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add history for 1985
==1985==
1985 celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Great Western Railway. A number of ‘GWR 150’ events were held around the country, many involving SVR locomotives, although a planned exhibition at Swindon was cancelled after British Rail Engineering Ltd (BREL) insensitively announced the closure of the Swindon Works in the anniversary year. 1985 was also the year of the infamous ‘April Fool’.
'''March 1985''': When Hagley Hall failed at Kidderminster on 9 March, D3022 stepped in to haul the 14.50 service to Bridgnorth. This was reported to be the first use of a preserved 08 class diesel on a passenger service on the SVR.
'''April 1985''':
:3717 City of Truro was lent by the NRM to the SVR in 1984 to be overhauled for use in GWR 150. On 1 April 1985 (a clue), 'Steam Railway' published an article stating that the 'City of Truro' was to be restored in BR lined black livery complete with smokebox number plate. A photograph of the locomotive in this totally unauthentic livery appeared with the article, which went on to say that SVR Loco Superintendent Nula Seer was responsible. In fact just before strip-down began, the SVR had painted and lined out one side of the locomotive to provide the photograph (this pre-dated digital manipulation of pictures), and Nula Seer was really Alun Rees. The joke did not go down well in some quarters; the SVR received many vitriolic letters threatening returned membership cards, cashed-in shares and a boycott on visits.
:7819 Hinton Manor worked the first day of a 2-day railtour from Bristol ‘The Great Western Limited’ double-headed with 6000 King George V. The King failed at Taunton with a ‘hot box’. 7819 suffered a similar fate at Exeter but was layer able to proceed to Plymouth to be repaired overnight. 4930 Hagley Hall worked light engine overnight from Kidderminster to Plymouth, and the two SVR engines hauled the return to Bristol over the Devon Banks the following day. Railtour details from Six Bells Junction ([http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/850407sl.htm Day 1]) and ([http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/850408sl.htm Day 2]).
'''May 1985''': GWR 815 visited Didcot as part of the GWR 150 events, travelling 70 miles in the sidings there.
'''July 1985''':
:The water column at Kidderminster was commissioned. Previously locomotives at the south end of the line could only take water at Bewdley.
:Kidderminster was added to BR’s list of authorised steam routes. The first railtour involving a steam departure from Kidderminster was the ‘Western Stalwart’ on 6 July 1985, hauled by 4930 Hagley Hall and Tyseley’s 7029 Clun Castle. ([http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/850706pr.htm Railtour details on Six Bells Junction])
'''August 1985''':
:34027 Taw Valley, then owned by Bert Hitchen, arrived on the SVR on 18 August 1985 for restoration to main line running order.
:2857 was steamed successfully for the first time since 1980, and later hauled a rake of the SVR preserved wagons to Newport and back over BR metals as part of the GW 150 celebrations.
'''September 1985''': Phase 2 of the new Kidderminster Station building was opened on 28 September, just in time for the annual Enthusiasts Weekend which saw a visit from 7029 Clun Castle and newly overhauled 3717 City of Truro also working.
Details of locomotives used during 1985 were published at the end of 1989 and are set out in a table ([[#1989Mileage |below]]).
==1986==
