Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2024

In 2024 the continuing financial difficulties saw SVR(H) enter the year after a fourth consecutive large annual loss, notwithstanding a profit of £250,000 from the sale of 45110 and £725,000 in grants from the Charitable Trust. The 2023 figure of £641,224 gave an accumulated 2020-23 loss exceeding £1.96 million. Early 2024 saw phase 2 of the project to re-lay Bridgnorth Loco Works' yard. The year marked the 50th anniversary of the reopening from Hampton Loade to Bewdley, and the 40th anniversary of the reopening to Kidderminster Town.

January 2024

The 2023 season ended with the SVR's first Winter Steam Gala on 6-7 January 2024. The event saw a return to passenger services after a lengthy overhaul for Stanier Mogul 2968 and also saw the retirement of 'Flying Pig' 43106 at the end of its ticket. It attracted more than 2,500 paying passengers, with revenue twice as much as had been expected.

An indication of the continuing trading difficulties was 2023 had generated just 6,516 more ticket sales than COVID-19’s 2021 (which had no services until April, followed by restricted numbers until September). This was despite 2023 having two extra galas and visitors having an incentive of a free return ticket. It was just 69% of the tickets sold in the last pre-pandemic year, 2019.

February 2024

SVR individuals and groups won three HRA awards.

February half-term services were reintroduced.

March 2024

The SVR gained a few more yards of infrastructure when 50035 was used to test out the new Foley Park sidings and ground frame, the first locomotive to access it.

LNER-designed Peppercorn Class A2 No. 60532 Blue Peter arrived for running in and testing, following overhaul, in preparation for its future mainline duties. The Railway commemorated on social media the 50th anniversary of the recommissioning of Highley signal box on 2 March 1974, prior to the recommencement of services from Hampton Loade to Highley in April of that year. Otherwise the 50th anniversaries of the southwards extensions to Bewdley (May 1974) were unpublicised, ahead of celebrations of Kidderminster Station 40th Anniversary in July.

April 2024

The Spring Steam Gala took place on 18-21 April. New-build locomotive 6880 ‘Betton Grange’ did not appear for what would have been its first runs in traffic, as there was insufficient time to organise transport and allow sufficient loaded testing for it to take part. The guest locomotives were:

• 29: Lambton Collieries 0-6-2T of 1904
• 32636 Fenchurch [LBSCR 72]: LBSCR Stroudley A1X Terrier class 0-6-0T
• 1369: GWR Collett 1366 class 0-6-0PT
• 60532 Blue Peter: LNER Peppercorn A2 Pacific (on static display at Kidderminster)

• 
  60532 Blue Peter on static display

Replica GWR cast signs were stolen from Hampton Loade, and lamps from Eardington.

May 2024

A shunt took place at The Engine House on 7 May, with 686 The Lady Armaghdale returning from a period in storage at Kidderminster Carriage Shed in exchange for LMS Jinty 47383.

The Charitable Trust's Survival Fund, launched in April 2023, was wound up with £500,000 raised of the £1,500,000 target. At the same time Severn Valley Railway Company Limited launched a new SVR Resilience Fund, 'aimed at supporting its operational resilience in the coming years', with no specified fundraising target amount.

June 2024

On 3 June the partly assembled firebox, boiler shell and smokebox destined for new-build BR 3MT 82045 was lowered into the frames for the first time in the boiler shop, for a successful 'trial fit'. It was then removed for further work towards completion.

Barry Railway Carriage 163 left the SVR.

A special Supporters’ Day was arranged, on a non-public service day. Over 1,300 shareholders, members and Charitable Trust patrons and guardians enjoyed a complimentary day out on the line, with an intensive timetable and special behind-the-scenes activities on offer.

GWR Churchward 2900 Saint class 4-6-0 2999 Lady of Legend arrived for an extended visit as cover for the home fleet, prior to an Autumn Gala appearance.

July 2024

On 27-28 July the railway operated special services to celebrate Kidderminster Station's 40th Anniversary.

A 46-foot long solid steel artwork depicting 4930 Hagley Hall was unveiled on platform 2 at Kidderminster mainline station. The work was the initiative of the 'Wyre Forest & District u3a Station Adopters group'.

• 
  The mural in July 2024

August 2024

Kidderminster led the way in testing new ETCS (European Train Control System) digital signalling. Hitachi tested some Network Rail Class 43 power cars that were being fitted with ETCS for the NR 'New Measurement Train', as part of the East Coast Main Line resignalling. It involved placing test balises on the track at Kidderminster to make sure the vehicles could transition to different ETCS levels.

On 27 August The Erlestoke Manor Fund and The 2857 Society announced an agreement under which GWR 7802 Bradley Manor will re-enter service paired with the tender from out-of-ticket 2857 for a period of 12-15 months while the EMF completes the building of a new 3500 Gallon tender for 7802.

September 2024

The SVR announced that permanent home fleet was to increase with the addition of a three-carriage Class 101 Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU), formerly based at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway.

SVR(H) was fined £40,000 plus £48,000 costs after pleading guilty to offences after an investigation and prosecution by the Office of Rail and Road. An incident happened in 2021 at Bridgnorth Loco Works where an employee suffered serious injuries after a fall. The railway apologised to the person and their family, and had since brought in a 'raft of measures'.

The Autumn Steam Gala took place on 19-22 September. The guest locomotives were:

• GWR 2999 Lady of Legend: GWR Churchward 2900 Saint class 4-6-0
• 44932: LMS Stanier 5MT 4-6-0 (first visit to SVR & to a heritage railway since 1990's)
• 45596 Bahamas: LMS Stanier Jubilee 6P class 4-6-0 (first visit since 1994)
• 51456 [LMS 11456]: L&Y Aspinall class 23 0-6-0ST (first visit to SVR & appearance in LMS black)

2999 Lady of Legend 45596 Bahamas were both rostered for passenger services for several weeks before their appearances at the Gala.

Judith Meredith became the sixth Chair of the Charitable Trust since 2019.

October 2024

4,104 visitors attended the Autumn Diesel Bash which took place on 3-6 October, a 12% increase from 2023 and 29% ahead of the event budget.

Gala visitor 58023 hauled the first UK Class 58 passenger working since 2002. The Class 58 was planned an extended stay at the Railway to appear on footplate experience courses and at both the 2024 Winter and 2025 Spring Galas.

November 2024

On 16 and 17 November, when the railway would normally be closed, an 'HST Running Weekend' was held. The HST set provided by the GWR train operating company operated three return trips each day between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth stopping at Bewdley only. The set comprised BR Class 43 power cars 43094 and 43122 with HST trailer cars 49102, 48104, 48108 and 48106 (de-branded ex Great Western Railway 'Castle' HST).

December 2024

The SVR announced plans for a 'bold restructure', intended to bring together the three separate companies that currently make up the SVR into a new 'One Railway' structure. Subject to approval by the Railway's shareholders and members at EGM's in 2025, this would be achieved in stages by i) the conversion of SVR(H) into a Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS), ii) the amalgamation of the newly formed CCBS with the Guarantee Company, and iii) the inclusion of the Charitable Trust with the CCBS as soon as its circumstances allow.

See also

• The Severn Valley Railway in preservation

Severn Valley Railway

William Stanier, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1932-1944

Locomotive with a 2-6-0 wheel configuration

London Brighton & South Coast Railway

William Stroudley, locomotive superintendent of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway 1870-1889

Great Western Railway

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

London & North Eastern Railway

Locomotive with a 4-6-2 wheel configuration

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

Network Rail

Diesel Multiple Unit

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.

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.

British Rail or British Railways