Celebrations as SVR’s Hagley Hall is officially relaunched
SEVERN Valley Railway flagship GWR 4-6-0 No. 4930 Hagley Hall hauled its first passenger train in 36 years after being officially returned to traffic on September 9.
There were many unexpected delays towards the end of its £1.4 million overhaul, including Covid-19 and then the upgrade of Bridgnorth Shed works in the latter stages.
After No. 4930 returned to steam, a period of running in trials took place around the end of August, with several light engine full-line trips. Then, after overnight rain, two full-line return loaded test runs took place on August 25 and 26 using six Mk.1 carriages with a load of 204 tons.
Testing times
Further setbacks occurred when it came to the final running in, the recent extremely dry weather having left vegetation tinder-dry, to the point where several lineside fires occurred.
Testing was to resume the following week but it was halted after one morning run on August 30 due to several lineside fires in the Eardington area. The railway then had to make the difficult decision to resort to diesel power to keep trains running, thereby halting all steam workings, including the running in.
With time getting tight and heading towards the September 1518 autumn steam gala, the decision was made to send No. 4930 to the Kidderminster TMD for painting by Ronan O’Brien. It emerged looking superb on September 22 but minus its safety valve bonnet and the covers around the main steam pipes that feed the cylinders.
Hagley Hall was inside Bridgnorth shed to celebrate its reopening on September 7. Two days later, with the nameplates covered, it ran light engine to Kidderminster Town station in preparation for the big day where, upon arrival, it sat at the buffer stops on Platform 1.
No. 4930 cemented its role as the SVR’s flagship engine in 1984, hauling the first passenger service on the day that Kidderminster Town station was opened. About 250 invited guests gathered on the concourse on September 9, but the celebrations were muted due to the death of The Queen the previous day. The proceedings began with a minute’s silence to honour her; due to her passing, Lord Cobham of Hagley Hall did not attend.
Speeches were made by SVR chairman Mike Ball, Paul Hobson, of
the Hagley Hall fund, SVR founder member Columb Howell, managing director Helen Smith, and the Rev Mike Kneen, of Hereford Cathedral.
‘Vision and grit’
“The overhaul of Hagley Hall has truly been the stuff of dreams,”said Mike. “Many people here today shared that dream. They had a vision and the grit to carry on with a project they cared passionately about.“It’s thanks to them that we are here to celebrate No. 4930’s return to steam.”
Columb Howell helped save the railway in the 1960s. Nearly 50 years ago he was one of a small team that rescued the rusting locomotive from Barry scrapyard. Its restoration was completed in 1979.
The nameplates were unveiled by Paul and Helen, after which the
Rev Kneen, a SVR volunteer driver, blessed No. 4930 with water from the locomotive sprinkled with rosemary.
After running round, Hagley Hall set back onto its train of seven beautifully turned-out GWR carriages for the first of two inaugural return trips to Bridgnorth, the first departing at noon and the second at 4pm with a wreath on its smokebox door as a tribute to The Queen.
Despite having not completed its running in turns, it performed well on the day and the railway now looks forward to the next 10 years with it used on normal service trains.
Hagley Hall’s next appearance was in the autumn gala – see feature, pages 44-49 –and it will also be in use over the Christmas period.
Visit Severn Valley Railway online at www.svr.co.uk to find out more.