Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2025

2025 marked the 60th year since preservation on the SVR began in 1965. The year also saw a year-long celebration, "Railway 200", marking 200 years of the modern railway since the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825.

Operations during the year were hampered by an embankment collapse at Mor Brook in January, and a period of extremely dry weather durng the summer resulting in a 'steam ban'.

January 2025

At midday on New Year's Day a nationwide 'whistle-up' took place to mark the start of Railway 200, involving up to 200 locomotives at more than 50 UK heritage railways. 75069 took part at Bridgnorth on behalf of the SVR, and also carried a headboard to mark the occasion.

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  Railway 200 headboard

7802 Bradley Manor returned to the SVR after an overhaul at Tyseley Locomotive Works which included replacement of the locomotives cylinders.

On 29 January the Railway announced that a serious embankment failure had occurred at Mor Brook, around 300 metres north of Sterns, with serious damage to approximately 30 metres of the track and track bed.

February 2025

The SVR received two Awards in the Heritage Railway Association Annual Awards. The Railway was joint winner of the "Achievement of the Year" category for their pioneering partnership with Network Rail (shared with the Downpatrick and County Down Railway for their recovery from serious flood damage). Eardington was the first winner of a new category, "Station of the Year".

April 2025

The Railway announced that it could proceed with repairs to the landslip at Mor Brook, following a decision by the company's insurers to settle its claim in respect of the incident.

The Spring Steam Gala included guest locomotives 6880 Betton Grange, 45596 Bahamas and former resident 45699 Galatea (last on the SVR between 1987 and 1994 in Ex-Barry Scrapyard condition). 7812 Erlestoke Manor and 7802 Bradley Manor operated together for the first time since 2017 in a rare double-header, thought to be the first time that both EMF Manors have worked together with 3500-gallon tenders.

May 2025

Catherine Martin succeeded Ian Latimer as station master at Arley. Remarkably, Ian had held that role since 1983. Rob Jones also succeeded Geoff Smith as station master at Kidderminster.

June 2025

On Saturday 21 June, shareholders at the SVR(H) AGM voted overwhelmingly to proceed with the conversion into a Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS) as part of the 'One Railway' restructuring.

The SVR announced that following completion of the repairs at Mor Brook, the railway would re-open on Friday 25 July with trains on the day hauled by 60103 Flying Scotsman, which would also take part in the Swinging Sixties event on 26-27 July. Tickets for 60103's trains on all three days were sold out in less than four minutes of going on sale.

July 2025

On 5-6 July the SVR held a Railway 200: Trains through the Ages event. Guest locomotive 46115 Scots Guardsman made a rare appearance on a heritage railway, while the Railway 200 Exhibition train 'Inspiration' and the HydroFLEX prototype bi-mode multiple unit appeared as static exhibits at Kidderminster.

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  46115 Scots Guardsman
• 
  'Inspiration' Exhibition train
• 
  HydroFLEX units

The railway re-opened on 25 July as planned, although the fire risk due to a lengthy dry spell meant that Flying Scotsman's trains on the day were assisted by Class 20 20142 Sir John Betjeman. The remaining Flying Scotsman trains on 26-28 July were operated without diesel assistance, but during the weekend's Swinging Sixties event only 7714 saw service on the Sunday, double-headed with 20142, all other services being diesel hauled.

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  60103 Flying Scotsman at Bridgnorth, 28 July

August 2025

The boiler of GWR Large Prairie 4150 successfully passed a hydraulic test on 4 August, marking the start of the locomotive's first '10-year ticket' since withdrawal in June 1965. A first fire was lit on 9 August (pictured), and the out-of-frames steam test was passed on Friday 29 August.

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  The boiler on 9 August 2025

On 9 August the members of the Guarantee Company voted overwhelmingly at the AGM in favour of the amalgamation with SVR(H), following the conversion of the latter company into a Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS).

September 2025

On Tuesday 2 September a new bracket signal at Kidderminster was lifted into place as part of a project to extend the length of the platforms by two coach lengths. The platform one starting signal was installed and commissioned ready for use in time for the Autumn Steam Gala later in the month.

On 6-7 September the railway staged a joint "SVR and GB Railfreight weekend", with modern traction represented by GBRf mainline diesel locomotives 57305, 66710, 66719 and 69015 operating on an air-braked set, plus 73107 and 73136 (which are dual-braked) operating on the GW set. GBRf also had 69016 on display after it had arrived with a rail tour on Friday evening. 4930 Hagley Hall, 40106 Atlantic Conveyor, D1062 Western Courier, 50033 Glorious and the DMU were also in service. Saturday 6 September was advertised as 40106's last day in service before leaving the SVR.

During the month it was announced that GWR 1450 and autocoach 238 Chaffinch had been sold by Pull Push Limited to an undisclosed buyer. The reoprt suggested that both were expected to remain at the SVR for the short to medium term but may move to another railway in the future.

The Autumn Steam Gala took place between Thursday 18 and Sunday 21 September. The event included overnight running on the Friday and Saturday nights, advertised as "Sixty hours non-stop running - to celebrate 60 years!". The event featured four first-time visitors to the railway:

• 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S N Co: SR Bullied Merchant Navy class 4-6-2 (first of the class to appear on the SVR)
• 47298: LMS Fowler class 3F Jinty 0-6-0T
• 73082 Camelot: BR Standard 5 class 4-6-0
• NCB No 49: WD Austerity 0-6-0ST, ex NCB Backworth Colliery, originally WD 75062

GWR 813 returned to service after lengthy repairs and an overhaul, temporarily carrying NCB Backworth Colliery livery as NCB No 11, with the two ex-Backworth locos operating a double-header on the Sunday. The event also saw the re-entry into service of GWR 9581 Wheelchair accessible Buffet Car after a conversion which began in 2017.

See also

• The Severn Valley Railway in preservation

Severn Valley Railway

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

Woodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation.

GB Railfreight, a main line rail freight operating company.

Locomotive with a 4-4-0 wheel configuration

Diesel Multiple Unit

Southern Railway

London Midland & Scottish Railway

Henry Fowler, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Midland Railway 1909-1923, and of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1923-1933

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

National Coal Board