Severn Valley DMU returns
THE DMU Group (West Midlands) based at the Severn Valley Railway owns five Class 108 DMU vehicles, two of which, Nos. M51941+E52064, have recently returned to service following overhaul.
The pair made their first public run since 2017 in November, from Bewdley to Kidderminster, after which they were used during the line’s pre-Christmas Santa season, and then for the new Winter Diesel Day on January 29.
The ‘108’ joined a number of diesel locomotives for the Winter Diesel Day, including Class 17 ‘Clayton’ No. D8568, ‘Choppers’ Nos. 20007+20142 Sir John Betjeman (courtesy of Class 20189 Ltd), ‘Crompton’
No. 33108,‘Tractor’No. 37263
(on hire from the Telford Steam Railway), ‘Whistler’ No. 40106 (running without its Atlantic Conveyor nameplates),‘Peak’
No. 182 (46045) which has recently had its steam heat boiler refitted, ‘Hoover’
No. 50035 Ark Royal and‘Western’ No. D1015 Western Champion. The diesels were joined by GWR 0-6-0PT No. 7714 from the steam fleet to provide heating for the third rake of coaching stock.
The event was also expected to include Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’
No. D9551, but due to the loco’s generator being overhauled, it was withdrawn from the line-up. The diesel day was a deemed a success for the SVR, with about 1200 passengers being carried, and the line plans to hold it again in December this year.
The DMU Group also owns centre car No. NE59250, which is expected to return to use in mid2024. Vehicles Nos. M50933 and M56208 remain at Bewdley, and both require a major overhaul. Details of how to donate can be found at www.svr-dmu.org.uk.