Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1980-1989
Significant events in the history of the Severn Valley Railway in preservation between 1980 and 1989 are set out below.
Contents
1980
Over the winter of 1979-80, major engineering work was carried out on Victoria Bridge, including replacement of the bridge decking and a complete repaint. 1980 again saw BR providing a DMU service from Kidderminster to the SVR at Bewdley on summer Saturdays and Bank Holidays.
May 1980:
- SVR participants in the grand parade at the Rocket 150 celebrations at Rainhill were 3205, 43106, 45000, 600 Gordon, 80079, D1062 Western Courier and 3 coaches. 3020 Cornwall was also due to take part, but was forced to withdraw when the BR boiler inspector put his hammer right through the front ring of the boiler barrel!
- The Railway played host to two incoming main line rail tours through to Bridgnorth on the same day. The Bridgnorth station announcer took the opportunity to make an announcement surely never heard before or since, “The next service will call at Bewdley, Basingstoke, Winchester, Eastleigh and Southampton. Change at Bewdley for Leeds, Keighley, Haworth and Oxenhope.” The two 10-coach tours passed at Arley, the only loop large enough to handle the crossing.
June 1980:
- The SVR membership exceeded 10,000 for the first time.
- The Great Western Weekend saw 7 of the SVR’s GWR engines in action.
September 1980:
- In the annual Enthusiasts Weekend, considered the most successful to date, 12 SVR locomotives were in steam including 45690 Leander which had just returned from main line duties for an overhaul.
Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:
Locomotive | 1979 | Total | Notes |
4930 Hagley Hall | 4,225 | 4,870 | |
7819 Hinton Manor | 3,775 | 15,825 | |
43106 | 3,420 | 17,617 | Return from overhaul. |
45000 | 3,130 | 4,780 | |
45110 | 2,615 | 21,185 | |
6960 Raveningham Hall | 2,300 | 9,110 | |
80079 | 2,260 | 12,205 | |
5164 | 1,765 | 2,275 | |
600 Gordon | 1,710 | 9,775 | |
5764 | 1,650 | 12,087 | |
46521 | 1,470 | 12,775 | Return from overhaul. |
7812 Erlestoke Manor | 1,300 | 1,765 | |
3205 | 1,128 | 3,556 | |
48773 | 735 | 16,610 | |
45690 Leander | 495 | 495 | Entry into service following arrival. |
WD 193 Shropshire | 435 | 9,895 | |
2857 | 195 | 215 | |
Other | - | 59,051 | |
Total | 32,608 | 214,091 |
1981
In 1981, Eardington was reinstated as a request stop in the timetble. BR again ran a limited DMU shuttle service between Kidderminster and the SVR at Bewdley. The SVR continued to provide locomotives to work on main line rail tours from Hereford and elsewhere.
January 1981:
- 4930 and 45000 departed for Hereford on main line duties, accompanied by WD 193 which left on loan to the 6000 LA group based there. The 4-6-0s would return in April, 193’s loan would be extended.
March 1981:
- The first public main line excursion from Bridgnorth ran on 14 March. The 11-coach ‘Severn Valley Crusader’ to Paddington was hauled to Bewdley by 7819 and 46521, where two BR class 25s took over.
June 1981:
- The newly installed ex-Whitchurch water tower at Highley was used for the first time.
September 1981:
- Enthusiasts Weekend was scheduled to include 10 SVR locomotives in steam (SVR news does not confirm the final number).
Late 1981:
- WD 193’s loan to Hereford was extended, while 45690 Leander left following completion of the overhaul begun the previous year. 3020 Cornwall was to return to the NRM until funds could be found for its overhaul.
December 1981:
- The Santa steam specials struggled thorough in the worst winter weather seen in 31 years, with snow and daytime temperatures of -25°C hampering operations.
- Filming for an episode of ITV’s ‘Game for a Laugh’ took place, involving musician and entertainer Joe Brown firing 80079, repeating a job he previously did for BR while a fireman at Plaistow.
Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded (including mileage on BR while SVR-based) were as follows:
Locomotive | 1979 | Total | Notes |
80079 | 5,457 | 17,662 | |
4930 Hagley Hall | 4,746 | 9,616 | |
5164 | 4,451 | 6,726 | |
43106 | 3,466 | 21,083 | |
45000 | 2,857 | 7,637 | |
7819 Hinton Manor | 2,539 | 18,364 | |
6960 Raveningham Hall | 2,382 | 11,492 | |
46521 | 1,944 | 14,719 | |
3205 | 1,745 | 5,301 | |
600 Gordon | 1,060 | 10,835 | |
5764 | 886 | 12,973 | |
45690 Leander | 450 | 945 | |
WD 193 Shropshire | 160 | 10,055 | |
686 The Lady Armaghdale | 10 | 494 | Return from overhaul. |
Other | - | 98,342 | |
Total | 32,153 | 246,244 |
1982
By May 1982 traffic from the BSC factory at Foley Park had ceased, and the Directors of the SVR were ‘keeping a close watch’ on the situation.
