Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979
Significant events in the history of the Severn Valley Railway in preservation between 1970 and 1979 are set out below.
1970
The SVRSevern Valley Railway is granted a light railway order, allowing the line to be oficially opened between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade in May.
- January 1970: Passenger services between Bewdley, Kidderminster and Hartlebury are withdrawn by BRBritish Rail or British Railways.
- May 1970: The Light Railway Order is granted allowing public services to start. 23 May 1970 sees the official opening of the Severn Valley Railway, with the first public trains running between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade. Loco 3205 hauls the first service, while 46443, 43106 and 48773 are also used over the weekend. Trains run at weekends until the end of October.
- August 1970: 45110 and 4566 arrive on 20 and 25 August respectively.
- November: 1501 arrives on 7 November.
The total mileages recorded by the SVRSevern Valley Railway’s steam locomotives at the end of 1970 were as follows:
| Locomotive | 1967-1970 |
| 46443 | 2,104 |
| 43106 | 1,340 |
| WD 193 Shropshire | 1,021 |
| 3205 | 900 |
| 48773 | 445 |
| 45110 | 398 |
| 1738 | 2 |
| Total | 6,210 |
No further use of 1738 was recorded in the 1970s.
1971
Services again run between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade.
- March 1971: 46521 arrives from BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. on 20 March. The loco will become the first BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. restoration to enter service on the SVRSevern Valley Railway in 1974.
- April 1971: 70000 Britannia arrives on 9 April. On 10 April a summer timetable begins between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade, running until 30 October.
- May 1971: 80079 arrives on 15 May.
- June 1971: 5764 arrives on 19 June.
- August: WD 193 arrives on 7 August.
- September: LMR 600 Gordon arrives on 20/9/1971, on loan from The Transport Trust.
Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:
| Locomotive | 1971 | Total |
| 45110 | 1,401 | 1,799 |
| 43106 | 1,252 | 2,592 |
| 46443 | 969 | 3,073 |
| 5764 | 925 | 925 |
| 48773 | 440 | 885 |
| 686 The Lady Armaghdale | 289 | 289 |
| 2047 Warwickshire | 196 | 196 |
| WD 193 Shropshire | 88 | 1,109 |
| 3205 | 80 | 980 |
| Other | - | 2 |
| Total | 5,640 | 11,850 |
1972
- September 1972: 61994 The Great Marquess (LNERLondon & North Eastern Railway 3442) arrives on 9 September.
Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:
| Locomotive | 1972 | Total |
| 46443 | 2,082 | 5,155 |
| 48773 | 1,105 | 1,990 |
| 3205 | 701 | 1,681 |
| WD 193 Shropshire | 701 | 1,810 |
| 5764 | 542 | 1,467 |
| 45110 | 471 | 2,270 |
| 600 Gordon | 315 | 315 |
| 686 The Lady Armaghdale | 195 | 484 |
| 2047 Warwickshire | 182 | 378 |
| 417 Invicta | 4 | 4 |
| Other | - | 2,596 |
| Total | 6,298 | 18,148 |
No further use of 417 Invicta was recorded before the locomotive left the SVRSevern Valley Railway.
1973
- January 1973: Four locomotives, 4141, 5164, 7819 Hinton Manor and 4930 Hagley Hall, all arrive on 6 January.
- March 1973: Three more locomotives arrive; 78019 from BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. on 12 March, 7714 on 29 March, and 75069 on 31 March.
- December 1973: 42968 arrives on 14 December. WD 193 operates all the Santa services.
Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:
| Locomotive | 1973 | Total |
| 48773 | 1,380 | 3,370 |
| 45110 | 1,320 | 3,590 |
| WD 193 Shropshire | 900 | 2,710 |
| 3205 | 745 | 2,426 |
| 600 Gordon | 670 | 985 |
| 5764 | 270 | 1,737 |
| 61994 The Great Marquess | 200 | 200 |
| 46443 | 190 | 5,345 |
| 2047 Warwickshire | 76 | 454 |
| 47383 | 20 | 20 |
| Other | - | 3,082 |
| Total | 5,771 | 23,919 |
The Great Marquess was steamed for the first time since arrival the previous year, but was found to exceed the current axle limit on the line, and was stored pending possible transfer to the NYMR.
1974
In this year the SVRSevern Valley Railway begins services to Bewdley and increases the amount of daily running during summer, resulting in a near tripling of the miles covered.
