Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2020-2029

Significant events in the history of the Severn Valley Railway in preservation between 2020 and the present date are set out below.

Information on current events on the SVR can be found here.

Contents

2020

2020 saw the 50th anniversary of the official opening of the SVR. A ‘must-do’ engineering project was starting, an overhaul of Falling Sands Viaduct, with trains restricted to the Bridgnorth to Bewdley section from 30 December 2019.

January 2020

• Winter works included track relaying to effectively join up the two previous relayings between Bewdley Tunnel and Falling Sands Viaduct. The opportunity was taken to install a new point at Foley Park as part of a long term plan to develop the area.

• 

  The new points at Foley Park. The Underbridge off Lisle Avenue is just beyond the points with Falling Sands Viaduct in the distance.

• 3 January was the 50th anniversary of the final regular timetabled BR passenger services between Bewdley and Hartlebury and Kidderminster.
• A new buffet building was installed at Bewdley.
• New cylinder patterns were produced for 7802 Bradley Manor.
• The SVR announced a new Loyalty Pass to replace the Annual Family Pass, now available to individuals, couples, less-able visitors or families.

February 2020

• The Footbridge outside Bridgnorth Station was closed for repairs to the damaged holding down bolts discovered in 2018.
• Storm Dennis, with heavy rain falling on already saturated ground, contributed to record highs on the River Severn and consequent widespread flooding. Access to the SVR was disrupted during half-term running from 15 to 23 February, with lower than usual passenger numbers. Flooding caused land movements at Sterns and Alveley Woods.
• On 25 February PPM50 Parry People Mover Class 999 No. 999900 visited for testing. It was previously tested in 2002 and has since been renumbered 139000 and most recently 139012.

• 

  'PPM 139000' at Highley (2021)

• On 27 February WD 71516 Welsh Guardsman arrived at Bridgnorth.

• 

  WD 71516 at Bridgnorth, March 2020

March 2020

• Specialist contractors removed asbestos from around the cylinder block of GWR Large Prairie 4150.
• A new pair of cylinder blocks for GWR 7802 Bradley Manor were poured, believed to be the first 7800 class cylinder blocks to be cast for 70 years.
• Brush Class 47 Co-Co 47773 [D1755] arrived at the SVR from Tyseley for contract bodywork repairs in the Diesel Depot.
• A severe acute respiratory syndrome, coronavirus disease (COVID-19), was declared a pandemic. It caused widespread disruption and international travel restrictions. On 18 March the SVR cancelled all services and closed The Engine House and refreshment rooms throughout March and April. It cancelled the following events: Easter Holidays, Spring Steam Gala, Open House Weekend, Spring Diesel Festival and 50th Anniversary Event. On 20 March it announced it would close the Railway's two pubs in line with a measure announced by the Government that day, and the shops followed on 24 March.
• The combination of February's flooding, the continuing planned work at Falling Sands, coronavirus and land movements meant the SVR was faced with a serious financial challenge. On 20 March the Railway launched an Emergency Appeal for £250,000 to help the SVR through the emergency, which raised £50,000 in the first four days.

April 2020

• By 2 April the emergency appeal total reached £120,000.
• The Coronavirus pandemic lead to further total closures until the end of June and the cancellations of the 1940s weekends.
• A minimal contract engineering presence saw tests on the second of five new boilers for the Isle of Man Railway.
• On 15 April D2960 Silver Spoon took GWR 9055 Nondescript Saloon for a test after overhaul, running within the confines of the section signal at Kidderminster. The line to Bewdley remained severed for the winter works, interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The SVR reported an increase in trespassing during the closure.
• John Leftwich, interim chairman of the SVR Charitable Trust, died.
• On 30 April the renamed Fight Back Fund total passed £650,000.

May 2020

• Kidderminster station was lit to honour the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• On 15 May the second Isle of Man boiler built at Bridgnorth was despatched following completion and testing.
• Phase 2 of the Falling Sands Viaduct work commenced on 18 May while the railway was closed to other traffic, involving replacing damaged brickwork and corbelling, and repointing throughout.

On 28 May 47593 and 47805 delivered nine HST trailers to Kidderminster from Crewe for storage, and moved one stored sleeper out.

June 2020

• By 1 June the Fight Back Fund reached £745,000.
• The Railway was granted by HSBC a £1.5 million loan under the CBILS scheme, which alongside its existing overdraft facility would mean £3 million available. The SVR Charitable Trust applied for a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to support the reopening of the Railway.
• The Railway detailed remedial work planned for landslips at Sterns (water managenent and drainage) and Alveley woods (drainage scheme, soil nailing and partial replacement of the existing ash embankment material).
• On 26 June 33108 took a train of 19 coaches as part of a stock move from Bewdley to Kidderminster, for maintenance and turning and reforming to prepare the sets as all compartment rakes for August reopening. The line had been breached for nearly six months.

July 2020

• 26 July saw the final testing and commissioning of the new S&T equipment between Kidderminster and Bewdley, including the new ground frame at Foley Park.

• 

  The ex-Kidderminster ground frame at Foley Park (June 2021)

• On 27 July the first services ran on the SVR since the closedown in March. The passengers were SVR staff and volunteers, the intention being to test social distancing and other arrangements ahead of a public opening on 1 August.
• The Erlestoke Manor Fund announced it was in discussion with The 5164 Preservation Group and the SVR regarding the proposed transfer of GWR Large Prairie 5164 to the EMF.
• The value of the Diesel Depot as a revenue earning resource was demonstrated by contract work on BR Class 37 37308, Clayton Class 17 Bo-Bo D8568, PPM50 Parry People Mover No 999 900 and 47773.
• WD 71516 Welsh Guardsman steamed for the first time on the SVR, tested to ensure it to be fit to run if needed, or should the owner should have a request for it to work elsewhere.
• The Charitable Trust agreed grants of £120,000 for repair work at Sterns and £12,000 to complete the restoration of GWR 2242 Corridor Brake Third. The work at Sterns completed on 29 July.

• 

  Lineside view of the drainage ditch and repair works uphill from it, looking north

• 

  Aerial view of the repair works looking south (River Severn to the left)

• The long running project to replace the lighting at Bridgnorth progressed with the erection of four of lamp standards along the embankment side of the car park.

August 2020

• On Saturday 1 August passenger services restarted as planned, with the day being a sell-out.
• The Stanier 8F Locomotive Society announced it had raised £60,000 towards the costs of the next overhaul, against a stretching target of £250,000.
• On 2 August arsonists attacked and badly damaged Country Park Halt‎,.
• By 6 August the Fight Back Fund reached £900,000.
• From 13 August locos in service 2857, 7714 and 75069 carried wreaths in memory and support of those who were involved in the previous day's collision at Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire.
• Access to the large bracket outside of Bewdley South signal box was prohibited due to rot, with a temporary replacement prepared.

• 

  The large bracket signal on the approach to Bewdley South (right)

• During a test run on 24th August with 1501, a crack was discovered in the right hand return crank. Luckily no further damage was caused.
• Restoration work to repair the brickwork at Falling Sands Viaduct restarted after the discovery of bats.

September 2020

• On 1 September the PPM50 Parry People Mover (see February) departed on a low loader.
• On 4 September the first advertised passenger diesel trains of the decade ran.
• On 23 September the film Enola Holmes, filmed partly on the SVR the previous year, was released
• Wyre Forest District Council awarded the Railway £50,000 under its discretionary business grant scheme for COVID-19 relief.
• Bewdley station hosted a VIP delegation that included the Mayor of Bewdley and the High Sheriff of Worcestershire to show support and appreciation for the efforts made following the February floods and the coronavirus pandemic.

