SVR Autumn Steam Gala on 23 -25 September 2011

The 1 v 2 weekend discussion was held on the SVRA forum http://forum.svra.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1798&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=180, with the suggestion that the overall numbers might not be so great. One of the organising committee posted that "a 9 day event may have to sacrifice overnight running at weekends" due to the number of volunteer turns required, which experience has shown to be a big attraction

Patrick

 

All very powerful mainline locomotives on a wandering GWR branch line running at 25mph tops. All very powerful mainline locomotives that you can see elsewhere in an appropriate environment. The SVR is wonderful and I missed the SSG enormously but this is not going to tempt me. The WLLR gala at the beginning of September will, the Swanage gala might, and then there is the WSR gala at the end of the month, but so far the SVR is at the bottom of the September attractions.

Regards

 

Prepare for a severe disciplining for daring to be underwhelmed! :lol:

 

Well, RH No.6, I like a challenge!

Orion, it is only natural that I will disagree with you as a lifelong fan and supporter of the SVR, and since 2009 a volunteer on the line. You are entitled to your opinion, and in some ways I can see your point, but I hope you'll let me indulge myself but putting forward a counter-argument to the points you made.

25mph tops - well yes, but so is every other preserved railway, excepting TPO-runs at the GCR.

By 'elsewhere in an appropriate environment', I take it that you refer to the GCR and the mainline? I have got the impression before that you are a real GC-supporter (as am I, it has a wonderful mainline ambience), but it is of course very BR in appearance and GC/LNE in origin - not overtly appropriate for the King and Castle (the 9F and Tornado, I grant you, fit in well there). The mainline of course has changed significantly since steam days.

Remember also the ambience of Bewdley and Kidderminster stations. I would suggest that both can put forward an unparalleled GWR mainline feel. Bewdley especially, where double track stretches out of view in both directions, and where before now I have seen two large trains clank simultaneously into Platforms 1 and 2, whilst a local simmers in Platform 3...

Don't forget too the coaching stock on the Valley! I would argue that, for the interwar period, no railway in Britain has such perfect sets of carriages as the SVR - other centres of carriage excellence mainly focussing on Victorian/Edwardian examples. On the SVR, you can see a 7-coach LNER Set, the same again in LMS, unique to the Valley, and the longest GWR set in preservation. You'll admit 5029 looks rather splendid on the latter.

Remember too the all-night running. Whilst you might not come under the banner of the diehard-sleep-on-the-train-why-on-earth-aren't-there-any-compartments enthusiasts, it does give some fantastic photo opportunities and atmosphere.

Finally, you are forgetting the presence of 828! Undoubtedly a superb job by the Strathspey boys, unless you are prepared to head a looong way north this will be, as far as I am aware, your only currently planned chance to see that superb Caley blue.

Anyways, I reckon that's about all I can think of, do enjoy your visits elsewhere, and I hope that you will take this in the cheerful, friendly way in which it is intended!

 

Thank you for your response! I agree with your comments re the coaching stock and the ambience and I did mention how fond of the railway I am, but ... there are many steam galas in September (three over one of the weekends!) and its necessary to have to make choices. I'm saving so I can make two that require a B&B to be booked and I might just be able to make a day visit to another. I'm sorry about this, but the SVR, for all it's attractions, just doesn't make it when it goes for Class 8 and 9 power. It just doesn't look, feel and sound right.

Both the Swanage and WSR did have this class of engine running over them as did the Mid-Hants and these engines fit in, from a photographic point of view, nicely. I know that most enthusiasts who attend these events are really interested in travelling rather than photography and it is almost certain that the SVR is going to have a good turnout for this event, but I'm going to look elsewhere, and there is an embarassment of riches as far as September goes.

I'll be back at the SVR next March for another branchline do, enjoy your ASG!

Regards

 

As I THINK I said earlier in the thread (can't really be bothered to look through and check :lol I am absolutely sure the event will be a roaring success. Personally, however, I'll be waiting for 1501 to return to traffic and do some running days, ideally with 4566 working the same day .

 

Oh I shall

Enjoy your visits elsewhere! Dependent on funds etc I hope to make the WLLR's gala too; WSR and SR are just too far away, for now...

I think that you are in something of a minority with your lack of interest in celebrity large locomotives (at least when they're on the valley). From what I can gather, our galas when big names have attended have always been notably better patronised than when we have gone for a small engine selection - despite the appropriateness of the latter option.

Has anyone (Orion included!) got any ideas for Spring/Autumn gala 'themes' for the Valley? There was the Cambrian in 2008, but other than that I fail to think of any possible future ideas. Not too much pipe-dreaming please!

 

Must admit I agree (as an SVR supporter) that big engines tiptoeing along a branch line for the most part with the regulator barely open doesn't seem to me to be very "appropriate".
Like Orion, I'll be there for the small engines if there is a "branchline" do, but I'll give the big ones at the ASG a miss.

Must be my age, but I just dont do crowds anymore, and tend to plan for the quieter times, thats when you get the true atmosphere of the Valley.

I am sure the ASG will be a stunning success though.

 

Certainly, the smaller engines appear to give better shows than the large ones, but it also depends on how it is timetabled, which is normally very good at the SVR.
As for small SSGs and Large ASGs, I think it really depends on what is available. The resignalling of the mainline around Kidderminster in 2012 might affect this, so it might be better to wait and see.

 

828 alone is worth attending for

 

I have to agree with that Neil. That's the one I want to see. Not too fussed about the others.

 

And may its hooter fill the valley with its sound as well as it looking very smart on the LMS set.

 

Good to hear that. It's been a bit of a shame that it's been overshadowed by Tornado and 92212 but it's something few people will have ever seen run and it's never worked outside of Scotland since preservation (I doubt it ever went further south than Carlisle in CR/LMS/BR Sc days if it ever made Carlisle anyway); a draw all in its own right.

 

828 certainly is an impressive beast, handling seven coaches easily last week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0clbkP3S6xY

 

She's going to be limited to 6 on the Valley but there's certainly plenty of power there.

Nice to see that they've coaled her up. I can remember sweeping out bunkers/tenders on some engines when I was a fireman there. One morning I had to shovel coal out of the bunker of one engine into another via a wheelbarrow so I could light the damn thing up!

 

It's certainly shaping up to be an excellent Gala. Myself & lil Bear will be doing all 3 days again like we did last year.

 

Suggestions elsewhere that the J72 is no longer visiting. Is this true?

 

The only mention of it was in the railway press, and talking to some friends in the MPD they say it isn't coming.

 

See if we can reach 500miles covered in 3 days after only making 442 last year...

So what locos have we got so far then?

V: 60163 / 828 / 6023 / 5029 / 92212
H: 2857 / 4566 / 5164 / 7812 / 42968 / 43106 / 46443

 

Is 828 visiting for the gala weekend only, or possible working before or after ?