SVR Spring Steam Gala - 18th-21st April 2025

6880 announced as the second visitor.

 

Since been updated with DMU turns. https://svr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SVR-SSG-2025-V2.pdf

 

I continue to be confused by the fetish for a diesel turn during the SVR’s steam galas.

and why this isn’t reciprocated with a steam turn during the diesel galas?* Obviously the land slip complicates things this year, but this is a habit that predates this year.

If I go to a steam gala, especially one with visiting locos, I don’t expect to see paths cluttered up with paraffin boxes, anymore than fans of the latter expect ‘kettles’ at their events.

*I’d love to see the SVR diesel boys making space for the 14xx on a local. Equality innit?

 

Hi,

As one of the timetable writers and gala group members I find the use of the word “fetish” to be a slight over statement. We choose to use the DMU because ultimately the path is generally free, and is not one which can be easily filled by a steam turn.

A diesel gala has a much greater variety of traction and options for paths. Generally speaking they don’t need to worry about water and coal, and can fit more in. They also tend to have more visitors as the moves are often sponsored, etc.

This gala as you rightly say is different - Tank engines are a no go, due to lack of water other than Kidderminster, which would hugely limit their capabilities. 1450 is taking advantage of this and has gone for its final paint job to be done, 7714 is covering FE rides. You might well think that leaves 13268 and 4930 which I’m sure you’d feel could have done the DMU turn, but actually the high costs of moving them by road, and the fact we’ve already got 6 locos at the smallest of the MPDs means neither were practical to bring down.

Other Galas - Use of the DMU has happened since around Autumn 2023. It was initially because we simply didn’t have enough steam locos, and to some extent we still don’t. Even for the upcoming Autumn it’s likely we will be short of a loco or two. Hiring more than 4 locos is really not an option. It’s very cost prohibitive. But also the turn it generally covers isn’t an easy one to cover with steam. It’s a turn with tight turn arounds, doesn’t allow much wiggle room for water and coal, and ultimately would need a good deal of ammendment to not be the DMU.

In the cases of previous galas it hasn’t been “cluttering” a path up. It’s been used in a path, which would have otherwise been empty! So effectively it was train or no train. We will always choose to run the train as it keeps a constant service, with constant paths, and also provides a people move for those happy to use it…..And ultimately that’s what this comes to - If you don’t want to use it there’s plenty of other options, but actually we see several people wanting to so why would we not allow that choice?

So the DMU is a handy path filler, it provides a service to keep people moving and based on feedback from the punters it’s a popular one. I think this is probably the 3rd “complaint” about its use I’ve seen, compared to say 50/60 positive reviews. Given its build date of 1958 it’s of the same era as 75069!

Hopefully when 813 returns, 1450 is properly in service, etc we won’t need to use it so much. But if people want to see double headers, etc they have to be flexible that a path requires filling and that could sometimes be the DMU.

The main thing is we are running an event. 6 steam locos and a DMU. Considering we have lost nearly 5 miles, lost a crossing point, and lost the ability to run tank locos, I think we’ve done pretty well

 

Well said and all the very best for your gala.

 

Just as I started typing. Harry has provided the answer.

Our home fleet will be gradually increasing in size over the coming 12 months with 7802, 813, 1450 and 4150 all returning during the year ahead.
The same can be said for our carriage fleet. We are working our way through the carmine and cream set as this is by far our worst rake. This has reduced the amount of carriage we have available. Next year should see the LMS set be targeted. If we have a minimum of 3 carriages under overhaul/ repaint. A 3 car 108 fills that void.

 

Already happened, 1450 provided the steam heat at the winter diesel event!!

 

I personally have no issue with the DMU, they are useful people movers and can get you quickly to the next place for a particular loco or train you might want. Much rather have that than an empty path, plus I always enjoy the view out the front or back which provides a different perspective. But then you are just as likely to find me at a diesel gala too - so each to their own.
The GCR often has a DMU at their galas for the same reason.

 

How quickly people forget!

 

In previous times. The SVR diesel gala was only held once in October. Thursday to Saturday with Sunday being punctuated by 2 steam turns on the Venturer from Bridgnorth and the Diner from Kidderminster.