October 2020

• On 1 October Bewdley South wooden bracket signal was taken down due to rot in the post. A temporary replacement was installed.
• On 7 October SR Bulleid West Country class Pacific 34046 Braunton arrived with the Saphos Trains 'Severn Valley Enterprise' railtour. The locomotive was declared a failure on arrival at Kidderminster due to a hot box on a driving wheel axle, and remained at Bridgnorth MPD for some days after moving there light engine. 34027 Taw Valley hauled the tour from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth and back to Bewdley, from where Class 47 47805 made the return trip to Crewe.
• On 9 October the SVR was awarded a £906,000 grant from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage. Nigel Huddlestone MP, The Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage visited the SVR.
• More than a mile of track that was removed as part of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension was donated to the SVR by Transport for West Midlands and the Midland Metro Alliance.

November 2020

• On 5 November a second national lockdown in England came into effect, and services suspended for four weeks.
• Helen Smith and Diane Malyon became the first women to join the board of SVR(H).
• The Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd produced a podcast of oral histories from some of the founding volunteers as part of the Falling Sands Viaduct project.

December 2020

• Christmas services ran to Arley for the Railway’s first-ever Christmas show, Jingle, Jangle and the Christmas Cookbook.
• On 5 December a power-twin set of vehicles 50933 and 52064 became the first DMU to operate for two years following bogie repairs, when it operated the Christmas staff train.
• On 9 December a special autotrain ran with 1450 and GWR 178 Autotrailer Third for several trips between Bridgnorth and Highley for the owner to mark the end of the locomotive's boiler ticket.
• The civil engineering work on Falling Sands Viaduct was completed in mid-December with the final piece of corbelling being slotted into place.
• On 17 December 4930 Hagley Hall’s boiler arrived back from Northern Steam Engineering following its extensive overhaul.
• On 29 December snowfall resulted in the day's services bring cancelled.
• On 31 December COVID-19 restrictions resulted in services being suspended for the third time.

2021

2021 started in a third English national lockdown for the COVD-19 pandemic. All non-essential voluntary work was prohibited and vulnerable staff and volunteers required to 'shield', by staying at home. Vaccines were being rolled out to the population, with the most vulnerable (elderly and front line workers) being given priority. Many SVR staff were furloughed. SVR public trains had been cancelled and The Engine House, the pubs, refreshment rooms and shops closed, with services hoped to recommence in April 2021.

January 2021

• A reduced programme of winter works commenced consolidating works undertaken in 2020, with major works deferred.
• On 14 January John Hill died. He had the honour of driving the first passenger train out of Bridgnorth in 1967.

February 2021

• On 11 February, during the third COVID-19 lockdown, a particularly egregious act of trespass occurred and was reported in the media. Two trespassers were disturbed by an engineers' train on Victoria Bridge, with abseiling equipment. The police were informed.
• On 15 February locomotive 66702 hauled newly converted 69001 from Longport (Stoke) to Kidderminster, for the delayed commencement of a testing contract.
• New build 2999 Lady of Legend, GWR Churchward 2900 Saint class 4-6-0, was announced for the 2021 Spring Steam Up event which replaced the Spring Steam Gala. It had been announced for the 2020 event, cancelled due to COVID-19.

March 2021

• The SVR announced an end to lineside passes and privately-run photo charters as income received is insignificant when compared to the potential risk these activities naturally contain.
• Thieves on 29 and 30 March stole 23 metal signs from Arley.
• On 30 March GWR Large Prairie 4150 was shunted out of Bewdley Down Yard after more than 43 years there, in preparation for a move to Bridgnorth Loco Works for restoration to be completed. The move followed the following month.

April 2021

• On 2 April Arts Council England awarded Kidderminster Railway Museum Trust Ltd £19,025 through the Government's Culture Recovery Fund.
• On 14 April six new livestream cameras were launched to provide 24/7 coverage of SVR stations to viewers across the globe.
• On 28 April the HRA awarded Class 50 Alliance Limited the Award for Diesel Locomotion 2021.

May 2021

• The SVR Charitable Trust’s £425,000 'Home & Dry Appeal' launched to raise funds to make Bridgnorth Loco Works a safer, drier, and more efficient place to work.

