Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1973

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1973 timetable

This page provides a timeline of events on the Severn Valley Railway during 1973. By early 1973, the SVR was receiving considerable adverse publicity in the national press over some of the decisions made by the Board of SVR(H), in particular the dismissal of the Railway’s Operating Superintendent and Shedmaster from his salaried post. This decision had caused uproar amongst the volunteers and raised the very real possibility of a strike.

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January 1973

4141, 5164, 7819 Hinton Manor and 4930 Hagley Hall all arrived on 6 January. The convoy left Barry Scrapyard behind ‘Peak’ diesel No 157 for Kidderminster (still then a British Rail yard), where it arrived in a whiteout of heavy frost. Two other vehicles were in the consist: the tender from scrapped ex-LMS ‘Black Five’ 44888 and 73129. After the SVR locos were detached at Kidderminster, this loco continued its journey to Derby. From Kidderminster Sulzer Type 2 No 7655 tripped the vehicles to the SVR in Bewdley Down Yard, together with 6045, 9615 and 26880.

February 1973

The first stage of the Light Railway Order for the southern end of the line came into effect on 28 February. The British Railways Board (Severn Valley) Light Railway Order 1973 granted BR the power (to be transferred to the SVR) to operate as a Light Railway from the existing boundary at Alveley to a point 247 yards east of the Stourport Road Bridge. Power was also granted to operate over the Stourport Branch from Bewdley to a point 302 yards south of the southern portal of Mount Pleasant Tunnel, this section having been purchased by the SVR for an additional £100.

March 1973

Following an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Guarantee Company on 11 March and a special Joint Meeting of the boards of SVR(H) and the Guarantee Company 6 days later, an announcement was made that Sir Gerald Nabarro would step down as Chairman of both Boards. He was replaced as SVR(H) Chairman by Viscount Garnock. It was also agreed that nominated directors of both the Guarantee Company and the SVRA would sit on the SVR(H) Board.

78019 arrived from Barry Scrapyard on 12 March, 7714 arrived on 29 March and 75069 arrived on 31 March.

June 1973

By June 1973 the atmosphere on the railway had noticeably improved. An EGM of the Guarantee Company overwhelmingly voted in favour of raising money to build the By-Pass Bridge, thus ‘saving Bridgnorth for a second time’.

The Great Marquess was steamed for the first time since arrival the previous year. With an axle weight in excess of 19 tons, it exceeded the limit of 17 tons 12 cwt in the SVR's Light Railway Order granted in May 1970. A condition of the locomotive's move to the SVR was that it could be used there once restored, so the locomotive after a number of test runs in 1973 and one further steaming in 1974, was therefore stored while discussions took place over a possible transfer to another railway. In the meantime, a program of work was underway to upgrade the line, including replacement of several bridges, to raise the permitted limit to a figure in excess of 20 tons. This upgrade was achieved in due course.

November 1973

5764 was involved in the filming of the BBC children's serial Carrie's War.

A Bonfire Night event was held at Bridgnorth on 3 November.

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  1973 poster

Having left the SVR, Sir Gerald Nabarro died on 18 November 1973. He had suffered two stokes during 1972 and had recently retired from the House of Commons due to ill health.

December 1973

Stanier Mogul 42968 arrived on 14 December.

WD 193 operated all the Santa services.

Steam locomotives used

A table of steam locomotives used and their mileages can be found on the Steam Locomotive Mileages page.

See also

• The Severn Valley Railway in preservation

Severn Valley Railway

The British Railways classification for diesel locomotives of 1001 bhp to 1499 bhp

British Rail or British Railways

Severn Valley Railway Association