May 1982: 7029 Clun Castle visited the railway for two weeks, including the Great Western Weekend.
September 1982: 3020 Cornwall returned to York. The cost of repairs to the boiler, which had been condemned in May 1980, were deemed too expensive by the SVR and the Department of Education and Science.
November 1982: The line was severed south of Bridgnorth as construction of the Bewdley Bypass began, involving construction of the new Bridgnorth Bypass Bridge. Work would continue throughout that winter.
December 1982: The Santa services saw more than 20,000 passengers for the first time.
Locomotives used and mileages recorded were as follows:
Locomotive | 1982 | Total | |
7812 Erlestoke Manor | 5,825 | 7,590 | Return from overhaul. |
4930 Hagley Hall | 5,577 | 15,193 | |
5164 | 4,379 | 11,105 | |
43106 | 3,893 | 24,976 | |
45000 | 2,936 | 10,573 | |
46521 | 1,901 | 16,620 | |
3205 | 1,842 | 7,143 | |
80079 | 1,776 | 19,438 | |
600 Gordon | 1,745 | 12,580 | |
5764 | 852 | 13,825 | |
WD 193 Shropshire | 100 | 10,155 | |
686 The Lady Armaghdale | 80 | 574 | |
47373 | 30 | 9,780 | Return from overhaul. |
Other not in service / left | - | 116,983 | |
Total | 30,291 | 276,535 |
1983
1983 was a year of anticipation, as the SVR moved ever closer to its goal of reaching Kidderminster.
March 1983:
- Bridgnorth by-pass was completed on time and within budget. The line re-opened on 5 March 1983, with 80079 hauling the first passengers across the new bridge.
- 30777 Sir Lamiel arrived for a one month visit to the SVR.
April 1983: On Saturday 30 April, less than 2 months after re-opening, Bridgnorth was again isolated. A major collapse of the embankment occurred just south of the new Bridge, closing the line and the riverside road to Highley below it.
May 1983:
- 90220 Evening Star arrived for a two week visit. Fortunately Sir Lamiel was south of the embankment collapse at the time, so both visitors were able to work between Bewdley and Hampton Loade during their stay. The collapse also affected the Western Locomotive Association’s Spring Diesel Weekend. It was the third time in five years this had happened, following previous collapses at Sterns and Folly Point.
- Work took place 14 hours per day 7 days per week to repair the line. Shropshire County Council deployed their direct labour force on a ‘without prejudice’ basis and worked jointly with the SVR to reopen the line on Wednesday 18 May. 90220 Evening Star had the dubious honour of hauling the first service over the repaired embankment.
- Kidderminster Goods Depot was formally closed by BR on 16 May, and negotiations began in earnest with BR on leasing an area of land in the freight yard to establish the SVR’s proposed new station.
Late 1983:
- The SVR launched a share issue to raise money for the new station. The initial target was £300,000 with a minimum of £90,000 by the end of February 1984. (£230,000 was achieved by the deadline, the total exceeded £370,000).
- The Board announced a number of changes to the locomotive fleet. 45690 Leander had been acquired from ‘Leander Locomotive Limited’ (LLL). The purchase also included unrestored sister 45699 Galatea, then at Carnforth, which could be restored or used as a source of spares for Leander. To finance the deal, the Ivatt Class 2 46443 had been sold to LLL and would move to Loughborough in June/July 1984. Finally WD 193, which had been on loan to Hereford since January 1981, was in the process of being sold.
December 1983: Four locos hauled more than 30,000 passengers on the Santa services. A decade earlier a single saddle tank WD 193 had done the job single-handed.
Locomotives used and mileages recorded were as follows:
Locomotive | 1983 | Total | Note |
7812 Erlestoke Manor | 5,486 | 13,076 | |
80079 | 4,663 | 24,101 | |
45000 | 4,551 | 15,124 | |
43106 | 3,924 | 28,900 | |
4930 Hagley Hall | 3,445 | 18,638 | |
5164 | 3,291 | 14,396 | |
46521 | 3,178 | 19,798 | |
47373 | 1,648 | 11,428 | |
600 Gordon | 1,266 | 13,846 | |
3205 | 756 | 7,899 | |
686 The Lady Armaghdale | 205 | 779 | |
6960 Raveningham Hall | 115 | 11,607 | Return from overhaul. |
Other not in service / left | - | 129,471 | |
Total | 32,528 | 309,063 |
1984
July 1984: Kidderminster Station was opened on 31 July 1984. Trains ran over the full 16 miles from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster for the first time in the preservation-era.
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
References and sources
Information is from past editions of Severn Valley Railway News unless otherwise stated. Locomotive mileages for 1980 taken from SVR News #58 Winter 1980/81, page 34, "Steam Locomotive Mileages for the Decade".