Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2016

2016 timetable

This page details events on the Severn Valley Railway during 2016.

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January 2016

Work began on the major infrastructure project for the winter, re-sleepering around ½ mile of track near the summit of Eardington Bank and relaying with continuously welded rail (CWR). Work also began on refurbishing the platform canopy of Bewdley station.

On 13 January, David Postle announced that the plans for the redevelopment of Bridgnorth Station had been submitted to Shropshire Council.

February 2016

The SVR was announced as joint winner of the Heritage Railway Association Large Groups Award ‘for 50 glorious years and for celebrating in some style’.

The cosmetic overhaul of Sentinel VBT 9387 was completed.

• 
  Awaiting restoration (April 2015)
• 
  Restored at Sandford Station Railway Heritage Centre (September 2017)

March 2016

The Spring Steam Gala took place on 18-20 March. The visiting locomotives were:

• 6412: GWR Collett 6400 class 0-6-0PT (worked with the SVR's autocoaches)
• 6430: GWR Collett 6400 class 0-6-0PT (worked with the SVR's autocoaches)
• 6990 Witherslack Hall: GWR Hawksworth 6959 Modified Hall class 4-6-0 (did not run during the Gala due to a hot box, but was repaired in time to work service trains on the following 3 weekends)
• No 4 Edward Thomas: Talyllyn Railway Kerr Stuart 2ft 3in gauge 0-4-2T locomotive (gave footplate rides in the Engine House car park)

Although this was the first time 6990 had visited the SVR, her Hawksworth designed tender was previously on display in the Engine House behind 4930 Hagley Hall before being the subject of an exchange for a Collett style tender in 2013.

• 
  6412
• 
  6430
• 
  6990 Witherslack Hall
• 
  Edward Thomas

"Terence Cuneo - The Man and His Mouse", an exhibition showcasing the work of the famous railway artist opened at The Engine House on 18 March.

April 2016

Tickets to ride behind Flying Scotsman and Tornado at the autumn 'Pacific Power' event went on sale on 5 April. All 7,000 tickets were sold by the end of the day.

On 5 April LNER 7960 Kitchen Composite was displayed at King's Cross station in connection with the unveiling of a sculpture of Sir Nigel Gresley.

The first Open House Weekend, formerly known as the Members & Shareholders Weekend, was held on 16-17 April. Steam featured the SVR's two Manors and two Bulleids, with 1501 operating local services. 50049 Defiance returned to service following an overhaul. A number of model railway layouts were displayed at Highley and Kidderminster Railway Museum.

On Friday 22nd April, for the second year running, The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust ran a 3-coach special train "The Eardington Flyer" with GWR 1450 that stopped at Eardington for participants to alight for a look around.

On 30 April D9551 ran its first test runs at the SVR in an undressed state with side panels not fitted, with 50049 assisting. D8188 ran its first diagrammed passenger turn following return from overhaul.

May 2016

Wyre Forest District Council approved a Local Heritage List, identifying a number of historic buildings and structures on the SVR which are considered to be of value to the local historic environment although not protected by statutory designations (ie 'listed').

The 3-day 2016 Spring Diesel Festival saw 16 visiting locomotives in service, including GBRf Class 66 no 66763 which was named "Severn Valley Railway" at a ceremony on Friday 20 May. The London Underground 4TC set was used on 'local' services, while the 'Rudd' Ballast Wagons were used in a demonstration freight service.

The SVR announced that the SVR Charitable Trust had won a grant of £75,000 in a Department for Transport competition, for an ambitious scheme to transform the Railway’s travel offering for disabled passengers. The scheme was to involve the restoration and conversion of two 1950s carriages, and the purchase of lightweight, portable ramps for each of the Railway’s wheelchair-accessible carriages.

A routine inspection of visiting 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier found a burst air pipe under the no.2 nose end air intake grills which required repairs. The SVR offered the facilities of the new Diesel Depot.

June 2016

Issue 194 of Severn Valley Railway News marked 50 years of David Williams' editorship.

July 2016

Shropshire Council granted planning permission for the SVR's proposed redevelopment of Bridgnorth Station on 19 July 2016.

From July 11 evening and night testing of rebuilt Network Rail Class 73s Nos. 73952 and 73951 took place. They left on 3 August.

BBC4’s ‘Trainspotting Live’ on 13 July featured the SVR. BBC spent a day the previous month filming young volunteers and apprentices, the Diesel Depot and on the footplate of both a diesel and steam locomotive.

A 'Family Summer Saver offer' costing £39 was available from 23 July

Bridgnorth and Kidderminster Town (‘Kidderminster Old Station’) Stations became Pokéstops, part of the Pokémon Go craze.

August 2016

LNER 24506 Brake Third entered service following its restoration/conversion from former Gangwayed Full Brake/Pigeon Van 70759.

• 
  LNER Brake Third 24506

On 26 August the Guarantee Company AGM was held. Originally arranged for July, there were several errors in the Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2015 resulting from an earlier incorrect draft of the accounts being used by the printers. Directors took legal advice on the validity of the proceedings and decided that the AGM should be postponed.

On 26 August, 7812 Erlestoke Manor reached 100,000 miles in preservation.

