Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1988
This page provides a timeline of events on the Severn Valley Railway during 1988. The year saw a reduction in the amount of main line running. BR decided not to repeat the previous year's Cardigan Bay Express season, and also cancelled a proposed August/September season on the Settle and Carlisle Line using 48773. Negotiations were taking place between BR and the Steam Locomotive Owners Association (SLOA) on the future plans for main line steam.
Passenger numbers for the year totalled 200,466, breaking through the '200,000 barrier' for the first time.[1]
March 1988[edit | edit source]
Two Tyseley locomotives, GWR Castle 5080 Defiant and LMS Jubilee 45593 Kolhapur, visited the SVR to get running in mileage before going on the main line. The latter worked a number of passenger services in March before both left at different times during April.[2]
On 14 March the SVR received two Awards at the ARPS/Ian Allan Railway Heritage Awards for 1987, the BR Award for the most meritorius entry (Kidderminster Town) and a First Class Award for Highley.[3]
April 1988[edit | edit source]
The Spring Steam Gala was held on 15-16 April. It features ten locomotives including guest 45593 Kolhapur. 47383 returned to service after a lengthy overhaul; also in use were 5690 Leander, 46443, LMS 8F 8233, 2857, 6960 Raveningham Hall, 4566, 80079 and 686 The Lady Armaghdale.[2]
BR Brush-built diesel 31413 visited the SVR on 22 April 1988 to be named "Severn Valley Railway" in a ceremony at Bewdley.[4]
May 1988[edit | edit source]
A prospectus was issued to raise up to £500,000 for the new boiler shop at Bridgnorth. The two year agreement on day-time open air working would expire in November, and the prospect of increased noise abatement restrictions added urgency to the appeal.[5]
The May Diesel weekend on 7-8 May saw the first ever passenger train hauled by a class 59 locomotive and the first use in SVR history of air-braked passenger stock (hired from BR).[6] The featured guests were:
- 31413 Severn Valley Railway (D5812): Brush Class 30 A1A-A1A
- 59001 Yeoman Endeavour: GM Electro-Motive Division Class 59 Co-Co
- 156404: B.R. 'Super Sprinter' DMU
- 37427 Barmouth Bridge (D6988): E.E. Class 37 Co-Co
- 20170 (D8170): E.E. Class 20 Bo-Bo
-
31413 near Daniels Mill (7 May)
7819 Hinton Manor hauled the train carrying Sir Robert Reid to Great Malvern station on 20 May for the re-opening ceremony there.[7]
June 1988[edit | edit source]
34027 Taw Valley was re-named at a ceremony on 4 June. The locomotive also entered full service on the SVR, having been running-in since first steaming the previous year.[8]
The SVR advertised "'Western' Diesel operations - additional to basic service" on four days in the year, starting on 11 June followed by 9 July, 13 August and l0 September.[9]
Michael Draper officially opened the original dual-gauge Coalyard Miniature Railway at Kidderminster on 25 June.[10]
The Summer Steam Gala was held on 25-26 June.
July 1988[edit | edit source]
The reduced commitment to main line working (mainly due to BR's decision not to repeat the Cardigan Bay Express season in 1988)[7] gave the SVR the opportunity to loan Jinty 47383 to Swanage and HE 686 The Lady Armaghdale to Crewe Heritage Centre. Both returned in September.
-
LMS 8233 at Bridgnorth, 2 July
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Friday 15 July saw the closure of the last remaining part of the original Severn Valley Line, the short section at Shrewsbury which served the Esso oil depot on the site of the yard at Shrewsbury Abbey.[11]
August 1988[edit | edit source]
The first Hampton Loade station gala took place on Sunday 14 August. Attractions included a a 'portable' 5in gauge passenger carrying railway and the 'opening day' for the 15in gauge railway project.[12]
September 1988[edit | edit source]
SVR News did not mention that any locomotive visited for the Autumn Steam Gala on 24-25 September. A 'fully fit' Taw Valley was mentioned as a big crowd pleaser.
October 1988[edit | edit source]
The fourth Vintage Vehicle Sunday organised by The Erlestoke Manor Fund in aid of the restoration of 7802 Bradley Manor was held on Sunday 2 October.
The latter days of October saw 'an orgy of boiler smithing' to clear the area for construction of the new boiler shop, with four boilers all completed in record time.[13]
Guests at the October Diesel Weekend on 15-16 October were:
- D7018: Beyer Peacock Class 35 B-B
- D1041 Western Prince: B.R. Class 52 C-C
- D9516: B.R. Class 14 0-6-0
- 55016 Gordon Highlander: E.E. Class 55 Deltic Co-Co
- T305: Pressed Steel Company Class 117 DMU (51368, 59520, 51420)
- D335 (40135): E.E. Class 40 1Co-Co1
Following the Gala, Michael Draper referred to the 3-car chocolate and cream DMU in SVR News and stated "This has sparked off several serious enquiries about the advisability of the SVR operating a DMU set as a regular feature of our timetable. I happen to think the idea has considerable merit and we will let you know if and when we can progress the options".[14]
November 1988[edit | edit source]
The contract was let for construction of the boiler shop at Bridgnorth,[15] with a target completion date of April 1989. The main contracctors were Hickmans of Wolverhampton, with the principal sub-contractors Rubery Owen Steelwork for the frame of the building and crane rails, and Davy Morris of Loughborough for the overhead gantry crane.[13]
December 1988[edit | edit source]
Ticket sales for the Christmas services totalled 38,039 Santa tickets and 3,457 Mince Pie tickets.[1] The Coalyard Miniature Railway provided an added attraction and carried over 4,000 people.[10]
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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References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 SVR News 91, General Manager's Notes, Michael Draper
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 SVR News 88, p. 17.
- ↑ SVR News 88, p. 9.
- ↑ SVR News 87, p. 20.
- ↑ SVR News 88, Boardroom Notes
- ↑ SVR News 88, p. 32.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 SVR News 88, General Manager's Notes, Michael Draper
- ↑ SVR News 89, p. 19.
- ↑ SVR News 87, p. 10.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 SVR News 94, p. 35.
- ↑ SVR News 80, pp. 36-38, End of the Other End, David Mellor
- ↑ SVR News 94, pp. 38-40., Report from Hampton Loade, John Tennent
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 SVR News 91, pp. 14-15.
- ↑ SVR News 90, General Manager's Notes, Michael Draper
- ↑ SVR News 90, Boardroom Notes