminster over the event.

 

Thinking of coming up for this. No doubt the Severn Valley car park at Kidderminster will be full by the time I get there.
Does anyone know if the adjacent West MIdlands Railway car park accepts card payment or is it by "app" only.
Their website is not clear.

 

The parking machines take card. Its ANPR controlled, the parking machines are right outside the front door of the new building.

 

Here's my footage of 4079 Pendennis Castle sounding absolutely phenomenal on her first test runs on the railway before the gala. I believe this is the first time since 1994 in Australia, that she's hauled a train outside of Didcot. I hope you enjoy the video, cause I certainly did!

 

Just a note about on-train buffets. Card readers have (finally) been introduced but there are still lots of teething issues. I know one OTB today who had no luck at all in getting it to work. I suggest that people still bring cash with them just in case.

 

The current weather forecast for the gala*:
Friday - wet
Saturday - dry with some sun until the evening when rain will come in
Sunday - wet start but drying up for the rest of the day.

Of course, take any forecast with a (un)healthy dose of salt. Things can change quite a bit over the course of a few days.
*Forecast for Kidderminster according to BBC

 

I see that 4079 is quoted above as facing Kidderminster for the upcoming Gala, however she is currently running facing Bridgnorth - are there plans to turn her before Thursday or on Thursday?

 

The SVR should be publishing these. They've said that there are turntable demos, but no mentions of what/when. Are some locos being turned 360 inbetween duties?

Also, why they don't publish the carriage sets anymore is beyond me, it's not like they exclusively use 6 carriage Mk1s sets. Some people may want to ride particular carriages, and the locals... are they 2/3/4 carriages?

Why they stopped providing the WTTs, I will never know, they don't even upload them onto SVR live.

 

Hopefully more info will come this week, another thing I find handy is arrival times, looks like several trains will have dwell times at stations but it’s not clear from the timetable!

 

Despite heavy showers today I managed a couple of shots of the star of the show - these from the afternoon run, and between trains went down to Hampton Loade which was very quiet.

If anyone is visiting on Thursday for the Castle non-stop runs why not pay them a visit as they are holding an open day
https://www.facebook.com/HamptonLoadeStation/?locale=en_GB (and I've not seen that mentioned elsewhere)
I'll personally recommend the coffee and eccles cake !

 

I do too. However the section times are as follows should that be of any help. Excluding halts.

Bridgnorth-Hampton Loade = 15 mins
Hampton Loade-Highley = 10 mins
Highley-Arley = 8 mins
Arley-Bewdley = 13 mins
Bewdley-Kidderminster = 13 mins

 

Am I the only one who thinks 4079 looks pretty decent on the maroon MK1 set? Very 1960’s

 

You're not. I gather the marketing team thought so too, and went for some 1960s re-creations with that in mind. I like it too

 

I'm told it's still due to be turned before Friday. Additionally, reading the traffic notice for Thursday on SVR Live, it appears 7325 is to be on display at Bewdley over the weekend.