The August bank holiday staged a 'Western Weekend' to celebrate 40 years since the end of Class 52 'Western' diesels in BR service (the actual 40th anniversary, falling in February 2017, was considered a less favourable time to hold a gala). SVR resident D1062 Western Courier was joined by The Diesel Traction Group's D1015 Western Champion.

September 2016

On 8 September, LNER-design 60163 'Tornado' brought Vintage Trains' 'Severn Valley Venturer' from London Victoria to Bridgnorth. 34027 Taw Valley was due to return the tour to Bewdley, but suffered a brake pump problem and 50049 Defiance ran instead. 66151 took over at Bewdley to haul 1Z75 back to London Victoria. The intention was for this to be a positioning move for Tornado to attend SVR's 'Pacific Power' event from September 21-26 but unavailability of other locomotives meant that she instead ran to Bristol on 9 September to haul the Torbay Express, returning to SVR metals on 12 September.

The 2016 Bridgnorth Beer Festival was cancelled due to the proposed Development Project work about to take place at the station.

On 15 September 2426 GWR Churchward 'Toplight' Third moved for the first time in 28 years, taken from Hampton Loade to Kidderminster Carriage and Wagon by D4100 'Dick Hardy', to begin its long path to assessment, woodworm removal then restoration. 4-wheel Riding/Dormitory Van No. 55 was delivered for use as temporary overnight volunteer accommodation.

On 17 September, newly overhauled BR Class 50 50031 Hood was re-dedicated in a ceremony at Kidderminster. The event marked two anniversaries; 100 years since the keel of HMS Hood was laid in 1916 and 75 years since the ship was sunk by the German battleship Bismark during World War 2.

The SVR staged 'Pacific Power' featuring the first meeting of LNER A1 60103 Flying Scotsman and LNER-design 60163 Tornado. On Wednesday 21 September, Flying Scotsman hauled three round trips for around 1,200 supporters of the SVR Charitable Trust. The next five days saw four round trips per day using one locomotive from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth and the other for the return. The special services ran with a full rake of 9 Gresley teaks, the first time that nine teak coaches have run together since 2 May 1964 (by then repainted into BR maroon). The visitors were supported by home locomotives including the SVR-based Pacifics Taw Valley and Sir Keith Park. The event, which saw a total of 15,267 visitors and a result of over £280,000, replaced the traditional Autumn Steam Gala.

• 
  60103 Flying Scotsman
• 
  60163 Tornado

The SVR and Auctus Apprentice Training Agency entered into a new partnership aimed at boosting the number of apprentices in the rail industry.

October 2016

On 22 October a new event at The Engine House, the Christmas Gift Fayre, was held for the first time.

On 22 October the Great Western (SVR) Association ran the 'Collett to Bridgnorth' special train from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth and back to celebrate the re-launch into service of Collett Brake Composite 6562.

November 2016

The SVR launched a share offer on 1 November, seeking to raise up to £2.5m towards the redevelopment of Bridgnorth station. Contractors arrived on site on 7 November to begin work on the first phase of the project, SVR staff and volunteers having already carried out some preliminary site clearance work.

The WLA’s AGM on 12 November incorporated a ‘SWINDON '16’ event to celebrate the purchase of D1062 Western Courier 40 years beforehand, the first ‘Western’ in preservation.

A three-day Season Finale Gala from 4 to 6 November was held featuring visiting locomotives:

• 4270: GWR Churchward 4200 class 2-8-0T
• 42765: [LMS 13065]: LMS Hughes 5MT 'Crab' Mogul
• 60163 Tornado: LNER Peppercorn A1 Pacific (making a return visit)

The event also saw the return from overhaul of ex-Port Talbot Railway 0-6-0ST 813.

• 
  4270
• 
  42765 [LMS 13065]
• 
  60163 Tornado

December 2016

GWR Collett 5700 class 0-6-0PT ‘Pannier Tank’ 7714 returned after overhaul with testing under load at Bridgnorth.

By the end of 1 December - exactly one month since the programme’s launch - applications to purchase shares in the railway at a price of £1 each had passed the half a million mark. and 650,000 by 23 December.

The National Railway Heritage Awards committee awarded Arley 'The Stagecoach Volunteers Award 2016' for their outstanding dedication to maintaining and preserving Arley station. Bewdley was “Highly Commended” in the 'Great Western Railway Craft Skills Award' category recognising their work on the major restoration of the unique island platform canopy of platforms 2 and 3.

The Festive Season trains from 26 December were sufficiently busy for an additional steam diagram to be added from 28 December to 2 January 2017.

All piling work was completed on the Bridgnorth development project, with work to start in January 2017 to produce the reinforced concrete ring beam to tie all the pile heads together.

See also

• The Severn Valley Railway in preservation

Severn Valley Railway

Great Western Railway

Charles Benjamin Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1922-1941

Frederick Hawksworth, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1941-1948

Locomotive with a 4-6-2 wheel configuration

Sir Nigel Gresley, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London & North Eastern Railway 1923-1941

GB Railfreight, a main line rail freight operating company.

London & North Eastern Railway

British Rail or British Railways

George Jackson Churchward, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1902-1922

London Midland & Scottish Railway

The British Railways system of classifying steam locomotives by power using a number from 0, least powerful, to 9, most powerful, followed by either F for freight, P for Passenger or MT for Mixed Traffic.

Locomotive with a 2-6-0 wheel configuration

In reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR)