BR Standard Class 7 70000 Britannia

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70000 Britannia in April 2012

BR Standard Class 7 No 70000 Britannia was resident on the SVR between 1971 and 1989.

70000 Britannia was the first of the R.A. Riddles designed British Railways standard locomotives to be built, emerging from the Crewe workshops in January 1951. During BR service 70000 was chosen to haul the funeral train of King George VI from King's Lynn to London following his death in February 1952. Britannia was withdrawn from service by BR in May 1966, after 15 years of service.

Initially 70000 was stored as a candidate for the National Railway Museum’s National Collection. However, due to her prototype design and construction differences, the NRM selected 70013 Oliver Cromwell, instead. Britannia was eventually bought by Britannia Locomotive Company Ltd.

Britannia arrived at the SVR in April 1971 for restoration to be completed. This was achieved in May 1978, 12 years, after the locomotive had last steamed. 70000 was renamed ‘Britannia’ at a ceremony on 20 May 1978 by Mr R A Riddles, the locomotive’s designer. However the locomotive saw minimal use on the SVR before departing onto the main line, as its weight of 94 tons and axle load of 20 tons 5cwt made it too heavy for the line at the time - in particular it was not allowed over Victoria Bridge with a full boiler[1].

Britannia left the SVR in spring 1989. After a period of ownership by Pete Waterman, the locomotive was bought by Jeremy Hosking and was transferred to the Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust [2]. As of February 2015 it is operated on the main line by Icons of Steam[3]. Britannia returned as a guest locomotive for the 2015 Autumn Steam Gala.

Sources

SVR News

  1. The Severn Valley Railway, John Marshall (1989), p181.
  2. Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust web page Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  3. Icons of Steam Retrieved 25 February 2015.

See also

SVR Wiki

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Welcome to the Severn Valley Railway Wiki

From this week's featured article
Trimpley Reservoir can be seen to the west of the line between Bewdley and Arley. The reservoir, which is managed by Severn Trent Water, was opened in 1968 and covers 29 acres. It is open to the public and is used by the Trimpley Sailing Club, while other activities include angling, wildlife watching and walking. (Full article...)
Schematic Map of the SVRSevern Valley Railway
BridgnorthEardingtonHampton LoadeCountry Park HaltHighleyThe Engine HouseArleyVictoria BridgeNorthwood HaltWyre Forest LineBewdleyStourport BranchBewdley TunnelConnection to Network RailKidderminsterMaps#Schematic maps of the pre-closure SVRMapandlinks.png
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larger interactive version

For 101 years between 1862 and 1963, the Severn Valley Railway formed part of the national railway network, running for 40 miles between Hartlebury and Shrewsbury. Established as a separate company, it was mainly operated by the Great Western Railway (GWRGreat Western Railway) and later by British Railways (BRBritish Rail or British Railways).

The present day Severn Valley Railway (SVRSevern Valley Railway) was established in 1965 to preserve part of the line as a heritage railway. Today it has six stations and two halts and runs for 16 miles along the Severn Valley between Bridgnorth in Shropshire and Kidderminster in Worcestershire, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route. Operations involve a mixture of steam and heritage diesel-hauled services.

This unofficial website is a project aimed to collect information and record events relating to the SVRSevern Valley Railway, both past and present.

For timetables, fare information, and news about special events, please visit the SVR Official Website. Other news and information of interest to members, shareholders and enthusiasts can be found on SVRLive.

In April 2023 the SVRSevern Valley Railway announced the launch of a Survival Fund to enable it to overcome the current financial crisis and implement longer-term plans for its future. Information and details of how to donate may be found on the SVRSevern Valley Railway's Survival Fund page.

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