Spa Valley Railway - Latest News

That's rather unfair on both Strathspey and the SpVR

 

ANYWAY, does anybody have any more details about the event happing from the 9th-11th February?
I.E. Coach sets, QM rides, a certain visitor that's NOT 80078?

 

Give them a chance, event isn't for another 3 and a half months.

 

828 is not (sadly) an SRPS loco; it normally resides in Aviemore under the care of the Strathspey Railway!

 

Any visitor is subject to availability and thus at this point one should not be 'expected'. I'd imagine the normal two train service in action though when I was down for the Beer Fest I did ask and it was still to be worked out. It will be interesting to see what Ingrid is put to work doing, but being an 0-4-0 will be limited to TWW-Groombridge.

 

Apologies to Strathspey and SRPS - lack of coffee!!
Post fixed

 

And also the small mater of 40,000 people to be carried on the Polars.....

(Sorry Ben for quoting the post, it just follows logically!)

Andrew

 

Any reason why that is, out of interest?

 

Ban on 0-4-0s alongside NR metals perhaps?

 

My first guess would have been more along the lines of water capacity and/or its suitability / capability of longer distance sustained running

 

I was going to say similar, as although a completely different operation I volunteer at EARM and we run alongside NR metals and routinely use 0-4-0 locos.

Also, I believe Peak Rail have been using Eustace Forth recently which would be a more similar operation to Spa Valley but is an 0-4-0 loco.

 

Well according to the railway itself, the only engine they really had a problem with was Spartan, but that's now under overhaul at Cricklade.

 

0-4-0s aren't permitted between Birchden Junction and Eridge.

We used to use Ingrid on 4-car trains on 7 mile sometimes 8 mile return trips back in the 2000's. Not ideal but it was all we had alongside Fonmon until the Jinty and Spartan came along.

Ingrid was certainly a loco you had to know how to fire to keep it going. It did it mind you, every weekend!

 

Following Rapido’s recent announcements, I noticed that the Spa Valley Railway’s shop said that they can supply Rapido’s models at a reduced price for Railway members - and suggested that they could beat the prices of even the biggest retailers.
Given that the Liverpool and Sheffield-based retailers seem to knock 15% off the RRP as a starting point, what kind of discount does the railway’s shop offers members?

 

Finally put up on Flickr some images of not only the successful Beer Festival last month but also from the Steam Gala back in July...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ady77014/albums/72157655428726376

 

I know, just a bit anxious that's all, it's been quite a while since I visited there.

Well if 2315 is limited to TWW-Groombridge shuttles, then I really don't fancy riding behind it on a Queen Mary in bitter cold weather.

 

A visiting loco is now sourced for the Winter Steam Gala, it'll be announced shortly once I've had a chance to put together the press release and the relevant material for our website. It is still 3 months away from the event though so give us a bit more time to make a timetable and work out what 2315 can do... based on last February I wouldn't worry too much about being too cold on the QM, we suffered more in December!

For anyone interested, 828 worked the dress rehearsal for the Polar Express and then last Friday, 80078 then worked Saturday and Sunday. I was 78s driver on Sunday and the load she was pulling certainly gave the Standard a good workout. Bulleid Pacific 34072 '257 Squadron' re-entered service last Sunday and is working this Friday to Sunday Polar Express.

We've 40,907 people to take to the North Pole, we made a start last week but there's still a lot more to go, we've increased the capacity on the train this year with the hire of two West Coast TSOs and the re-launch into service of our own MK1 TSO 5037 following a 10yr+ overhaul which has seen easy access arrangements made for wheelchair users.

During the year we've worked hard to overhaul the ETH on the MK2 BSO so the set now has 6 out of the 7 coaches ETH and the Queen Mary Brake Van which is also on the Polar set to provide power to the train has had ETH fitted to enable it to pass through and heat the carriages. The Class 33's ETH was re-commissioned last Summer and 31430's has already proven to be very useful so we've gone from being reliant on steam heating to a much more versatile arrangement.

Interestingly, we can now form up two sets of coaches that aren't just vacuum braked and steam heat. We've enough coaches to make one set steam heat and the other set ETH as was the case at the Beer Festival, or if we wanted to we could by moving the brake van around make up an dual braked set which is mainly ETH and a vacuum set which is steam heat.

Back in October when we were steam-loco-less for a weekend we formed the set up so it was dual braked which meant that D7535 and 33063 could haul the train but if necessary 08922 which is air only could also work that train as well. RMB 1864 is dual braked and dual heat so catering and dining trains could also happen without issue. Now all we need is a dual brake, dual heat brake van, sadly BCK 21214 was only ever steam heat and MK2 dual braking, whilst possible, isn't a 5-min job.

 

Is it this? Please tell me it's this! It would be the best Christmas present ever!

 

No