SVR Santas

Hoping to be there next Saturday or Sunday given the good weather that is forecast.

Out of interest is 43106 likely to be on the roster? The roster on the online forum hasn't been updated for this week as yet.

Presumably Bewdley is a good place to stand for a while, bacause you are not "in the way" of the crowds, the trains just pass through? (EMF shop and station buffet on hand, because its going to be cold....!)

Many thanks

 

You ask how many enthusiasts don't take pictures of railway subjects? Well, there's one here and to, be honest, quite a lot of the ones I know don't. They are too busy working every spare minute on a Heritage Railway. I used to take lots, but one day I thought why am I doing this and I couldn't come up with a sensible reason. Gave the Nikon to my daughter and the approx 10,000 slides I've taken since 1964 sit in the loft. The only time I take photos now is when I want a record of something I'm dismantling. The phone is good enough for that. But that's me and I don't expect anybody else to do likewise.

As for free-loading photographers, they may be in the minority but they exist and I could even name you some. I'm not tarring everybody with the same brush, far from it. All I said was, if the cap fits, wear it.

Reading these posts, the only people who seem to be objecting to a bit of tinsel are those who want to take their master shot. Seems a bit selfish, to me.

 

Can I advise against the storage of slides (or negatives for that matter) in a loft. I had to store my slides in our loft for several years as there was nowhere else to put them when the children were small. When I was able at last to retrieve them I found that many had been infested with a fungus which I put down to the extremes of heat/cold/humidity in the loft during the period of storage.

Although your interests are currently elsewhere you may well find that an interest in railway photography gets rekindled in the future. If that does happen you may well regret their condition then. You have, after all, put a great deal of effort into your photo library.

I hope you don't mind the gratuitous advice.

Regards

 

Tom, as the Owner's Rep for 6695 I have to say I think the tinsel looked fine, if not rather understated!

 

You are not alone in telling me that. However, you need to tell the Lady of the House that these slides need to be downstairs in the warmth of the study! I do what I'm told......

 

Thanks Mr Clarke for your kind offer and my preference would be a tank engine without a headboard. I will visit the railway this festive season and ensure that it benefits financially.

In reality though this debate wasn't about the tinsel. It was accepted early on that even if it wasn't as bad that had been made out in the original posts and blown out of all proportion.

The debate was about if photographers contribute towards preservation. As someone who spends a significant amount supporting steam (around £450 direct to steam operation in Oct and Nov alone) but enjoy photographing I get fed up with the free loading label that so many are free to chuck around on here. We all like different things and we all have different commitments but we all support preservation in some way. Perhaps these differences should be more respected? There is a good New Years Resolution perhaps?

Anyhow good luck to all railways in the festive season.

Regards,

PS Off to do some free loading at Calshot tomorrow - don't think ABP will mind too much though!

 

Some pics from last weekends Santas. No moaning about tinsel from me, Manors on teaks and GWR tanks on LMS stock is another matter!

Hoping to get in another visit in during Dec if the weather plays ball.

 

Hi Matt

The service swaps engines a KR, hence the mix. From the SVR online forum:

Patrick

 

What's shown in Matt's pics seems fine to me, a tastefully done headboard with the normal stock.

 

It certainly seems an intensive operation on the shorter section in use, is this even more intensive than during a gala?

 

Well, there was a working from South Wales to the North East on which Manors and 43xxs were often seen on full rakes of LNER teaks, and like wise, LNER machines hauling chocolate and cream coaches up through York, to (I think) Newcastle.

 

Can anyone reccomend any (public) viewpoints, easily suited to viewing the Santa operations? These pics have certainly whetted my appetite!

Being starved of steam, I'm looking at a visit this Saturday, but am guessing that avoiding Kidder will be essential, given the volumes of people involved. I'll be arriving by train, so am restricted to public transport - bus to Bewdley maybe?

 

Bewdley station would be as good as anywhere - refreshments on hand & enthusiast type shops to visit between trains.

 

I agree, Bewdley would be the place to go if you need to travel by public transport, and I would have thought on a Saturday that there was a decent bus service between Kidderminster (down the hill to the town centre from the railway stations) and Bewdley.

My experience yesterday (Sunday) was that Kidderminster SVR is best avoided due to the sheer number of people, ( being most efficiently dealt with as far as I could see) and controlled access--ticket only- to the platform for obvious reasons. Bewdley however had few people about other than station staff, and you could go to the end of the platform by the signal box, where, every 30 minutes you could see the token exchange, two trains cross, and have a close-up of the Valley-bound loco standing at the platform. Very atmospheric I thought. Steam wafting about on a winters day as the trains pulled through the platform.
They are playing rather loud Christmas music over the PA system ( almost eerie when the station was empty!!) but if you stayed at the end of the platform you were "out of range" of said music.
At the Kidderminster end of the station you can usually see the spare loco standing on Bewdley MPD.
As mentioned above, station buffet and Erlestoke Manor Fund shop available.

If you have time on your return to Kidderminster do have a look at the Museum. Walk through the SVR station concourse, and turn right just before the platform barriers, just after the gents on your right.

Edit: A quick Google reveals two bus services, 2 and 2A, with a frequent service KDR to BY, about 20 minutes journey time.

46118

 

depends how fit you are, but get the number 2 bus to Bewdley, alight at the Great Western public house, walk down the road under the viaduct, then take the the first road on the right (Northwood Lane) you can follow that past the location shown above (the Tenbury Wall) Beyond NOrthwood halt (which is also very picturesque) to Trimpley Resovoirs and Eyemore wood, then down on the River to victoria bridge.
You may also find the following site usefull,
http://www.traveline.org.uk
Click the west Midlands area, then enter DY10 1QX as your start address (That is kidder station) then DY12 1BG for Bewdley, or just Arley for Arley.
If yuo use the 'First' Bus, ask for a Kidderminster Day Ticket, which is £2, as opposed to the normal single fare of £1.70!!!!!

 

Locos this weekend: 43106, 6695, 42968 (Loco to work diner after 4pm), 5164, 7812

4566 on steam heat

Spare: 46443
Engines not available for use:
5764 - Boiler repairs
7802 - South Devon Railway

Not a gala, just 5 locos oin steam on a half-hourly service!

Patrick

 

I went today. The timetable went belly up quite early on and I certainly wouldn't have liked to be a parent keeping a child happy in that cold during the delays!

A so-so sort of day, but a better way of escaping the Christmas shopping cannot be devised.

Regards

 

Any idea why the service slipped today?

46118

 

I heard somewhere about frozen points at Arley?!