Severn Valley Modernisation ?

A slightly tongue in cheek thread title given the warm words in the Bluebell thread of a similar name. Anyway, I visited SVR for the first time ever today and was very impressed with the operation and felt very welcome as a visitor. I thought the 'Engine house' was great and and I loved Kidderminster Town station, far better than the modern station beside it. However, I was somewhat nonplussed to discover a modern Chitern DMU was running over the line today. I know nothing about DMU's but it looked like it might have been a turbostar and looked quite new. Being nosey and hearing other visitors saying 'wossat?' or similar, I made enquiries as I always thought that SVR was mainly steam whenever possible and was told that it was there for 'Gauging trials' against the SVR platforms tunnels and bridges etc. Whats that about then ? :-k

Do they do this sort of thing often and test stuff for the Big Railway ?

 

Testing the viability of extending the regular Marylebone to Kidderminster service further north. Oink, oink, flap, flap.

A subtle hint of truth in there really.

 

Testing of modern traction on heritage lines is a regular occurence when required, it's just a test, no stealth modernisation or anything about it, not to mention the said line is probably getting some good dough out of being a test track.

 

This is abit hush hush but here goes........Arley - London Paddington via Moor St hourly service from the December timetable change Chiltern 168's all the way.

:-$ :-$ :-$ :-$ :-$

LMG.

 

Trouble is, I want to go to Euston!

 

The Bewdley Station website calls this visit a "guaging run", so maybe something is afoot with a service to somewhere beyond Kidderminster?

Actually quite sensible if you think about it.

46118

 

Well, lets hope they managed to age their gu successfully then 8-[

 

Well, whilst we age our gu here in Shropshire and Worcestershire, I hope you arden your gu in Devon. Oh, I love the English language!

 

Just wait 'till the masts start going up for the OHL. :-#
Seriously though if the paths are available surely early morning and evening commuter services from Bridgnorth and Bewdley to Snow Hill would make sense.....if the financial arrangements were beneficial of course.

 

Sorry!!

I do check, but that one slipped past!

....I'll go and hammer in a few loose keys....

46118

 

I think its safe to say that the appearance of a 168 on the svr is in connection with driver training or skid pan training. I very much doubt chiltern would be interested in running a commuter service to/from the svr.

LMG.

 

Have you been to Highley recently? We have the first span for OHL!

 

??? :shock:

 

Your not even warm on this one!!

 

Promotional video for Chiltern Trains, perhaps?

Richard

 

Could it be trialling a direct Highley to Moor Street service for a resident there?

 

Perhaps with suitable sites being in short supply, Chiltern have purchased part of the Foley Park sugar beet factory site for a state of the art diesel depot?

46118

 

... or SVR has just won the maintenance contract for Chiltern Trains? They won the contract by offering to repaint all the units after every overhaul into a "proper" livery for free.

Richard