Difference between revisions of "Spring Steam Gala"

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m (Passenger numbers: Added row ready for 2019 numbers when announced (Railway Magazine says 'over 3,000'))
(2020 gala date moved due to Viaduct repair)
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*'''2004''' and '''2011''' No Galas due to engineering work.
 
*'''2004''' and '''2011''' No Galas due to engineering work.
 
*'''2008''' No Gala due to the [[2007 Storm Damage]], although guest locomotive S&DJR 88 took part in the reopening weekend.
 
*'''2008''' No 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.   
+
*'''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 Bedley and Kidderminster, the gala is retimed towards the end of April
  
 
==Passenger numbers==
 
==Passenger numbers==

Revision as of 10:09, 29 June 2019

The Spring 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 Gala. This event is typically in late March and is now billed by the SVRSevern Valley Railway as "opening the season", even though trains commence for the February half-term week. The event incorporates three days of Gala from Friday to Sunday. Other common features include demonstration freight trains and shorter local, part-line services.

Visiting locomotives are also often utilised in the days after the gala for private photographic charters and passenger work.

History

The first Spring Steam Gala was a one day event held on 10 April 1976 and attended by more than 2,500 travellers.[1] It became a two day event the following year although still staged in April, a format maintained during the 1980s and 1990s. Early galas used home engines only, with guest locomotives appearing regularly from 1992.

In 2000 the Spring Gala moved to March, the first being a 3-day event on 8-10 March 2000 advertised as a 'Branch Line Gala Weekend'.[2] A number of subsequent galas were also branded as Branch Line Galas, some taking local theses such as 'Somerset and Dorset' or 'Welsh'.[3]

Notable events

  • 2004 and 2011 No Galas due to engineering work.
  • 2008 No Gala due to the 2007 Storm Damage, although guest locomotive S&DJRSomerset & Dorset Joint Railway, jointly operated by the London and South Western and Midland Railways (later Southern and London Midland and Scottish Railways) 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 Bedley and Kidderminster, the gala is retimed towards the end of April

Passenger numbers

From time-to-time the SVRSevern Valley Railway 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.)[4]

The following is an incomplete record.

Year Number of passengers Reference Notes
2008 No Gala following the 2007 storm damage.
2009
2010
2011 No Gala due to engineering work.
2012 4,209 [5]
2013 The Gala was hit by heavy snow, resulting in reduced attendance
2014 3,900
2015 4,313
2016 3,537 Depressed number because of the non-appearance at the gala of announced visitor 6990 Witherslack Hall
2017 4,537
2018 4,541 The Gala was hit by heavy snow, resulting in reduced attendance
2019

See also

Steam Locomotives visiting the SVR for galas
SVR Passenger numbers

References

  1. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 39
  2. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 131
  3. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 138,141
  4. SVR Forum shareholders' Passes thread
  5. 'Spring Gala 2012', SVR Online thread