Difference between revisions of "Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979"

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*November 1976:
 
*November 1976:
 
**The pits are being dug for the new Bridgnorth loco shed.
 
**The pits are being dug for the new Bridgnorth loco shed.
**The first outgoing railtour takes place. A photo in SVR news Edition 43 later shows Paddington Arrivals Information board on 13 November 1976 displaying the arrival of a service originating from Bridgnorth. This used the SVR's rolling stock and was hauled by a BR Western Class diesel locomotive. <br>
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**The first outgoing railtour takes place. A photo in SVR news Edition 43 later shows Paddington Arrivals Information board on 13 November 1976 displaying the arrival of a service originating from Bridgnorth. This used the SVR's Great Western rolling stock and was hauled by Brush Type 4 diesel locomotive No. 47 120. <br>
  
 
Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:  
 
Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:  

Revision as of 23:30, 31 January 2015

Significant events in the history of the Severn Valley Railway in preservation between 1970 and 1979 are set out below.

1970

The SVRSevern Valley Railway is granted a light railway order, allowing the line to be oficially opened between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade in May.

  • January 1970: Passenger services between Bewdley, Kidderminster and Hartlebury are withdrawn by BRBritish Rail or British Railways.
  • May 1970: The Light Railway Order is granted allowing public services to start. 23 May 1970 sees the official opening of the Severn Valley Railway, with the first public trains running between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade. Loco 3205 hauls the first service, while 46443, 43106 and 48773 are also used over the weekend. Trains run at weekends until the end of October.
  • August 1970: 45110 and 4566 arrive on 20 and 25 August respectively.
  • November: 1501 arrives on 7 November.

The total mileages recorded by the SVRSevern Valley Railway’s steam locomotives at the end of 1970 were as follows:

Locomotive 1967-1970
46443 2,104
43106 1,340
WD 193 Shropshire 1,021
3205 900
48773 445
45110 398
1738 2
Total 6,210

No further use of 1738 was recorded in the 1970s.

1971

Services again run between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade.

  • March 1971: 46521 arrives from BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. on 20 March. The loco will become the first BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. restoration to enter service on the SVRSevern Valley Railway in 1974.
  • April 1971: 70000 Britannia arrives on 9 April. On 10 April a summer timetable begins between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade, running until 30 October.
  • May 1971: 80079 arrives on 15 May.
  • June 1971: 5764 arrives on 19 June.
  • August: WD 193 arrives on 7 August.
  • September: LMR 600 Gordon arrives on 20/9/1971, on loan from The Transport Trust.

Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:

Locomotive 1971 Total
45110 1,401 1,799
43106 1,252 2,592
46443 969 3,073
5764 925 925
48773 440 885
686 The Lady Armaghdale 289 289
2047 Warwickshire 196 196
WD 193 Shropshire 88 1,109
3205 80 980
Other - 2
Total 5,640 11,850


1972

  • April 1972: The SVRSevern Valley Railway Holdings Company is floated as a public company under the presidency of Viscount Cobham.
  • September 1972: 61994 The Great Marquess (LNERLondon & North Eastern Railway 3442) arrives on 9 September.


Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:

Locomotive 1972 Total
46443 2,082 5,155
48773 1,105 1,990
3205 701 1,681
WD 193 Shropshire 701 1,810
5764 542 1,467
45110 471 2,270
600 Gordon 315 315
686 The Lady Armaghdale 195 484
2047 Warwickshire 182 378
417 Invicta 4 4
Other - 2,596
Total 6,298 18,148

No further use of 417 Invicta was recorded before the locomotive left the SVRSevern Valley Railway.

1973

  • January 1973: Four locomotives, 4141, 5164, 7819 Hinton Manor and 4930 Hagley Hall, all arrive on 6 January.
  • March 1973:
    • Three more locomotives arrive; 78019 from BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. on 12 March, 7714 on 29 March, and 75069 on 31 March.
    • The MP Sir Gerald Nabarro leaves the company. Nabarro was an influential figure in the early days of the SVRSevern Valley Railway and spearheaded the fund-raising of £110,000 to acquire the line to Bewdley.
  • November 1973: 5764 is involved in the filming of the BBC children's serial "Carrie's War".
  • December 1973: 42968 arrives on 14 December. WD 193 operates all the Santa services.

Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:

Locomotive 1973 Total
48773 1,380 3,370
45110 1,320 3,590
WD 193 Shropshire 900 2,710
3205 745 2,426
600 Gordon 670 985
5764 270 1,737
61994 The Great Marquess 200 200
46443 190 5,345
2047 Warwickshire 76 454
47383 20 20
Other - 3,082
Total 5,771 23,919

The Great Marquess was steamed for the first time since arrival the previous year. With an axle weight in excess of 19 tons, it exceeded the limit of 17 tons 12 cwt in the SVRSevern Valley Railway's Light Railway Order granted in May 1970. A condition of the locomotive's move to the SVRSevern Valley Railway was that it could be used there once restored, so the locomotive was therefore stored while discussions took place over a possible transfer to another railway. In the meantime a program of work was underway to upgrade the line, including replacement of several bridges, to raise the permitted limit to a figure in excess of 20 tons. This upgrade was achieved in due course.

1974

In this year the SVRSevern Valley Railway begins services to Bewdley and increases the amount of daily running during summer, resulting in a near tripling of the miles covered.

  • March 1974: The Light Railway Transfer Order is granted to extend the line from Hampton Loade to Bewdley.
  • April 1974: Easter weekend sees services begin between Hampton Loade and Highley. The first passenger service is the 09:30 from Bridgnorth with GWRGreat Western Railway Railcar 22, followed by the 12:45 steam service hauled by No 600 Gordon. The weekend sees 16,000 passenger journeys.
  • May 1974: The line is opened from Highley to Arley and Bewdley. GWRGreat Western Railway Railcar 22 operates the first round trip between Bridgnorth and Bewdley, while the first steam services are hauled by No 5764 from the new MPDMotive Power Depot at Bewdley and No 43106 from Bridgnorth. Daily running during the summer season is extended to five weeks.
  • July 1974: 46521 becomes the SVRSevern Valley Railway's first BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. restoration to enter service.
  • August 1974: 2047 Warwickshire makes a guest appearance in steam at the Town & County Show at Stoneleigh. Remarkably, the locomotive covers 8½ miles on a temporary track only 40 ft long!


Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:

Locomotive 1974 Total
46443 3,855 9,200
43106 3,760 6,352
5764 1,940 3,677
WD 193 Shropshire 1,830 4,540
45110 1,600 5,190
600 Gordon 1,405 2,390
46521 670 670
47383 635 655
2047 Warwickshire 82 536
Other - 6,486
Total 15,777 39,696


1975

The 1975 timetable included 118 running days between March and October, with 554 trains in each direction.

  • Spring 1975: Locomotive news is that Invicta has been sold and will be leaving the SVRSevern Valley Railway. Also 4110 will not be coming to the SVRSevern Valley Railway as planned, but will go to the WSR instead. However Railcar 22 will remain on loan from the Great Western Society for another 5 years.
  • May 1975: Arley Loop is opened on 25 May, allowing a Spring Bank Holiday 45 minute service from Bridgnorth to Bwedley with 4 train sets, instead of the existing 90 minute service. 46521 and 43106 are the first trains to pass at Arley.
  • June 1975: The SVRSevern Valley Railway membership tops 5,000.
  • July 1975: German 2-6-2T DB 64.305 arrives on 17 July.
  • August 1975: Four SVRSevern Valley Railway engines attend the Rail 150 celebrations at Shildon. 600 Gordon travels to Shildon under its own power, later followed by 48233 and 43106 in convoy. 813, which has been cosmetically restored for the event, goes by road.
  • August 1975: 2857 and 9303 arrive from BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. on 13 August.
  • September 1975:
    • ¾ of a mile of the old Stourport branch is relaid. The section will be used in the filming of Universal Pictures' "The Severn Per Cent Solution". A number of the SVRSevern Valley Railway's locos will take part in the film.
    • Enthusiasts Day sees 11 locomotives in steam, with 10 hauling passenger services and DB 64.305 shunting. Two of the locos are Austrian Railways 2-6-0 locomotives in Furness Railway red livery with flared stovepipe chimneys and huge brass domes - 46443 and 46521 are ready for their starring roles!
  • December 1975: Christmas services are between Bewdley and Arley, due to engineering work on the north of the line.


Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:

Locomotive 1975 Total Notes
46521 4,510 5,180
46443 3,845 13,045
4566 3,310 3,310 Entry into service following restoration.
43106 2,770 9,122
48773 2,505 5,875 Return from overhaul.
47383 2,160 2,815
45110 1, 965 7,155
WD 193 Shropshire 1,905 6,445
5764 1,385 5,062
600 Gordon 1,020 3,410
2047 Warwickshire 20 556
813 5 5 Briefly steamed before resuming restoration.
DB 64.305 5 5 First and only use before leaving the SVRSevern Valley Railway.
Other - 6,486
Total 25,405 65,101



1976

The 1976 timetable included 118 running days between March 6th and October 31st, now with 735 trains in each direction. As they year opened, negotiations with BRBritish Rail or British Railways were in progress over the proposed Kidderminster Terminus. The SVRSevern Valley Railway was also negotiating with BRBritish Rail or British Railways for the SVRSevern Valley Railway to become an approved steam depot for main line running.

  • March 1976: Construction of the loco shed at the Bridgnorth MPDMotive Power Depot begins. This will take around a year to complete using parts of the former Portskewett and Heaton Mersey Sheds acqiuired for that purpose.
  • April 1976: 7812 Erlestoke Manor arrives on 23 April, having previously been at the Dowty R.P.S. site at Ashchurch.
  • May 1976: A busy day at at Bewdley MPDMotive Power Depot, as 'the big lift' sees the lifting of 5 boilers and 2 frames in a single day.
  • August 1976: The 'long hot summer' of 1976 causes problems as SVRSevern Valley Railway volunteers fight dozens of fires along the railway. A spare HawksworthFrederick Hawksworth, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1941-1948 4000 gallon tender is filled and taken to Spring Grove (near Rifle Range Halt) to help the county fire brigade, assisted by SVRSevern Valley Railway volunteers, fight a nearby forest fire which takes 2 days to extinguish.
  • September 1976: The first Autumn Enthusiasts Weekend (as opposed to day) sees the first "top-and-tailed" steam services to Foley Park. 7 Locomotives are in steam (813 having failed on the first day).
  • November 1976:
    • The pits are being dug for the new Bridgnorth loco shed.
    • The first outgoing railtour takes place. A photo in SVRSevern Valley Railway news Edition 43 later shows Paddington Arrivals Information board on 13 November 1976 displaying the arrival of a service originating from Bridgnorth. This used the SVRSevern Valley Railway's Great Western rolling stock and was hauled by Brush Type 4The British Railways classification for diesel locomotives of 2000 bhp to 2999 bhp diesel locomotive No. 47 120.

Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:

Locomotive 1976 Total Notes
46521 5,120 10,300
45110 4,390 11,545
46443 3,865 16,910
43106 3,245 12,547
4566 3,400 6,710
5764 3,125 8,187
600 Gordon 1,870 5,280
WD 193 Shropshire 960 7,405
48773 10 10
Other - 6,497
Total 26,165 91,266

1977

For the first time, the SVRSevern Valley Railway ran limited services in January and February, on Sundays between Bewdley and Arley.

  • Spring 1977:
    • Over the winter, intense cold followed by heavy rain results in the line at Sterns dropping 2ft 6" and moving 4ft nearer the river. Work on Borle viaduct is suspended while this is resolved, and through services over the viaduct are 3 weeks late staring as a result. A large part of front car park at Bridgnorth has also collapsed.
    • On the good news front, 6960 Raveningham Hall arrives.
  • March 1977:
    • The frames of the new Bridgnorth loco shed are erected
    • Viscount Cobham dies. A staunch supporter of the SVRSevern Valley Railway, he was the first President of the SVRSevern Valley Railway during the public floatation of the Holdings Company in 1972.
  • April 1977:
    • Bridgnorth Loco shed is completed.
    • 11 SVRSevern Valley Railway coaches are used on a main line trip to Chester. 48773 hauls the service from Bridgnorth to Bewdley, other motive power during the day includes the locomotives King George V and Princess Elizabeth.
  • September 1977:
    • Grand opening of the cast iron gentlemen’s toilet on Bewdley’s island platform, following its relocation from Melrose in Scotland.
    • Enthusiasts Day sees 10 SVRSevern Valley Railway locos in steam including 7819 Hinton Manor and 6960 Raveningham Hall.

45000 arrived on loan from the NRMThe Railway Museum, formerly the National Railway Museum during 1977.

Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:

Locomotive 1977 Total Notes
4566 4,410 11,120
46443 3,875 20,785
48773 3,545 9,430
47373 3,440 6,255 Return from overhaul
45110 3,405 14,950
80079 2,775 2,775 Entry into service following restoration.
600 Gordon 1,720 7,000
43106 1,650 14,197
7819 Hinton Manor 1,415 1,415 Entry into service following restoration.
46521 1,005 11,305
WD 193 Shropshire 950 8,355
6960 Raveningham Hall 380 380 Arrived and entered service
5764 375 8,562
2047 Warwickshire 260 816 Return from overhaul
Other - 3,126
Total 29,205 120,471


1978

In 1978 SVRSevern Valley Railway based locos were beginning to provide locomotives to work on main line rail tours while stabled at depots such as Hereford. Visitor numbers to the SVRSevern Valley Railway increase; for the first time the railway sold more than 150,000 tickets in a year.

