Severn Valley brings out headliners for diesel preservation’s 50th anniversary

of visiting main line traction is promised by the Severn Valley Railway for the annual Spring Diesel Festival, taking place this year from May 18-21.

The event marks the start of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the diesel preservation movement, with the founding members of what went on to become the Diesel Traction Group securing Class 42 diesel hydraulic Warship D821 Greyhound from BR in 1973.

Its purchase saw D821 become the first ex-br main line diesel locomotive to be secured for preservation. The Warship is now based at Kidderminster diesel depot on the SVR but has been out of traffic for the past two years undergoing bodywork repairs and a repaint into BR blue with full yellow ends.

All of the SVR’S operational home fleet locomotives are expected to be in use throughout the four-day event, with the Class 33/1 Preservation Company’s 33108 also returning to service for the first time since undergoing major structural repairs to its cabs, a general bodywork overhaul and repaint into BR civil engineer’s yellow and grey ‘Dutch’ livery. Sure to be extremely popular with visitors to the festival will be the first workings in preservation of Ed Stevenson’s 58023.

The debut of the Mainline blue-liveried locomotive, which is usually based at UK Rail Leasing’s depot at Leicester, will see it haul the first passenger trains worked by a Class 58 in the UK for more than 20 years. Also announced as visiting for the event is Crewe Diesel Preservation Group’s 47712 Lady Diana Spencer, which will be joined by the matching Locomotive Services Group’s Scotrail push-pull set, with freight operator Colas Rail supplying a Class 56.

DB Cargo, Direct Rail Services, GB Railfreight and Network Rail have also agreed to supply locomotives to the event.

Visit https://svr.co.uk/event/spring-diesel-festival-2023/ for more information.

■ More information on the SVR Spring Diesel Festival, as well as

features on the preservation history of D821 and an interview with SVR managing director Jonathan Dunster, will be in the next issue of Railways Illustrated.

Rob Reedman Kenny Felstead The SVR has achieved a coup with the first runs in preservation of a Class 58 – more than 20 years since one of the Type Five freight locomotives last worked a passenger train. 58023, owned by Ed Stevenson, is one of the highlights of a host of visiting locomotives expected to take part in the event. Diesel preservation pioneer Class 42 Western Region diesel-hydraulic Warship locomotive D821 Greyhound is also returning to service in May following bodywork repairs and a repaint into BR blue with full yellow ends. 2023 is the 50th anniversary of D821 being preserved by the founders of what went on to become the Diesel Traction Group.

Kenny Felstead LEFT: Another locomotive that is expected to be popular during the spring diesel festival the Class 33/1 Preservation Company’s SVR resident 33108, which is returning to service on the railway for the first time since having a major bodywork overhaul and repaint into BR’S civil engineer’s ‘Dutch’ yellow and grey livery.