 

It wasn’t even just the Sunday. Saturday’s used to have steam locomotives rostered for certain departures from Kidderminster, I did make the suggestion for the ‘98 gala that if that was the case maybe we could have something like Fifty Forty Four in as built condition) maybe piloting Fifty One Ten as a bit of a might have been from 1968, (plus both built at the same place) my other suggestion of the Eight Hundred on top of 7802 was noted but neither happened. The reason being at the time of the SVR being a ‘steam railway’ (plus who listens to 14 year olds and their suggestions?)

I know it’s taken a lot of hard work by the current GM amongst others in the past to change that attitude.
I really think it’s been worth it though.
The October 2023 event was just awesome (double headed Rats last year was also rather thigh rubbing)

 

Thank-you for the detailed explanations. I for one have no problem with mixing of steam and diesel at gala events.

I have sometimes struggled with the complexity of the "interesting" timetables that are usually preferred for SVR steam galas. If not careful, one can get stranded at one of the intermediate stations during a long service break. But perhaps out of necessity due to the landslip, this steam gala timetable looks admirably straightforward, perhaps closer to typical SVR diesel gala timetables. Although I am not a great diesel fan, I do enjoy SVR diesel galas because their frequent trains allow plenty of travel up and down the line. Anyway, much looking forward to this spring steam gala (plus DMU).

 

We have definitely tried to bring some complexity out of it whilst still putting on a show. Autumn 2022 was not something any of us were particularly proud of as it was just over complex, asked too much of everyone, and caused a great deal of issues. Since then we’ve been on the re-set road and so far things seem to be working.

The only thing we can’t really get out of is the Double Crossing at Bewdley which generally sees each train have roughly 20 minutes there. In an ideal world a second platform at Highley or 3rd platform at Kidderminster would remove those crosses, but we start entering dreamland there! The double cross is also useful from a time recovery view, and a crew change/tea top up view so it does come in handy.

The original Spring WTT for this year looked set to be a belter, so we are hoping to re-use it for Autumn (Bob the Builder and his landslip team depending!!)

 

Personally, I enjoy a 108 bash where it is available and look forward to seeing the second car that has been repainted (not sure if it will be in action at this event).

 

As someone not bothered about DMUs, I tend to find them useful as being a means of moving between stations without missing the chance to photo one of the "kettles" doing their thing, it's often very hard to both properly photo and ride on the same train, but if you simply don't care about not photting the DMU then that's a result

 

A few highlights to look forward to as posted on SVR official pages……

We're counting down the days to our Spring Steam Gala!

With trains from 7.55am every day and services until 10.45pm on Friday and Saturday, there's plenty to look forward to, including:

Friday: the first GWR Grange on a full set of Great Western Railway carriages in well over 60 years.
Saturday: last chance to ride behind GWR 7812 Erlestoke Manor working a solo train between Kidderminster and Hampton Loade.
Sunday: GWR 6880 Betton Grange hauling a goods train.
Monday: GWR 7802 Bradley Manor and GWR 7812 Erlestoke Manor double-heading from Hampton Loade to Kidderminster.

Book your tickets now and save up to 10% when booking in advance: https://svr.co.uk/event/spring-steam-gala-2025/

 

The double-headed manors should be epic.

 

To ask a silly question, are the double-headed manors able to work together over Victoria Bridge? I know it has weight restrictions that prevent double-heading of larger locos and personally I can't remember seeing anything bigger than a couple of tank engines go over it in tandem

Given this is a pair of manors we're talking about I wouldn't be surprised if they're just about light enough but at the same time I don't think I know of any precedent of them running together over the bridge?

Happy to be proven wrong though and in any case it'll be lovely to see

 

We have put together a Special Operating Prodcedure as part of the event plan. This allows the two manors for a ONE WAY ONLY trip of the line. Originally (Pre-Landslip) this would have been Kidderminster to Bridgnorth but it’s now Hampton to Kidderminster.

Part of the operating notice covers Victoria Bridge and how we are mitigating the effects of running two large locos over here.