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[[File:Flying_Pig_Railtour.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Brochure for SVR Railtours' 1981 "The Flying Pig" railtour]]For many years the SVR was closely associated with steam excursions on the main line. In the mid-1970s, even before the company acquired the final section of the line from Foley Park, the SVR set out to become a ‘BR approved’ steam centre, supplying locomotives and rolling stock overhauled to BR standards for use on main line excursions and charters.
The normal arrangement was that locomotives would leave the SVR and travel to other steam centres, in particular the Bulmers Railway Centre at Hereford, to run tours from there. The time spent away could vary from days to months. In between, locomotives would return to the SVR for repairs and overhauls, as well as working services on the SVR itself. The SVR also organised some of of these railtours.
The first recorded use of the SVR's rolling stock on the main line was an excursion from Bridgnorth to Paddington on 13 November 1976. This was hauled by a BR Western Class diesel locomotive 25292 and 25272 from Bewdleyto Kidderminster, and later by a Class 47 Diesel47120 to Paddington. (<ref>[http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/761113sv.html Railtour details on Six Bells Junction])</ref><ref>[http:/http://www.hatspics.co.uk/type_years_photos.php?type=SVR&year=1976 Alan Thwaites images on hatspics]</ref>
The first recorded use of an SVR based locomotive in revenue-earning service on the main line was [[Former Residents|6960 Raveningham Hall]], which hauled the ‘Cathedrals Express’ from Hereford to Chester on 8 April 1978. ([http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/780408fw.htm Railtour details on Six Bells Junction])
==SVR-based locomotives which hauled revenue-earning services on the main line==
*[[BR Class 50 50044 Exeter]]
*[[BR Class 50 50049 Defiance]]
*[[BR Class 52 D1015 Western Champion]]
*Clapham Buffet 9631
*[[LMS 26986 Brake Third Corridor | LMS 26986]]
*[[LNER 4236 Gangwayed Passenger Brake 4236]]
===The SVR GWR set===
*23 April 1977: Bridgnorth-Hereford-Chester<ref>SVR News 46</ref> [http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/770423sv.html link]
*3 July 1977: Paddington-Newport-Shrewsbury<ref name="SVR45">SVR News 45 </ref>[http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/770703la.html link]
*15 October 1977: ??-' The Severn Valley Limited', itinerary included Plymouth and Liskeard.<ref name="SVR45" /><ref>[http://taillampphotography.com/47100_47199.htm Taillamp Photography] (Retrieved 7 October 2019)</ref>
*6 May 1978: Bewdley-Kingswear<Ref>SVR News 48</ref> [http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/780506sv.html Link]
*4 November 1978: Bridgnorth-Pwllheli<ref>SVR News 50</ref>
However their use on the main line was short-lived; the as BR then introduced an annual inspection fee of £1,000 per coach which made their use uneconomical.<ref>SVR News 157</ref> The C&W notes in SVR News for summer 1980, reporting on the SVR coaches attending the Rainhill celebrations, ended with the comment “What a pity the whole train cannot go out again”<ref>SVR News 56</ref>.
===Rocket 150, Rainhill 1980===
==SVR Wagons used on the main line in preservation==
[[File:2857 mainline Dave Hill 2.jpg|thumb|300px|right|2857 near Newport]]As part of the 1985 GWR 150 celebrations, the SVR was asked to produce a demonstration goods train to be taken on the main line to Newport, hauled by [[GWR 2857 Heavy Goods Loco | GWR 2857]]. The train left Kidderminster late on 9th September, stayed overnight at Hereford, then continued on to Newport early on the 10th, returning to Kidderminster later that evening. BR C&W inspectors approved 25 wagons to run, the eventual line-up being as follows<ref>SVR News 78</ref>:
*[[GWR 65801 Mogo Van]]
*[http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=7475 LNER NE 274231 Coke Hopper] (Now scrapped?)
*[http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=7461 LNER NE 307306 Coke Hopper] (Now scrapped?)
*[[London Transport ‘Herring’ Ballast Hopper Wagons | LT Ballsat Ballast Hopper Wagon 436 ]] *[[London Transport ‘Herring’ Ballast Hopper Wagons | LT Ballsat Ballast Hopper Wagon 410]]
*[[GWR 40554 Chaired Sleeper Wagon]]
*[[GWR 42272 'Loriot L' Machinery Truck]]
*[[Regent Oil & Texaco 431 Aviation Fuel Tank Wagon]]
A BR Brake van was provided at the rear. The return trip took place in September 1985Six loaded BR open wagons were also used to provide a fitted head for part of the journey.
Three BR Flat ED wagons were supplied by Universal Pictures for [[The Seven-Per-Cent Solution]]. They were originally classified as 'Horse Box Underframe of unknown ID'<ref>SVR Stock Book v7</ref>, and given the temporary numbers SV14191, SV14192 and SV14193. Later research proved their identities to be [[BR 906811 Flat ED | 906811]], [[BR 906825 Flat ED | 906825]] and [[BR 906830 Flat ED | 906830]]<ref>SVR Stock Book v9</ref>, although it is not clear which two took part in the goods train.
