Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1978
This page provides a timeline of events on the Severn Valley Railway during 1978. During the year SVR based locos were beginning to provide locomotives to work on main line rail tours while stabled at depots such as Hereford. The Severn Valley Limited dining train was introduced on summer Sundays.[1]
Visitor numbers to the SVR increased; for the first time the railway carried more than 150,000 passengers in a year (130,352 passenger tickets and 25,042 school children).[2]
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1978 timetable
Early 1978[edit | edit source]
4150 arrived on 19 January, having previously been at the Dean Forest Railway[3][4]. The Rolling Stock Committee decided that there was "little or no merit" in acquiring any further locomotives from Barry Scrapyard, as there were now 33 locomotives stationed at the railway.[5]
As part of their long term aspiration to extend to Kidderminster, the SVR decided to purchase the former Kidderminster goods shed from National Carriers Limited as a potential terminus.[6][note 1]
March 1978[edit | edit source]
Filming of the scene in The Thirty Nine Steps where Richard Hannay escapes from the train on Victoria Bridge took place on 21 March.[7]
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Preparations for filming at Victoria Bridge -
Robert Powell as Richard Hannay hanging from the underside of Victoria Bridge -
SVR volunteer John Price as the driver during filming -
SVR volunteer Barrie Geens as a policeman during filming
April 1978[edit | edit source]
Raveningham Hall became the first SVR-based locomotive to haul a main line tour. Leaving the SVR on 7 April, it worked the F&W Railtours “Cathedrals Express” from Hereford to Chester and back the following day.
The Spring Steam Gala was held on 15-16 April, including working to Foley Park.[8] On the Saturday a naming ceremony was held for WD 193, which was given the name 'Shropshire'.[9][10]
May 1978[edit | edit source]
70000 Britannia was steamed for the first time in 12 years on 18 May, and was renamed on 20 May by Mr R A Riddles, the locomotive's designer.[11]
June 1978[edit | edit source]
The SVR staged a 'Great Western Weekend' gala on 3-4 June, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Kidderminster Loop Line.[12]
August 1978[edit | edit source]
Bridgnorth signal box was re-commissioned on Sunday 6 August after a 10 month re-signalling and re-interlocking project arising from the changes to the layout of Bridgnorth begun in late 1977.[13]
September 1978[edit | edit source]
The Enthusiasts Weekend was held on 9-10 September, with 11 locomotives in steam including 70000 Britannia which worked services to Foley Park on both days. Also in use were 4566, 6960 Raveningham Hall, 7819 Hinton Manor, 8233, 46443, 47383, 45110, 80079, 70000, 600 Gordon and 193 Shropshire.[14]
The annual inspection by Maj. Olver took place on 18-19 September. He approved the Bridgnorth re-signalling scheme, and also inspected the track on a round trip between Bewdley and Bridgnorth in newly-restored GWR 80969, its first use on the SVR for its original purpose as an inspection saloon.[15]
The SVR's first two mainline diesels, BR Class 52 D1013 Western Ranger and D1062 Western Courier arrived on the SVR on 29 September and travelled to Bridgnorth under their own power. The draft locomotive agreement anticipated that they would be based at Bridgnorth and operated on special "Western weekends" and other occasions, although they not normally be used instead of steam on scheduled SVR trains.[16][note 2]
SVR Membership continued to grow, passing 8,000 for the first time.[17]
December 1978[edit | edit source]
GWR Pannier 3612 was purchased from Barry Scrapyard for spares, mainly for its wheels and to provide a spare boiler.[18]
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3612 being dismantled at Eardington
Earlier in the year the SVR had launched a share 'rights issue' for its existing shareholders and members, seeking to raise up to £206,732 for various capital projects. These included covered accommodation for carriages at Bewdley, improved catering facilities at Bridgnorth, improvements to the locomotive repair and storage facilities at Bridgnorth, upgrading bridges structures and track to accommodate heavier locomotives, urgent repairs to Victoria Bridge, the future installation of a turntable, the long term plan for the extension to Kidderminster and the reduction of overdraft facilities.[19]. The offer closed at the end of the year; the items shown in bold were considered priorities for the eventual total of £70,000 raised.[2]
Steam locomotives used[edit | edit source]
A table of steam locomotives used 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]
- ↑ The plan to acquire the Kidderminster goods shed fell through when the owners decided to retain the building for use by one of their member companies, Pickfords Removals. The terminus was eventually constructed on the former BR goods yard in 1984; the goods shed was subsequently put on the market by Pickfords in 1985 and acquired by the SVR in 1986.
- ↑ The first "Western Weekend" had been planned for the weekend before their arrival, which was delayed by a breakdown of BR's tyre turning lather at Cardiff Canton.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ SVR News 49, General Manager's Notes, Michael Draper
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 SVR News 50, General Manager's Notes, Michael Draper
- ↑ 4150 Fund
- ↑ SVR Stock Book Ninth Edition
- ↑ SVR News 46, General Manager's Notes, Michael Draper
- ↑ SVR News 47, General Manager's Notes, Michael Draper
- ↑ SVR News 50, pp. 17-18.
- ↑ SVR News 48, p. 14.
- ↑ SVR News 48, p. 10.
- ↑ SVR News 50, p. 2.
- ↑ SVR News 48, pp. 202-24
- ↑ SVR News 48, p. 12.
- ↑ SVR News 49, p. 25.
- ↑ SVR News 49, pp. 16-17.
- ↑ SVR News 49, p. 7.
- ↑ SVR News 48, pp. 18-19. and 49, pp. 19-20.
- ↑ SVR News 49, Boardroom Notes
- ↑ SVR News 50, p. 26.
- ↑ SVR News 48, General Manager's Notes, Michael Draper