  • January 1978: 4150 arrives on 19/01/1978, having previously been at the DeanWilliam Dean, Chief Locomotive Engineer of the Great Western Railway 1877-1902 Forest Railway[1]. The Rolling Stock Committee decides that 4150 should be the last BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. engine to come in, as there are now 33 locomotives stationed at the railway.
  • April 1978:
    • A naming ceremony is held for WD 193, which is given the name ‘Shropshire’.
    • Raveningham Hall becomes the first SVRSevern Valley Railway-based locomotive to haul a main line tour. Leaving the SVRSevern Valley Railway on 7 April, it works the F&W Railtours “Cathedrals Express” from Hereford to Chester and back the following day.
  • May 1978: 70000 Britannia returns to steam after 12 years, and is renamed on 20 May by Mr R A RiddlesRobert Arthur "Robin" Riddles, Member of the Railway Executive for Mechanical and Electrical Engineering responsible for the design of the British Rail Standard Class locomotives, the locomotive’s designer.
  • Date not recorded: Pannier 3612 was purchased from BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. for spares.

Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:

Locomotive 1978 Total Notes
80079 5,235 8,010
7819 Hinton Manor 4,875 6,290
48773 3,395 12,825
45110 3,270 18,220
4566 3,180 14,300
46443 2,865 23,650
6960 Raveningham Hall 2,540 2,920
47373 2,230 8,485 Returned from overhaul
WD 193 Shropshire 770 9,125
600 Gordon 435 7,435
70000 Britannia 275 275 First steaming since arrival
Other - 38,006
Total 29,070 149,541


1979

During 1979 7802 Bradley Manor arrived from BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation., assuming the title of 'last BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. engine to come in'.

  • March 1979: Major work is again required to stabilise the line at Sterns.
  • May 1979: BRBritish Rail or British Railways has agreed to allow through excursions onto the SVRSevern Valley Railway. The first such excursion, oganised by the Monmouthshire Railway Society, arrives at Bewdley from Cardiff.
  • June 1979: 2857 is steamed for the first time since restoration; the first ChurchwardGeorge Jackson Churchward, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1902-1922 2-8-0 to do so.
  • July 1979: The Didcot Great Western Society's veteran Wantage Tramway locomotive "Shannon" is used for filming scenes of the BBC children's drama television series "God's Wonderful Railway" on the SVRSevern Valley Railway, but is not steamed while here.
  • August 1979:
    • LNWRLondon & North Western Railway 3020 Cornwall arrives on 16 August. The locomotive is being lent to the SVRSevern Valley Railway by the NRMThe Railway Museum, formerly the National Railway Museum for a 5 year period including restoration.
    • As an experiment, BRBritish Rail or British Railways runs a weekend DMUDiesel Multiple Unit serice from Kidderminster to Bewdley.
  • September 1979: 7812 is officially re-named "Erlestoke Manor" in a ceremony on 1 September.
  • December 1979: Christmas running takes place between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade.


Locomotives used during the year and the mileages recorded were as follows:

Locomotive 1979 Total Notes
7819 Hinton Manor 5,760 12,050
46443 5,360 29,010
4566 4,120 14,420
6960 Raveningham Hall 3,890 6,810
48773 3,050 15,875
80079 1,935 9,945
5764 1,875 10,437 Return from overhaul.
45000 1,650 1,650 Loan from NRMThe Railway Museum, formerly the National Railway Museum, entry into service.
47373 1,265 9,750 Return from overhaul
4930 Hagley Hall 645 645 Entry into service following restoration.
600 Gordon 630 8,065
5164 510 510 Entry into service following restoration.
7812 Erlestoke Manor 465 465 Entry into service following restoration.
45110 350 18,570
WD 193 Shropshire 335 9,460
70000 Britannia 80 335
2857 20 20 First steaming following restoration.
3205 2 2,428 Return from overhaul.
Other - 27,018
Total 31,942 181,483


References and sources

Information on the early history of the SVRSevern Valley Railway can be found on the Bridgnorth Station website
Information is from past editions of Severn Valley Railway News unless otherwise stated. Locomotive mileages taken from SVRSevern Valley Railway News #58 Winter 1980/81, page 34, "Steam Locomotive Mileages for the Decade".

  1. 4150 Fund

See also

The Severn Valley Railway in preservation
( 1965-1969 ) ( 1980-1989 )