Difference between revisions of "Severn Valley Limited"
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[[File:Severn_Valley_Limited_20150426.jpg |thumb|300px|right| The Severn Valley Limited dining train]] | [[File:Severn_Valley_Limited_20150426.jpg |thumb|300px|right| The Severn Valley Limited dining train]] | ||
| − | The Severn Valley Limited is a full length dining train, typically of | + | The Severn Valley Limited is a full length dining train, typically of four to six carriages, running on Sundays. The carriages used are the GWR / BR(W) chocolate and cream set referred to as [[Carriages#Set S | Set S]]. This facilitates the use of the smaller engines and for saloon charters to be attached to it. |
| − | The train does one full return trip from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth, normally departing from the dock platform nearest the museum, with food served on the outward leg of the journey. The service is pre-book only. | + | ==Operation== |
| + | The train does one full return trip from [[Kidderminster]] to [[Bridgnorth]], normally departing from the dock platform nearest the museum and using platform 2 at Bridgnorth, with food served on the outward leg of the journey. The service is pre-book only. | ||
| − | + | ===Operation until 2012=== | |
| + | The Severn Valley Limited first ran in summer 1978<ref>SVR News 49</ref>. Until 2012 the train also carried limited seating for non-dining passengers. | ||
| − | The Severn Valley | + | ===Operation 2013-2016=== |
| + | From 2013-16 it ran as a dedicated train with only one pre-booked sitting, not featured in the public timetable. It was fomed as a five carriage train and had available only the 30 seats in the brake for non-diners, and so did not carry standard passengers. It was timetabled with restricted stops and in the down direction stopped only at [[Bewdley]] and [[Hampton Loade]] for pathing, crossing the up trains, otherwise running non-stop to Bridgnorth. On the return it stopped to set down at [[Highley]], so diners could opt to visit [[The Engine House]], then running fast to Kidderminster.<ref>[http://forum.svra.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=2774 'Why is SVR Limited now just for diners?', SVR Online forum] (Retrieved 19 March 2017)</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Operation from 2017=== | ||
| + | From 2017 it again appears in the public timetable, with limited public seating. All trains, including the diner, have been pathed to standard timings and have additional dwell time at stations built in to assist in making up time if the service runs late. The 'Limited' set S was reduced to four coaches in order to allow the railway to operate smaller locomotives during the week, although a saloon may be added. On a Sunday the ‘Limited’ has two vehicles added to allow three coaches for standard passenger accommodation to reduce the gap in the passenger service. Where possible, the set runs as a maximum six coach length train, again in order to assist the use of smaller motive power.<ref>[http://www.svrlive.com/2017-working-timetables Steven Chapple Operations Manager in '2017 Working Timetables', SVRLive, 17 February 2017] (Retrieved 19 March 2017)</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Wheelchair access== | ||
| + | There is no wheelchair access. The second phase of the SVR's wheelchair project involves rebuilding [[BR 80776 Brake Gangwayed|BR brake 80776]] to provide dining accommodation for up to 16 wheelchair users in [[Carriages#Set S | Set S]]. [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd | SVR Charitable Trust]] Chairman Hugh McQuade in 2016 explained "We’ve come up with an innovative zig-zag layout for the tables, that means we can allow for many different configurations of wheelchairs and conventional seating. As far as we know, nothing like this exists anywhere else in Britain. The expansion of the Railway’s existing wheelchair-accessible fleet and the creation of a dedicated dining car mean that we’ll be able to offer charter and party facilities for large groups of people with disabilities.<ref>[http://www.svrlive.com/wheelchair-access 'Charitable Trust wins £75k!', SVRLive, 25 May 2016] (Retrieved 19 March 2017)</ref> | ||
== Links == | == Links == | ||
Revision as of 11:23, 19 March 2017
The Severn Valley Limited is a full length dining train, typically of four to six carriages, running on Sundays. The carriages used are the GWRGreat Western Railway / BRBritish Rail or British Railways(W) chocolate and cream set referred to as Set S. This facilitates the use of the smaller engines and for saloon charters to be attached to it.
Operation
The train does one full return trip from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth, normally departing from the dock platform nearest the museum and using platform 2 at Bridgnorth, with food served on the outward leg of the journey. The service is pre-book only.
Operation until 2012
The Severn Valley Limited first ran in summer 1978[1]. Until 2012 the train also carried limited seating for non-dining passengers.
Operation 2013-2016
From 2013-16 it ran as a dedicated train with only one pre-booked sitting, not featured in the public timetable. It was fomed as a five carriage train and had available only the 30 seats in the brake for non-diners, and so did not carry standard passengers. It was timetabled with restricted stops and in the down direction stopped only at Bewdley and Hampton Loade for pathing, crossing the up trains, otherwise running non-stop to Bridgnorth. On the return it stopped to set down at Highley, so diners could opt to visit The Engine House, then running fast to Kidderminster.[2]
Operation from 2017
From 2017 it again appears in the public timetable, with limited public seating. All trains, including the diner, have been pathed to standard timings and have additional dwell time at stations built in to assist in making up time if the service runs late. The 'Limited' set S was reduced to four coaches in order to allow the railway to operate smaller locomotives during the week, although a saloon may be added. On a Sunday the ‘Limited’ has two vehicles added to allow three coaches for standard passenger accommodation to reduce the gap in the passenger service. Where possible, the set runs as a maximum six coach length train, again in order to assist the use of smaller motive power.[3]
Wheelchair access
There is no wheelchair access. The second phase of the SVRSevern Valley Railway's wheelchair project involves rebuilding BR brake 80776 to provide dining accommodation for up to 16 wheelchair users in Set S. SVR Charitable Trust Chairman Hugh McQuade in 2016 explained "We’ve come up with an innovative zig-zag layout for the tables, that means we can allow for many different configurations of wheelchairs and conventional seating. As far as we know, nothing like this exists anywhere else in Britain. The expansion of the Railway’s existing wheelchair-accessible fleet and the creation of a dedicated dining car mean that we’ll be able to offer charter and party facilities for large groups of people with disabilities.[4]
Links
Dining train information and booking on www.svr.co.uk
References
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 49
- ↑ 'Why is SVR Limited now just for diners?', SVR Online forum (Retrieved 19 March 2017)
- ↑ Steven Chapple Operations Manager in '2017 Working Timetables', SVRLive, 17 February 2017 (Retrieved 19 March 2017)
- ↑ 'Charitable Trust wins £75k!', SVRLive, 25 May 2016 (Retrieved 19 March 2017)
See Also
Severn Valley Venturer Two dining carriages attached to a normal service train
