■ Second time lucky for new Saint’s Severn Valley debut?
NONE of us has a crystal ball to tell when passenger trains will return to our heritage railways, but the Severn Valley Railway is being positive in its outlook, announcing plans for a Spring Steam Up.
It will take place for four days from April 15, featuring a star guest locomotive that had originally been planned for a visit in 2020.
New-build Saint 4-6-0 No. 2999 Lady of Legend had originally been booked as the headline act at the SVR’s 2020 spring gala last April, but the event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, once again, it has the chance to head the line-up as it makes its debut hauling trains away from its Great Western Society’s Didcot Railway Centre.
The SVR resumed running trains last August using its extensive fleet of compartment stock, which enabled parties of up to six to pre-book their own private compartment for a tour of the line, and a similar concept is being adopted for the Spring Steam Up.
Recognising that enthusiasts want to travel behind a variety of motive power, those booking tickets in advance will be able to enjoy up to 96 miles of travel on three round trips, with locomotives being regularly swapped around so all passengers get the chance to ride behind all seven engines that are rostered for the event.
Motive power
Joining No. 2999 will be SVR-based GWR Nos. 2857, 6960 Raveningham Hall – the boiler ticket for which is due to expire this summer – and 7714, supported by 120-year-old former Port Talbot Railway 0-6-0ST No. 813, plus Ivatt 4MT No. 43106 and Southern Railway Bulleid Pacific No. 34027 Taw Valley. Nos. 7714 and 813 will work in tandem to double-head each day. The opportunity will be taken to run No. 2999 on the SVR’s set of former GWR carriages, including ‘Toplights’ from the same period.
Lady of Legend is the second standard gauge new-build to be completed at Didcot, following that of steam railmotor No. 93 in 2011, the realisation of a 45-year project to reverse-engineer the GWR development of the Hall class from Churchward’s two-cylinder Saint in 1925, when the prototype Hall was converted from No. 2925 Saint Martin at Swindon Works.
Built in 1929, 4-6-0 No. 4942 Maindy Hall was acquired from Barry scrapyard specifically for the project in the early 1970s, just as Britain was joining the European Union in what at
the time was known as the Common Market, under the Treaty of Assession in 1972.
Following Britain’s decision to reverse that process by leaving the EU, No. 4942 has spectacularly re-emerged, moving under its own power for the first time in late 2019, but this time in its new Edwardian guise as No. 2999, the first time a working Saint had been seen in the flesh since 1953; the last of the 2900 class, No. 2920 Saint David, was withdrawn and scrapped that October.
Easter
As we closed for press, the SVR was planning to resume services on April 2 in time for Easter, provided Government restrictions have been sufficiently lifted. The railway takes the view that it needs to plan and be ready to resume services, and having a target date helps to achieve that, rather than waiting for Government announcements and then reacting, which could mean not being properly prepared.
Clearly, there is pent-up demand among the public for a steam fix. Within six hours of tickets going on sale for the Spring Steam Up, more than £13,000 worth had been sold.
The number of places available for participants is limited to the number of compartments and tables being made available, so anyone thinking of attending needs to book now to make sure of their seat.
There are four trains each day, three from Kidderminster leaving at 8.25am, 9.15am and 10.05am, and one departure from Bridgnorth at 905am.
Passengers may join trains from Kidderminster at Bewdley, but all other intermediate stations will be closed, although each train gives passengers an option to break their journey at Highley in order to visit the Engine House, re-joining their train approximately 80 minutes later.
There is no obligation to complete all three round trips, but the last arrivals are at Kidderminster at 6.30pm, 7.25pm and 8pm, the Bridgnorth set returning at 7.35pm.
Itineraries
All trains will feature each of seven different locomotives at some stage during the day, and a full itinerary will be published nearer the time. Passengers will also be afforded photographic opportunities at Kidderminster, Bridgnorth and Highley, with social distancing in place.
Compartments for up to six people cost £210 on Friday and Saturday, and £180 on Thursday and Sunday, while suitably spaced tables can be booked in a limited number of open coaches, starting at £35/£30 for a table for one, and £70/£60 for two.Parties of four can reserve a compartment for £140/£120. Go to www.svr.co.uk for full details of how to book. Alternatively, telephone 01562 757900.
Meanwhile, a total of £930,000 has
been raised by the SVR’s Fight Back Fund to countermand the loss of income through the pandemic.
*The photographer who supplied this issue’s cover picture of No. 2999 Lady of Legend, and one of Didcot Railway Centre’s longest-standing volunteers, Frank Dumbleton, has been shortlisted in the Unsung Hero category in the prestigious Beautiful South Awards for Excellence organised by Tourism South East.
Frank has been involved with the Great Western Society – the charity which operates the living museum – since its formation in 1961, and typically puts in more than 100 days each year as the centre’s photographer.
The centre’s chief executive, Emma Jhita, said: “This is wonderful news and a much-needed boost at this really difficult time. Frank’s work has been used extensively in recent years as our marketing team has switched to an image-led, largely digital approach.
“Reaching the finals is well-deserved recognition for Frank. Like many of our volunteers, he puts in countless hours to help out and also acts as a museum steward and educational guide when he can. His passion for the Great Western Railway and his knowledge, having been involved for 60 years, is also a fantastic resource.”
The winners are due to be announced at an online ceremony, hosted by Brighton’s famed Grand Hotel on March 4.