June 2021

• On 5 June the first charter visited the SVR since England entered its second lockdown, with a private GBRf charter utilising the high profile VSOE Pullman.
• Between 16 June and 3 July the SVR hosted a new weedkilling train undergoing high speed testing between Kidderminster and Bewdley.

• 

  50049 Defiance with the train near Bewdley Tunnel. Photo: Matt Robinson

• The SVR applied for Listed building alterations in association with the conservation, renovation and reodering of Bridgnorth station, including reconstruction of the former parcels office and change of use to a shop. 

July 2021

• A further short-term stabling contract commenced with five Class 43 HST power cars temporarily stored at Arley.

• 

  Five HST Power Cars at Arley

• Plans for the Bridgnorth Loco Works 'Home & Dry' project were submitted to Shropshire County Council.
• Keith Norton became chairman of the SVR Charitable Trust.

August 2021

• On 1 August friends and family gathered at Kidderminster Railway Museum to celebrate the life of John Hill.
• The SVR Charitable Trust’s 'Home & Dry Appeal' reached £330,000 against a revised target of £475,000, because of the spiralling cost of steel and additional improvements needed inside Bridgnorth Loco Works.
• It was announced that the 2021 Christmas services would include the 'Enchanted Express', based around the classic poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, narrated by actress Dame Julie Walters.
• On 4 August GWR 1450 was moved by low loader to the Flour Mill locomotive repair workshop in Bream, Gloucestershire, where the owner Pull Push Limited had arranged for its overhaul.
• SVR(H) announced that an increase in the shareholding levels at which various shareholder travel benefits are earned, effective from 2022. This was the first change to benefits since 2010.
• British Sugar 7-plank open wagon had its new signage painted at Kidderminster Railway Museum by former Gloucestershire and England wicket keeper Jack Russell MBE.

• 

  BSC 13 after signwriting in August 2021

• PSL 193 'Plimsoll' revisited during the Vintage Transport Extravaganza on 7 and 8 August.

• 

  'Plimsoll' at Highley during a previous visit

September 2021

• On 4 and 5 September a group of volunteers organised an 'SVR O Gauge event' with five layouts at The Engine House, including Burlish Road in O gauge.
• From 7 September the Railway welcomed back ‘hop on, hop off’ passengers to all regular services and the return of observation saloons and footplate experiences, following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in July.
• 50044 Exeter returned to the mainline on 12 September for the first time since 2012.
• In its first mainline outing since suffering a major B engine failure in 2016, D1015 Western Champion suffered a seized engine during a test run on 17 September.
• The Autumn Steam Gala on 16-19 September featured GWR 4953 Pitchford Hall and GWR 0-6-0PT 9466. The Hall did not work on the Sunday due to a failure, while 9466 did not arrive in time to work on the Thursday but was also used on passenger services until 16 October. 813 suffered from leaking boiler tubes and was withdrawn on the Friday of that event.
• At the SVR(H) several attendees expressed concerns over the way in which changes to shareholder benefits were communicated. Helen Smith apologised and Nick Paul agreed to put a moratorium on changes until the board had the opportunity to reflect and review the decisions.
• The Guarantee company announced a major reorganisation of the Volunteer Liaison Office, with five co-ordinators sought.
• A project at Bewdley to improve access to the station for passengers with limited mobility saw contractors lay a reinforced concrete path between the gates protecting the rail crossing and the yard gates adjoining the car park.
• Nick Paul stood down as Chairman of SVR(H) after 10 years and was succeeded by Mike Ball.
• A start was made on the 2021/22 project funded primarily by the SVR Charitable Trust to improve access at Bewdley for those with restricted mobility.

October 2021

• 813 underwent a retube. The owning The GWR 813 Preservation Fund became a charity this month.
• On 17 October, the Great Western (SVR) Association officially commemorated the return to service of GWR 6045 Bow-end Composite with a special train for supporters and volunteers. On 30 October the Stanier Mogul Fund organised the 'SMF 50 Golden Jubilee' charter train to mark 50 years as a preservation group in 2020. In both cases the celebration had been delayed by COVID-19.

