Class 50 Alliance marks 30 years
ON May 8, 1992, the Fifty Fund’s No. 50031 powered the first public passenger train by a Class 50 since its purchase from BR on the Severn Valley Railway.
Since then, the Fifty Fund has become part of the Class 50 Alliance and on September 24, the alliance fittingly marked the 30th anniversary by working the day’s diesel diagram on the same railway.
Chairman Jonathan Dunster said: “Class 50 Alliance is proud to have been associated with the SVR for three decades.
“Most commentators back in 1992 didn’t give Class 50 Preservation much hope for long-term success due to the complexity of the machines.
“However, we have proven them wrong and in large part this is due to the support we have received from the SVR team over the years and recently in particular since the construction of the awardwinning Kidderminster TMD in 2016.”
No. 50007 took the 9.45am to Bridgnorth, No. 50049 the 11.45am return, No. 50035 the 1.45pm to Bridgnorth, and finally No. 50033 the 3.55pm back to Kidderminster.
Each locomotive carried a commemorative headboard depicting a Class 50, Bridgnorth Castle, the River Severn, and an anchor as a link with Bewdley, which was once a busy port on the river.
The Class 50 Alliance is based on the Severn Valley Railway and has Nos. 50007/031/ 033/035/ 044/049 in its care. Of these, Nos. 50007/031/044/049 have operated on the national network.