Talk:Locomotives used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service

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This page is still a bit of a work-in-progress. Any additional types, information on classes, example loco numbers and relevant pictures would be appreciated. Plus proof reading of course! --Robin (talk) 16:03, 26 October 2020 (UTC)

2251 and Manor I've seen photos, plus Sellick has Class 116s. --Patrick Hearn (talk) 17:49, 26 October 2020 (UTC)
Thanks - I've added those. I reverted the last of your edits which I think (or hope!) was just formatting changes moving references after punctuation, which is correct practice on Wikipedia but causes problems on this Wiki due to a conflict with the 'Lingo' terminology add-on. There are some notes about it on my user page. --Robin (talk) 22:26, 26 October 2020 (UTC)
Yup. I went to undo them but they were already undone thanks!--Patrick Hearn (talk) 22:54, 26 October 2020 (UTC)
I'm assuming BRBritish Rail or British Railways DMUs on the Kidder-Bewdley specials don't count?--Patrick Hearn (talk) 22:54, 26 October 2020 (UTC)
The draft guidance I put in the introductory paragraph was "...used regularly on scheduled passenger and freight services" so I guess they probably don't count as not being that regular. The same would apply to things like incoming bank holiday specials in the 50s and 60s - somewhere in SVRSevern Valley Railway News is a Cam Camwell photo of an LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway Crab passing Foley Park with one which would certainly have been a good one for spotters at the time. Mind you I don't own the page - it's a Wiki so anyone can add whatever they want (within reason!). --Robin (talk) 23:29, 26 October 2020 (UTC)
Diesels, I ponder? Did 25s etc make it onto the branch for coal traffic at Alveley or Stourport?
Done (while you were asking I was already typing!), although there may have been other classes in addition to the 2 listed. I'll keep an eye out as I keep checking various books. --Robin (talk) 17:04, 5 November 2020 (UTC)
The ex-ROD 2-8-0s should get a listing as they're mentioned. I'm not clear when they were used, was it the GWRGreat Western Railway 3000 Class or other ex-RODs?
Smith simply refers to them as ex-ROD 2-8-0s but gives no other details, and I haven't as yet found any other reference to them. I assume they would have been based at Shrewsbury in order to work to Ironbridge via the Branch. There is an useful page of shed bashes at Shrewsbury between 1957 and 1967 but although the key refers separately to ex-ROD and ex-WD locos, I can only find the latter listed. Can't add much else at the moment. --Robin (talk) 17:04, 5 November 2020 (UTC)
The BRBritish Rail or British Railways database brings up a blank. This shows the GWRGreat Western Railway 3300 loco withdrawn from Shrewsbury in '53 and this confirms the allocation but notes say they'd gone by 1956, hence none on the 1957 shed bash. But no evidence there of work on the SVRSevern Valley Railway branch, or whether there were non-GW examples too.--Patrick Hearn (talk) 20:45, 5 November 2020 (UTC)
After a bit more digging, WebbFrancis Webb, Locomotive Superintendant/Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London and North Western Railway 1871-1903 (2006) includes a copy of a 50s BRBritish Rail or British Railways-era weight restriction table which confirms that GWRGreat Western Railway 28xx 2-8-0 and ROD 2-8-0 were permitted between Shrewsbury and Buildwas (and Hartlebury to Bewdley) but otherwise banned. I have no evidence to confirm this, but I'm wondering if they were actually some of the ex-LNER WD 2-8-0s. The 1946-56 Shed bash shows 3012, 3013, 3025 and 3026 at Shrewsbury at different times and refers to them as ROD (although I would have called them WD). It looks from the shed codes as though they were not necessarily shedded at Shrewsbury at the time, but of course the coal may have been coming from some distance away. 3043 was photographed at Shrewsbury but was shedded at Woodford Halse at the time the loco carried that number. --Robin (talk) 23:29, 5 November 2020 (UTC)
I presume BSCBritish Steel Corporation, or British Sugar Corporation Foley Park is in scope? Kidderminster yard (I seem to remember a 40 there?)? Or am I overthinking this!--Patrick Hearn (talk) 20:48, 5 November 2020 (UTC)
Practice for many years was for the main line locos to drop the wagons at Kidderminster yard and then a shunting engine would take them down to the factory. I don't know if Class 40s would have done the same? --Robin (talk) 23:29, 5 November 2020 (UTC)
I found this image of a 2600 Class at Kidder. Is there any record of these on the branch (or loop)?--Patrick Hearn (talk) 17:47, 18 November 2020 (UTC)
The only reference I have seen so far is in Turley who noted four of them in regular wartime use on the Tenbury goods (Stourbridge-Kidderminster-Tenbury-Hereford). He records seeing a number of others at Kidderminster including on incoming sugar beet trains, but doesn't list any of them as working up towards Shrewsbury as far as I can see. I'll keep an eye open for any other sightings. --Robin (talk) 21:30, 18 November 2020 (UTC)
1) Buildwas Junction to Sutton Bridge Junction and construction traffic to the new power station: I can't find what traction was used? 2) Power station coal traffic accessed the branch at Buildwas with all sorts of traction (66s et al). Do we reference this? 3) north of Berrington and the testing of Rolls Royce Sentinel diesel shunting engines, I've not discovered any BRBritish Rail or British Railways locos used? 4) short spur of the old line remained open to serve the Shrewsbury Abbey sidings oil depot, I can only see an 08 tripped wagons there? I can add 08 and a note for 60/66 , but any thoughts?--Patrick Hearn (talk) 05:39, 20 November 2020 (UTC)
My own feeling, 1) 3) and 4) are getting away from the context of the introductory paragraph "...used regularly on scheduled passenger and freight services". In the case of 2) the modern traction would probably have been scheduled but coming via Coalbrookdale and not really using the Severn Valley Branch as such. If we are going to refer to them, I'd suggest a separate section for 'Sundry locomotives' rather than including them with (and possibly detracting from) those used regularly for scheduled services. Apart from Bank Holiday excursion visitors like the Crab, other non-scheduled ones that spring to mind are the two CM&DPLR tanks which were regularly stabled at Kidderminster and things like USATC S160s which worked hospital trains to Stourport.--Robin (talk) 10:37, 20 November 2020 (UTC)
All good points. Let's leave it--Patrick Hearn (talk) 22:29, 20 November 2020 (UTC)
5600 Class. I've added the class based on Adrian Booth's notes that the class worked Stourport power station trains from 1957. I've also noted the tale they were overweight north of Bewdley?--Patrick Hearn (talk) 12:43, 21 November 2020 (UTC)
Thanks, I agree working to Stourport is fine for inclusion. I've tweaked the wording to add about their route availability and the accidental working to Alveley. I've not added this to keep the article from getting too long, but there is a model of one (6697) on display on the first floor of the Engine House. --Robin (talk) 13:18, 21 November 2020 (UTC)
3150 class. The class is listed in SVRSevern Valley Railway News 1 as one that worked on the Branch. However there is a note in the editorial, "Just before publication, a slight inaccuracy was found in this edition and I wonder if you will spot it. The clue is:- Some are red, some are blue, Tell us which one can't go through.". I suspect the 3150 class was that error, as the Wikipedia article says it was restricted to red routes. --Robin (talk) 17:27, 15 March 2021 (UTC)
Undone! That'll teach me. I was going to put it in the discussion first and decided not to!--Patrick Hearn (talk) 19:09, 15 March 2021 (UTC)