- March 1974: The Light Railway Transfer Order is granted to extend the line from Hampton Loade to Bewdley.
- April 1974: Services begin between Hampton Loade and Highley. The first passenger service is the 09:30 from Bridgnorth with GWRGreat Western Railway Railcar 22, followed by the 12:45 steam service hauled by No 600 Gordon.
- May 1974: The line is opened from Highley to Arley and Bewdley. GWRGreat Western Railway Railcar 22 operates the first round trip between Bridgnorth and Bewdley, while the first steam services are hauled by No 5764 from the new MPDMotive Power Depot at Bewdley and No 43106 from Bridgnorth. Daily running during the summer season is extended to five weeks.
Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:
| Locomotive | 1974 | Total |
| 46443 | 3,855 | 9,200 |
| 43106 | 3,760 | 6,352 |
| 5764 | 1,940 | 3,677 |
| WD 193 Shropshire | 1,830 | 4,540 |
| 45110 | 1,600 | 5,190 |
| 600 Gordon | 1,405 | 2,390 |
| 46521 | 670 | 670 |
| 47383 | 635 | 655 |
| 2047 Warwickshire | 82 | 536 |
| Other | - | 6,486 |
| Total | 15,777 | 39,696 |
1975
- July 1975: German 2-6-2T DB 64.305 arrives on 17 July.
- August 1975: Four SVRSevern Valley Railway engines attend the Rail 150 celebrations at Shildon. 600 Gordon travels to Shildon under its own power, later followed by 48233 and 43106 in convoy. 813, which has been cosmetically restored for the event, goes by road.
- August 1975: 2857 and 9303 arrive from BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. on 13 August.
Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:
| Locomotive | 1975 | Total | Coment |
| 46521 | 4,510 | 5,180 | |
| 46443 | 3,845 | 13,045 | |
| 4566 | 3,310 | 3,310 | Entry into service following restoration. |
| 43106 | 2,770 | 9,122 | |
| 48773 | 2,505 | 5,875 | Return from overhaul. |
| 47383 | 2,160 | 2,815 | |
| 45110 | 1, 965 | 7,155 | |
| WD 193 Shropshire | 1,905 | 6,445 | |
| 5764 | 1,385 | 5,062 | |
| 600 Gordon | 1,020 | 3,410 | |
| 2047 Warwickshire | 20 | 556 | |
| 813 | 5 | 5 | Briefly steamed before resuming restoration. |
| DB 64.305 | 5 | 5 | First and only use before leaving the SVRSevern Valley Railway. |
| Other | - | 6,486 | |
| Total | 25,405 | 65,101 |
1976
April 1976: 7812 Erlestoke Manor arrives on 23 April, having previously been at the Dowty R.P.S. site at Ashchurch.
Construction of the loco shed at the Bridgnorth MPDMotive Power Depot begins during 1976.
Locomotives in use that year are 46521, 45110, 46443, 4566, 5764, 600, WD193 and LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway 8233.
1977
- Spring 1977: 6960 Raveningham Hall arrives.
- September 1977: Grand opening of the cast iron gentlemen’s toilet on Bewdley’s island platform, following its relocation from Melrose in Scotland.
45000 arrived on loan from the NRMThe Railway Museum, formerly the National Railway Museum during 1977.
1978
- January 1978: 4150 arrives on 19/01/1978, having previously been at the DeanWilliam Dean, Chief Locomotive Engineer of the Great Western Railway 1877-1902 Forest Railway. (4150 fund)
- April 1978: A naming ceremony is held for WD 193, which is given the name ‘Shropshire’.
- May 1978: 70000 Britannia returns to steam after 12 years, and is renamed on 20 May by Mr R A RiddlesRobert Arthur "Robin" Riddles, Member of the Railway Executive for Mechanical and Electrical Engineering responsible for the design of the British Rail Standard Class locomotives, the locomotive’s designer.
During 1978 Pannier 3612 was purchased from BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. for spares.
1979
7802 Bradley Manor arrived from BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. during 1979.
References and sources
Information on the early history of the SVRSevern Valley Railway can be found on the Bridgnorth Station website
Information is from past editions of Severn Valley Railway News unless otherwise stated. Locomotive mileages taken from SVRSevern Valley Railway News #58 Winter 1980/81, page 34, "Steam Locomotive Mileages for the Decade".
See also
The Severn Valley Railway in preservation
Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1965-1969
