Severn Valley steam fleet back up to strength
TWO locomotives in the Severn Valley Railway running fleet that were stopped for heavy winter maintenance have returned to steam, albeit after longer than planned absences from front line service thanks to the delays caused by the Covid- 19 pandemic.
A three- day working week for the engineering staff has meant that many tasks have taken longer than normal to be completed.
The first of these to return was Hawksworth outside- cylinder 0- 6- 0PT No. 1501, which appeared in steam during August following piston and valve work at Bridgnorth, but failed during testing with a cracked return crank. Fortunately, a spare was found, which had been squirrelled away 50 years earlier, when the locomotive and usable parts from sisters Nos. 1502/ 9 were acquired in 1970 by the Warwickshire Industrial Locomotive Society from NCB service at Coventry’s Keresley Colliery. Following repairs, No. 1501 returned to front line action in time for the last week of August and the bank holiday weekend.
Return
The other returnee is unique Ivatt ‘ Flying Pig’ 4MT 2- 6- 0 No. 43106, whose prolonged winter maintenance programme was finally concluded so that it could return to service at the beginning of October. Following the completion of brake valve repairs and other jobs, it managed a number of satisfactory steam tests, which concluded with an empty coaching stock working along the line on October 1, with its first revenue- earning trains in 2020 taking place over the following weekend.
Other locomotives in service since the return of restricted operations along the full length of line from the beginning of August include 102year- old Churchward 2- 8- 0 No. 2857, Bulleid Pacific No. 34027 Taw Valley, Collett pannier No. 7714, BR 4MT
4- 6- 0 No. 75069 and WR ‘ Modified Hall’ No. 6960 Raveningham Hall.
Two serviceable locomotives that had not seen action in 2020 but returned during October are GWR/ Port Talbot Railway 0- 6- 0ST No. 813 and Mike Little’s Collett
0- 4- 2T No. 1450, which is nearing the expiry of its boiler ticket and will be withdrawn for overhaul later this year.
Both locomotives were set to double- head with No. 7714 on selected Fridays as part of the line’s timetabled excursion format. In addition to the existing ‘ Flyer’ and ‘ Explorer’ ( both steam) and ‘ Pioneer’ ( diesel) itineraries, a new excursion, ‘ The Wanderer’, saw No. 1450 in action on October 9 and No. 813 on October 23, with passengers enjoying a vintage afternoon tea at the Engine House at Highley as part of the offering. All trains currently have to be prebooked.
October also saw the return of the SVR’s Halloween ghost trains from October 29- 31, plus an all- new adult Scream Train.
Meanwhile, the SVR’s diesel-hauled ‘ Pioneer’ trains, operating on Fridays, have proved to be very successful, with September’s diesel services attracting an overall 87% of compartments sold. The ‘ Pioneer’ was the second most popular ( by percentage sold) of the four available itineraries. The first was a complete sell- out, with travel offered on three return trips behind four Class 50s on different legs of the 96- mile schedule. The four locomotives in operation were Nos. 50007 Hercules, 50033 Glorious, 50035 Ark Royal and 50049 Defiance.
Traction
The following week saw Class 33
No. 33108 ( D6521) on its 60th birthday with ‘ 60’ blinds, having been constructed by Birmingham Carriage & Wagon at Smethwick, entering service at Hither Green on September 11, 1960.
Friday, September 18 saw the four Class 50s pressed into service again after the rostered Class 37 No. 37190 suffered a serious engine issue and, the last trip of the month saw recently repaired WR Class 42 Warship D821 Greyhound double- heading with Class 14 D9551, itself also the subject of recent mechanical repairs, in place of the still- under overhaul Class 17 Clayton D8568.
Wednesday, October 7 saw two Bulleid Pacifics in action on the line as the SVR played host to Saphos Trains’ ‘ Severn Valley Explorer’ main line charter behind No. 34052 Braunton, with Taw Valley taking over at Kidderminster, while Braunton was serviced and turned, before heading for Bridgnorth tender- first in order to bring the return leg back up the line and onto Network Rail. However, No. 34052 was failed at Bridgnorth with a hot little end and Taw Valley headed the return working tender- first with a Locomotive Services Ltd ( LSL) diesel taking the train back onto Network Rail metals. Taw Valley had been specially turned out in full ‘ Golden Arrow’ regalia for the occasion.
Meanwhile, Braunton remained at Bridgnorth after members of the LSL engineering team took various components to their base at Crewe for repair.
Attention now turns to the SVR’s busy festive programme of Steam in Lights and Santa trains, with the former running between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade, while the Santas once again will operate between Kidderminster and Arley, rather than Highley as in 2019. However, instead of Santa on the train or in his grotto, a stage show is being devised to entertain families, which will also see the audience introduced to Mrs Christmas.
➜ Prebook tickets at www. svr. co. uk or telephone 01562 757900.