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[[File:60019 20120325.jpg|thumb|300px|right|2012 Spring Steam Gala guest 60019 Bittern]]The '''Spring Steam Gala''' is the smaller of the two annual enthusiasts' galas with visiting locomotives and a more intensive timetable, but without the all night running of the [[Autumn Steam Gala]]. This event is typically takes place in late March and is now in recent years was billed by the SVR as "opening the season", even though trains commence commenced for the February half-term week. The event incorporates normally incorporated three days of Gala gala from Friday to Sunday. Other common features include included demonstration freight trains and shorter local, part-line services.
==History==
In 2000 the Spring Steam Gala moved to March, the first being a 3-day event on 8-10 March 2000 advertised as a 'Branch Line Gala Weekend'.<ref>SVR News 131</ref> A number of subsequent galas were also branded as Branch Line Galas, some taking local themes such as 'Somerset and Dorset' or 'Welsh'.<ref>SVR News 138,141</ref>
From 2020 it was held in an April spot.
==Notable events==
*'''2004''' and '''2011''' No Galas galas due to engineering work.*'''2008''' No Gala gala due to the [[2007 Storm Damage]], although guest locomotive S&DJR 88 took part in the reopening weekend.
*'''2013''' The Spring Steam Gala was hit by heavy snow, resulting in attendances being around half of the numbers expected. In '''2018''' heavy snow hit the third day (Sunday). The Railway still managed to run the services as planned.
*'''2020''' Due to work on [[Falling Sands Viaduct]] closing the line between Bewdley and Kidderminster, the gala was retimed towards the end of April before being one of the events cancelled due to the [[2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic|COVID-19 pandemic]].*'''2021''' The event was again arranged for April due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and also marketed as the 'Spring Steam Up', the SVR opting not to use the term 'Gala'.*'''2022''' Again arranged for April due to the replacement of [[Kidderminster Footbridge]] and the need to prepare for [[Bridgnorth Loco Works|Bridgnorth Loco Shed]] reroofing.*'''2023''' Again arranged for April due to the first phase of the [[Bridgnorth MPD|Bridgnorth yard relay project]]. Advertised as a three day event (Friday to Sunday). The preceding Thursday featured curated excursion trains with [[Steam Locomotives visiting the SVR for galas#2020-present|visiting GWR Collett 4073 Castle class 4-6-0 4079 Pendennis Castle]].
==Passenger numbers==
From time-to-time the SVR publishes the number of Gala passengers, according to the method of counting these which has varied over time (for example, since 2010 documents sent to shareholders became valid as a ticket which did not need to be exchanged for travel).)<ref>[https://forum.svr-online.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1936 SVR Forum shareholders' Passes thread]</ref>
The following is an incomplete record.
| 2018 || 4,541|| || The Gala was hit by heavy snow, resulting in reduced attendance
|-
| 2019 || 3,472||<refname="NBI">SVR NBI</ref> || |-| 2020 || || || No Gala due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdown |-| 2021 || 2,588 || <ref name="NBI"/> || "Spring Steam Up" special event held over 4 days but with reduced capacity, replacing Gala due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions|-| 2022 || ~7,500 || SVR's PR: "around 7,500 visitors" || Reverted to normal format, held over 4 days but without the usual full line demonstration goods trains to conserve coal stocks.|-| 2023 || 5,002 || The Railway Magazine, May 2023 || Paying passengers only, excluding shareholder vouchers and passes. Held over 3 days.
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