November 2021

• The SVR again provided testing facilities for Bayer CropScience Uk who were producing a fleet of weedkilling trains for the UK Network.
• 813 moved to the Telford Steam Railway for Christmas and New Year, the first SVR-based locomotive to visit another event since COVID-19.
• On 24 November More4 broadcast an episode of Britain's Scenic Railways featuring the SVR.
• A new Christmas service, the Enchanted Express, first ran. It was a sell out.
• The SVR announced the Loyalty Pass would end.
• GWR Large Prairie 5164 transferred to the ownership of The Erlestoke Manor Fund.

December 2021

• The Home & Dry appeal total reached 'almost £460,000'.
• The Falling Sands Viaduct restoration project was highly commended at the National Railway Heritage Awards.
• On 6 December new-build BR 3MT 82045 became a 2-6-2 for the first time, when fitted with its front and rear pony trucks.
• The SVR announced that it had been awarded £1,012,900 as part of the latest round of the Culture Recovery Fund, paying for salaries and running costs for the period between 1 October 2021 and 31 January 2022.

2022

2022 started with the COVD-19 pandemic continuing into a third year in the UK, with some mask wearing restrictions in place. The 2022 season was delayed until April to allow Network Rail to replace the long footbridge at Kidderminster, and for preparation for the roof and crane works at Bridgnorth Loco Works. No new major infrastructure works were planned, in recognition of the SVR's financial state after two years' disruption.

January 2022

• The Home & Dry appeal reached its target of £475,000
• 70000 Britannia visited the SVR for testing and running in after overhaul.
• Contractors removed part of the formation at Sterns to replace with lightweight infill material, and undertook drainage works around Country Park Halt.

February 2022

• Match of the Day was broadcast live from Kidderminster Town station featuring visiting 70000 Britannia, prior to Kidderminster Harriers' FA Cup tie against West Ham United on 5 February.
• The SVR announced that later in the year 34027 Taw Valley would temporarily carry a different name and appear in a brand-new purple livery to commemorate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The new name, "Elizabeth II", was chosen by a public vote.

March 2022

• The long footbridge at Kidderminster was removed, to be replaced
• The SVR announced that it had cancelled its two 1940s-themed weekends later in the year, in the light of the conflict taking place in Ukraine.
• It announced that footplate experiences in April and May would be cancelled to conserve its coal stocks. It soon extended this to cancelling Monday and Tuesday trains all season, and running all standard timetables with some diesel operation. Ovoids and e-coal were also to be tested.
• 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley [LNER 4498] visited for testing and running in.

April 2022

• WD 71516 Welsh Guardsman operated its first public trains on the SVR in preparation for its appearance that month at the Spring Steam Gala.
• Contractors arrived to commence the roof and crane works at Bridgnorth Loco Works, with areas out of bounds including the main locomotive shed and paint shop. Work was expected to take until August.

Steam locomotives used

A table of steam locomotives used since 2020 is shown below. Where detailed mileage records were not published in SVR News, locomotives used are marked 'X'.

Included are locomotives hired in, and the table identifies whether they were present either for the Summer (S) or Winter (W).

Not included are locomotives visiting for primarily for rail tours, test running or galas, even if they subsequently operate SVR services for a short period (as did GWR Churchward 2900 Saint class 4-6-0 2999 Lady of Legend in 2022), unless their mileage is included in the SVR News mileage records as hired locomotives.

Locomotive	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	Comment
813	347	X	X
1450	213										Out of ticket 2020
1501	1,264	X	X
2857	2,235	X	X
6960 Raveningham Hall	(S) (W) 705	X									On hire 2020-21. Out of ticket 2021
7714	2,935	X	X
34027 Taw Valley	1,437	X	X
43106	1,870	X	X
75069	3,941	X	X
WD 71516 Welsh Guardsman	393		X								Mileage mainly at other railways
Total	15,340

References

SVR News unless otherwise stated.