Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2001
This page details events on the Severn Valley Railway during 2001.
The SVR began the year anticipating a poor year financially, with the 'boiler crisis' affecting the capacity for previously profitable contract work. This was quickly exacerbated by the 'Foot and Mouth' crisis, with Government publicity initially advising the public to 'stay away'. Although advice later changed to 'visit countryside attractions but don't stray onto farmland', early season visitor numbers were badly affected. Despite this, the Railway celebrated its five millionth passenger during the year which ended with passenger numbers totalling a record to date of 230,436.[1]
Page under construction / revision as of October 2025[update].
January 2001[edit | edit source]
All SVR trains became non-smoking on 1 January 2001. 8 man-hours per week for 7 weeks were required to apply period style transfers to the windows of the coach fleet.
Spring 2001[edit | edit source]
Water quality was being constantly monitored, with samples taken for testing each time a loco was filled. ‘Reverse Osmosis’ water treatment equipment had been ordered, and was in course of being installed.
Last year’s poor weather had resulted in a rock slide in Eymore Cutting, just south of Victoria Bridge. Permanent repairs were undertaken in the summer once approval had been received from English Nature, the area being a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).[2]
An appeal from Chris Magner appeared in the Spring edition of SVR News under the heading "The Bridgnorth Hazledine, Rastrick and Trevithick Project" seeking to form a group to celebrate the forthcoming (2008) bi-centenary of the building of Catch Me Who Can, includng the possible construction of a full sized working replica of the locomotive.[3]
March 2001[edit | edit source]
The Branch Line Gala was held on 3-4 March. The 'foot and mouth' outbreak saw passenger numbers 40% down on the previous year.[4] 9F 92212 took part before leaving at the end of its winter hire period. The other guest locomotives were:
Following the Gala, Bewdley Station was closed for 3 weeks for repairs to the footbridge and platform canopies.
April 2001[edit | edit source]
The annual Members Day event took place on Saturday 7 April. GWR 813 operated a shuttle between Kidderminster station and the new Carriage Shed.[5]
34027 Taw Valley returned to the Severn Valley Railway on 11 April, with former owner Bert Hitchen selling the locomotive to the SVR's Phil Swallow.[4] 34027 had been painted as 'Hogwarts Express' at the time, to promote the fourth Harry Potter book ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’.
On 13 April a Cheshire Railtours excursion from Barnstaple to Bridgnorth saw another InterCity 125 HST on the SVR.[4]
Visiting locomotives at the April Diesel Gala on 27-29 April included Virgin Trains' Class 47 no 47828 which was given the name "Severn Valley Railway". The event, which was held in the spring as an experiment, brought nearly 3,100 visitors, many buying two or three day rover tickets.[4]
8F 48773 became the first SVR locomotive to achieve 100,000 miles in preservation, a feat at that time only achieved by two locomotives on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.[6]
May 2001[edit | edit source]
The Railway held 'Day out with Thomas' weekends on 12-13 and 19-20 May.
On 23 May the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded the Kidderminster Railway Museum Trust Limited £177,500 for roof and canopy restoration, to provide additional storage space for the museum's collections and release further floorspace for new displays.[7]
August 2001[edit | edit source]
An area of land at Highley which was previously the colliery sidings came up for auction and was acquired by the SVR. This area is now the site of The Engine House.
September 2001[edit | edit source]
The Autumn Steam Gala featured the Princess Royal Locomotive Trust’s Stanier 8P Coronation class 46233 Duchess of Sutherland, LMS Hughes ‘Crab’ 42765 from the ELR and Dennis Howells’ Pannier 9466.
Locomotive Mileages[edit | edit source]
A table of locomotives used during the year is shown below.[8]
| Locomotive | Miles | Comment |
| 813 | 1,597 | |
| 1501 | 8,744 | Re-entered service |
| 5764 | 6,740 | Re-entered service |
| 7714 | 4,580 | Re-entered service after boiler overhaul at Crewe |
| 34027 Taw Valley | 6,210 | Including at least 2 main line railtours |
| 45110 | 10,676 | |
| 46443 | 456 | Re-entered service |
| 47373 | 2,465 | |
| 48773 | 11,304 | |
| 60009 Union of South Africa | 2,160 | Re-entered service mid year |
| 80079 | 6,160 | |
| 686 The Lady Armaghdale | 11 | Re-entered to service |
| Guests and others | 4,568 | |
| Total | 65,671 |
See also[edit | edit source]
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Notes[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ SVR(H) 2001 Annual Accounts, Chairman's Statement
- ↑ SVR News 135, p.11.
- ↑ SVR News 135, p.40.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 SVR News 136, General Manager's Notes, pp. 6-9
- ↑ SVR News 136, p. 19.
- ↑ SVR News 136, p. 53.
- ↑ HLF (retrieved 27 December 2016)
- ↑ SVR News Issue 152, p. 25., SVR Steam Locomotive Mileages 1990-2004 compiled by Graham Nangreave