Difference between revisions of "Open House Weekend"
(past event) |
|||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
==Open House Weekend 2023== | ==Open House Weekend 2023== | ||
| − | The 2023 event | + | The 2023 event took place on Saturday and Sunday 1-2 April, coinciding with the reopening of the full line after infrastructure work north of Highley including the first phase of the [[Bridgnorth MPD|Bridgnorth Yard relay project]]. It included the following attractions: |
'''Kidderminster''' | '''Kidderminster''' | ||
| − | *Cab tours of | + | *Cab tours of Class 50 diesel locomotive [[50044|50044 Exeter]] |
*Guided tours of [[Kidderminster Station signal box (1987 onwards)|Kidderminster Town signal box]] | *Guided tours of [[Kidderminster Station signal box (1987 onwards)|Kidderminster Town signal box]] | ||
| − | *Access to Kidderminster Carriage and Wagon works | + | *Access to [[Carriage Repair Works|Kidderminster Carriage and Wagon works]] |
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left"> | <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left"> | ||
Kidderminster signal box interior.jpg | Kidderminster Signal Box levers and block shelf | Kidderminster signal box interior.jpg | Kidderminster Signal Box levers and block shelf | ||
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
| − | '''Bewdley''' | + | '''Bewdley''' |
| − | *Brake Van Rides | + | *Brake Van Rides using Class 09 diesel [[BR Class 09 09107|09107]] and brake vans [[GWR 17410 'Toad' 20T Goods Brake Van|GWR 'Toad' 17410]] and [[WD 55577 Brake Van (fictitious number)|WD 55577]] |
*Guided tours of the [[Bewdley Down Yard|Carriage & Wagon Yard]] | *Guided tours of the [[Bewdley Down Yard|Carriage & Wagon Yard]] | ||
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left"> | <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left"> | ||
| Line 34: | Line 34: | ||
'''Bridgnorth''' | '''Bridgnorth''' | ||
*Guided tours of [[Bridgnorth signal box]] | *Guided tours of [[Bridgnorth signal box]] | ||
| − | *Bridgnorth Engineering Services & Motive Power Depot open for viewing including the Machine Shop & Workshop | + | *[[Bridgnorth MPD|Bridgnorth Engineering Services & Motive Power Depot]] open for viewing including the Loco Works, Machine Shop & Workshop |
* Discover more about the Bridgnorth yard project with a selection of photography and information on display. | * Discover more about the Bridgnorth yard project with a selection of photography and information on display. | ||
<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left"> | <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left"> | ||
| Line 40: | Line 40: | ||
BridgnorthMachineShopDavidCooke1.jpg | General view of the Machine Shop. | BridgnorthMachineShopDavidCooke1.jpg | General view of the Machine Shop. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
==Past Open House Weekends== | ==Past Open House Weekends== | ||
Revision as of 11:04, 3 April 2023
Traditionally held each spring, the Open House Weekend began as an annual 'Members Day'. The first Members' Day advertised in SVRSevern Valley Railway News 'forthcoming events' was on 1 April 1995, featuring an increased train service with visits and displays behind the scenes for SVRSevern Valley Railway members.[1]. The event continued in that format until 2004, but in 2005 a second day was added to become the Members & Shareholders Weekend. The 'behind the scenes' exhibits became open to the public as well as members and shareholders, and the event eventually adopted its present name to reflect this, the first Open House Weekend taking place on 16-17 April 2016.
No events were held in 2020 or 2021 due to restrictions arising from COVID-19.
Open House Weekend 2023
The 2023 event took place on Saturday and Sunday 1-2 April, coinciding with the reopening of the full line after infrastructure work north of Highley including the first phase of the Bridgnorth Yard relay project. It included the following attractions:
Kidderminster
- Cab tours of Class 50 diesel locomotive 50044 Exeter
- Guided tours of Kidderminster Town signal box
- Access to Kidderminster Carriage and Wagon works
Kidderminster Signal Box levers and block shelf
Interior view of Kidderminster signal box
Dynamo test rigs in the carriage works
Bewdley
- Brake Van Rides using Class 09 diesel 09107 and brake vans GWR 'Toad' 17410 and WD 55577
- Guided tours of the Carriage & Wagon Yard
Bewdley Paint Shop
Highley
- Guided tours of Highley signal box
- The Engine House; interactive Guided Tours by volunteers from a number of departments including an opportunity to tour the King's Coach.
Highley Signal Box
Interior view of the main saloon
Bridgnorth
- Guided tours of Bridgnorth signal box
- Bridgnorth Engineering Services & Motive Power Depot open for viewing including the Loco Works, Machine Shop & Workshop
- Discover more about the Bridgnorth yard project with a selection of photography and information on display.
Interior of Bridgnorth Signal Box
General view of the Machine Shop.
Past Open House Weekends
Attractions vary from year-to-year. The 2017 event included:
- Intensive train service, featuring local services and visiting locomotive from the Spring Steam Gala.
- Diesel locomotive services.
- Bridgnorth Loco Works and Bewdley Down Yard, as well as Bridgnorth, Bewdley North and Kidderminster Signalboxes open for visits.
- UpIn reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR) to 30 model railway layouts on display in Kidderminster Diesel Depot and The Engine House.
- Kidderminster Diesel Depot open for visits
- A locomotive on display on Kidderminster Turntable.
- The Coalyard Miniature Railway at Kidderminster (additional charge applies).
- Paddock Garden Railway at Hampton Loade.
- On-train Cream Tea Service
- Diesel Footplate Experiences
Peep Behind the Scenes
A second event, Peep Behind the Scenes, was held between 2010 and 2017 and also allowed visitors a chance to see some areas of the railway that are not normally open to the public. Until 2016 it was organised by The 4150 Fund and in 2017 by Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd.
Heritage Open Days
Billed as 'England's largest festival of history and culture', Heritage Open Days was established in 1994 as England's contribution to the European Cultural Convention's European Heritage Days. It is England's largest community heritage festival.[2] On 10-11 September 2022 the SVRSevern Valley Railway held a 'Behind the Scenes' event.
See also
References
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 113
- ↑ heritageopendays.org (Retrieved 28 August 2022)
