Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1968
This page provides a timeline of events on the Severn Valley Railway during 1968, the year in which objections to the granting of the Light Railway Order to BR resulted in a Pubic Enquiry.
During the year the Severn Valley Railway Society rented space in the goods yard at Bewdley where stock restoration could be carried out.[1] Bewdley was still an active BR station at the time.
February 1968[edit | edit source]
On 1 February, BR published their application for the first Light Railway Order. Objections were received from Shropshire County Council on the grounds that it would prejudice the proposed construction of the Bridgnorth By-pass (an estimated £60,000 increase on the original estimate of £1m was quoted) and from Highley Regional District Council that it would prevent road improvements on a narrow bridge in the Eardington area[2].
March 1968[edit | edit source]
On 31 March the SVR provided a special train to convey a party of BR officers along the line, to facilitate the smooth transfer of the branch from BR to the SVR. 3205 was the locomotive used, with John Hill the driver[3]. BR's Chief Surveyor Mr RC Bray commented "The Company have more than demonstrated their competence to run a railway, and they are not playing trains. I like the job they have done". They inspected the three rail bridges causing potential objections to the LRO; their comments would go to the Minister of Transport[note 1] who would ultimately adjudicate on the granting of the LRO.[4]
April 1968[edit | edit source]
The galas continued with the tacit approval of BR. The Easter Steam Gala on 13-15 April featured No 3205. Large crowds resulted in long waiting times, hindered by the lack of a run round loop and sufficient coaches. Admission fees were 3/6d for adults and 2/- for members and children, with around £600 in funds raised.[5]
In mid-April BR's solicitors told Shropshire County Council that its objections to the granting of a Light Railway Order were "premature, as well as irrelevant and inappropriate". It was their opinion that the County
Council should not object to the first part of the order, which empowered BR to work the line, but should await the Guarantee Company's application for the second LRO before objecting to its provisions.[4]
After BR relaxed their recent embargo on steam-hauled rail tours,[note 2] the SVRS and MRTS organised two joint rail tours, the "North West Tour" on Saturday 20 April and Saturday 27 April. Both were successful with around 900 passengers in total. Proceeds were split between the MRTS "Jinty Fund" and the SVR's "Save the Severn Valey Railway Fund".[6] BR locomotives used on the first of the tours included future SVR residents 45110 and 48773.[7]
May 1968[edit | edit source]
On 5 May Society membership stood at 1,111. Guarantee Company mambership had reached 228. The "Save the Severn Valey Railway Fund" had approximately £1,950 on deposit.[8]
A fifth steam locomotive, the MRTS's LMS 3F Jinty 0-6-0 No 47383, arrived by road on 26 May.
July 1968[edit | edit source]
The sixth steam locomotive, Ex-Hams Hall Power Station Peckett 0-4-0ST No 1738 arrived on 13 July. Concerns that the locomotive could be too small for use at Bridgnorth proved unfounded when it was found possible to shunt in Bridgnorth yard at 2 hours notice with a few shovelfuls of coal.[9]
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Peckett 1738 arrives at Bridgnorth -
1738 shunting at Bridgnorth in 1968
August - September 1968[edit | edit source]
A seventh steam locomotive, Ivatt 4MT Mogul 43106, arrived on 2 August. It had departed Lostock Hall in steam at 3.30 pm the day before, spending the night at Stourbridge disposal holding sidings before arriving at Bridgnorth at 9.45 am.[10] On 28-29 August it was hired for two days of filming with three coaches at Waterworks Crossing, for a 'Consulate Cigarettes' advertisement;[11] the first reported use of SVR rolling stock for commercial filming purposes.
The Autumn Gala on 31 August and 1-2 September saw almost 10,000 visitors to Bridgnorth, with 43106 and 46443 making alternate trips to Hampton Loade and back.[12] The capacity issues of the Easter Gala were resolved, and over £1,000 was raised, with the "Save the Severn Valley Railway" fund reaching £4,300.[13] However BR, which was still the LRO holder, became concerned at safety at such sizeable events.
On 7 September, work began to dismantle the signal box at Pensnett which over the following months would be dismantled and reassembled at Bridgnorth[14].
Bill Gillett was apointed as the Guarantee Company's first General Manager on 13 September.[15]
In addition to the "Members' day ticket" type operations, a number of private parties were also carried on the SVR prior to opening. The 'Gilt Edge Carpet Special' with 46443 on 21 September 1968 was one such[16].
On Monday 30 September the eighth steam locomotive, LMS Stanier 8F 48773 arrived at Bewdley[note 3] from Rose Grove, via an open day at Tyseley.[17] Protracted negotiations with BR to obtain official clearance for it to be moved over the Severn Valley Branch meant it did not arrive at Bridgnorth until 4 January 1969.[18]
Railcar 22 was the first vehicle to be outshopped from Bewdley, including repainting into GWR 'chocolate and cream' livery.[19][20]
October 1968[edit | edit source]
Negotiations with Shropshire County Council and the other dissenting parties having proved fruitless, a Public Enquiry became necessary to consider the proposed Scheme for the Railway. This was held on 1-2 October 1968 at County Hall in Shrewsbury. BR gave backing for the Railway, and many other witnesses were called. The plans put forward for the bypass and evidence on road usage appeared to those present to be hastily put together. The enquiry closed at lunch time on the second day. On the afternoon, a special train consisting of 3205 and three coaches took the Inspector and all parties from Bridgnorth to Bewdley to view the Scheme at first hand. The Minister of Transport’s decision would be based on the Inspector's report.[21]
December 1968[edit | edit source]
Manning Wardle 2047 was steamed for the first time on SVR metals, and used for shunting at Bridgnorth.[19]
Steam locomotives used[edit | edit source]
A table of steam locomotives used during the 1960s and their mileages can be found on the Steam Locomotive Mileages page.
See also[edit | edit source]
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Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Labour's Barbara Castle (December 1965 to April 1968) and Richard Marsh (April 1968 to October 1969)
- ↑ The relaxation allowed tours to resume on existing steam-used lines of the London Midland Region until August.
- ↑ At the time Bewdley was still a working BR station, although the SVR had a rented space in the goods yard.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ SVR News 14, pp. 3-5.
- ↑ SVR News 13, Severn Valley Railway Progress, R.H Dunn
- ↑ Magner (1997) p. 51.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 SVR News 9, High Praise for our scheme
- ↑ SVR News 11 article 'Open Weekends'
- ↑ SVR News 9, The Joint Railtours
- ↑ SixBellsJunction]
- ↑ SVR News 9, Facts and Figures
- ↑ SVR News 10, Peckett 0-4-0ST No 1738
- ↑ SVR News 10, The Last 2-6-0 in BR Service
- ↑ SVR News 10, Filming
- ↑ Mitchell and Smith (2007 fig. 74.
- ↑ SVR News 10, Steam Gala
- ↑ SVR News 11, p. 19.
- ↑ SVR News 10, Appointments
- ↑ Williams (1974) p. 61.
- ↑ SVR News 10, New Arrivals
- ↑ SVR Stock Book Ninth Edition
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 SVR News 11, p. 11.
- ↑ SVR News 14, pp. 3-5.
- ↑ SVR News 11, pp. 8-9.