Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2013
This page details events on the Severn Valley Railway during 2013.
February 2013[edit | edit source]
The October 2012 share offer had reached £1.2m. However, regarding the Bridgnorth Development Project which formed part of the offer, postings on social media and consultation meetings with members and shareholders had highlighted considerable opposition to the 'modernistic' architectural approach being planned for "Steamworks", as it was to have been called. A group had prepared an alternative design which became known as 'Plan B'. Following a consultation meeting in February 2013, the 'Plan B group were invited to meet with the project Working Group, while the SVR(H) Board also agreed to the formation of a Conservation and Heritage Committee, initially to be chaired by David Postle of Kidderminster Railway Museum.
350hp 0-6-0 diesel shunter 09 012 was purchased from the Harry Needle Company.
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09012 (April 2015)
The SVR confirmed that 80079 had not been sold, contrary to stories appearing in the press at the time.
The SVR, in common with other heritage railways, was experiencing problems obtaining supplies of coal following the closures of Daw Mill Colliery after a fire and of Scottish Coal which had gone into administration.
March 2013[edit | edit source]
The Spring Steam Gala on 22-24 March was hit by heavy snow, resulting in attendances being around half of the numbers expected. The Railway still managed to run the services as planned, including guests:
- 34007 Wadebridge : SR 'un-rebuilt' Bulleid West Country class Pacific (also in service the following weekend)
- 30065: Porter USA class 0-6-0T 'Yankee tank'
- 80072: BR Riddles Standard 4MT class 2-6-4T (also in service the following weekend)
- 1450: GWR Collett 1400 class 0-4-2T (not yet resident on the SVR)
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34007 Wadebridge (31 March) -
![30065 [SR 65]](https://pro-wiki.s3.amazonaws.com/4073723/thumb/1/1a/30065_SR_65_20130324.jpg/400px-30065_SR_65_20130324.jpg)
30065 [SR 65] -
80072 (31 March)
![30065 [SR 65]](/File:30065_SR_65_20130324.jpg)
The LNER (SVR) Coach Fund took delivery of a supply of teak for use in the teak set.[1] This was retrieved in 2011 from the submerged British merchant ship SS Pegu, which was torpedoed off Ireland during WW1.[2]
April 2013[edit | edit source]
In the 2012 SVR(H) accounts, the Chairman's statement noted that as at 16 April the October 2012 share issue had reached £1.4m. The statement added that "The draft architectural designs for the [Bridgnorth Development] project did not receive the levels of support required, in particular that the development would not be in keeping with the Great Western heritage of Bridgnorth Station Through the offices of David Postle, Manager of Kidderminster Railway Museum, a positive discussion between Company representatives and volunteers with expertise and knowledge of Great Western architecture and planning have come together and agreed on the principles for taking the project forward together. Conceptual designs of the project should be available in the second half of 2013."[3]
Summer 2013[edit | edit source]
The Furness Railway Trust's GWR 5600 class 0-6-2T No 5643 joined the SVR on hire for the rest of the year.
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5643 at Kidderminster (Sep 2013)
The Boards of SVR(H) and the Guarantee Company agreed to an exchange of tenders with the David Clarke Railway Trust, custodians of 6990 Witherslack Hall. The exchange suited both parties, as 4930 Hagley Hall would receive a 4000-gallon Collett fluted tender appropriate for a 1929-built locomotive, while 6990 would receive a Hawksworth straight-sided tender appropriate for a 1948-built Modified Hall.
August 2013[edit | edit source]
43106 returned to service after a mid-term overhaul which had lasted 8 months. The locomotive had required a new drag box to be fitted, and the opportunity was taken to overhaul the boiler at the same time.
A re-commissioning celebration for 34053 Sir Keith Park was held at Kidderminster. Guests included representatives of the owners Southern Locomotives Limited, veterans of the RAF who flew in the Battle of Britain, Terence Stevens Prior, the great-nephew of Sir Keith Park, and Oliver Bulleid, the grandson of the locomotive’s designer.
September 2013[edit | edit source]
The October 2012 share offer officially closed, having just passed a total of £2m out of the £4m sought.
During the Autumn Steam Gala on 19-22 September, passengers could pay a £5 supplement to travel in Victorian first-class style between Hampton Loade and Bridgnorth in Metropolitan Railway 'Jubilee' carriage No. 353. The event saw visits from:
- 46233 Duchess of Sutherland: LMS Stanier 8P Princess Coronation class Pacific (replacing the booked 70000 Britannia)
- 30925 Cheltenham [SR 925]: SR Maunsell V Schools class 4-4-0 (replacing the booked SR 850 Lord Nelson)
- No 1: Metropolitan Railway Clark E class 0-4-4T
- 4936 Kinlet Hall: GWR Collett 4900 Hall Class 4-6-0 (remained on hire over the winter)
- No 3 Sir Haydn: Corris Railway 0-4-2T 2ft 3in gauge locomotive, transported in part of a goods train on the back of Flat ED B906811 (spent the winter on display in the Engine House)
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46233 Duchess of Sutherland -
![30925 Cheltenham [SR 925]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/Schools_Class_V_No_925_Cheltenham_%289841578884%29.jpg/960px-Schools_Class_V_No_925_Cheltenham_%289841578884%29.jpg)
30925 Cheltenham [SR 925] -
Metropolitan No 1 -
4936 Kinlet Hall -
Sir Haydn
![30925 Cheltenham [SR 925]](/File:Schools_Class_V_No_925_Cheltenham_(9841578884).jpg)
.jpg)
An SVR Family Campaign launched, to increase family visitors and to build a sustainable base level of passengers by showcasing the Railway as a great family day out in its own right on a ‘normal’ operating day. It featured TV adverts, posters on key high traffic sites, adverts in local magazines and newspapers, adverts on London Midland trains and posts on social media.
The SVR leased a unit at Stanmore Industrial Estate, Bridgnorth to clear the MPD of stores and what was affectionately known as 'Tranter Towers'. The cleared space was to allow for the relocation of some workshop machinery and open up further space for locomotive overhaul.
S&T rewired Hampton Loade signal box from 9 September, with an amended timetable in operation.
The Great Western (SVR) Association ran a special train on 18 September to mark the completion of GWR Saloon 9103. This was the first chance to see the tthree saloons 9055, 9369 and 9103 together. The train included a stop at Bewdley to view progress on GWR Collett open brake third 650.
October 2013[edit | edit source]
On 6 October a special Shareholders' and Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust day was held at The Engine House to witness the removal of GWR 4930 Hagley Hall.[4]
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4930 Hagley Hall with Hawksworth tender leaving Highley on 6 October
Gala visitors No. 925 'Cheltenham' and No. 4936 'Kinlet Hall' additionally operated service trains on 12 and 13 October.
The Lord Lieutenants of Worcestershire and Shropshire presented The Queen's Award for Volunteering on 21 October.
November 2013[edit | edit source]
On 2 November the 'Blue Bell Explorer' rail tour hauled by 70013 Oliver Cromwell ran from Bridgnorth to the Bluebell Railway in Sussex, becoming the first rail tour to use the newly re-signalled main line connection at Kidderminster. 47580 County of Essex worked the return trip.[5]
December 2013[edit | edit source]
Large Prairie 5164 retired from service at the end of the 2013 season, running its last public passenger trains on 5 January 2014.
See also[edit | edit source]
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