The Severn Valley Railway
A review of the epic 2017 Severn Valley Railway Diesel Gala held over 18th-20th May 2017 which featured no less than 21 different locomotives from 14 different classes. The gala included Class 14 D9551, Class 17 Clayton D8568, Class 20s 20205 & 20189, Class 31 31271 Stratford 1840-2001, Class 33s 33035 & 33108, Class 45 'Peaks' 45041 Royal Tank Regiment & 45060 Sherwood Forester, Class 47s 47192 & 47828 (in the wonderful Intercity livery), Class 50s 50007 Hercules, 50008 Thunderer & 50031 Hood, Class 52 'Western' D1062 Western Courier, Class 55 'Deltic' 55022 Royal Scots Grey running as long scrapped sister 55018 Ballymoss, Class 60 60100, Class 66 66771, Class 73s 73107 Tracy & 73965, and brand new DRS Class 88 88003 Genesis. Watch out for the Classic Traction DVD of the gala which will be available in a few weeks - pre-order your copy now via the Classic Traction website!
One of the highlights from the Severn Valley Railway 2017 Diesel Gala, held over the 18th - 20th May 2017, was the visit of brand new DRS Class 88 Euro-Dual 88003 Genesis, which we see in action at Foley Park Tunnel and Tenbury Junction. Built by Stadler Rail in Valencia, Spain, these ten fully dual mode locomotives feature a Carerpillar C27 diesel engine which generates 950hp or 5360hp in electric mode using the 25kv overhead line equipment.
The sole surviving Class 17 Clayton D8568 is seen in action at the Severn Valley Railway during the 2017 Severn Valley Railway Diesel Gala over 18th - 20th May 2017. The Class 17s were intended as BR's Standard Type 1 design, and were fitted with two 6 cylinder 450hp Paxman 6ZHXL engines, but they were such a ill-fated and unreliable design that BR subsequently adopted the English Electric Type 1 (Class 20) as the standard Type 1 design. Introduced in September 1962, the class only survived 9 years in BR traffic, with all being withdrawn by 1971. Always a Scottish Region locomotive, D8568 was new to Millerhill (64B) in January 1964 and withdrawn from Polmadie (66A) in October 1971, spending just 7 years in BR service.
Class 45/0 'Peak' 45060 Sherwood Forester is seen in action on the Severn Valley Railway over 18th & 19th May 2017, during the highly successful 2017 Diesel Gala.
Class 50 50008 Thunderer is seen in action on the Severn Valley Railway during May 2017. Climbing Eardington Bank with a matching rake of Intercity Mk 2s, it could so easily be the early 1990s with 50008 in her 'Laira' departmental BR Blue livery, certainly one of the most perfect diesel preservation recreations in recent years! It could easily be somewhere in the West Country 30 years ago! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bw4_tSPGPA
One of the highlights of the 2017 Severn Valley Railway Diesel Gala was the visit of DBS Class 60 60100, and here we see the 3,100hp Mirrlees powered Type 5 hard at work over the Severn Valley's testing gradients between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ym_Clk1__g
Class 45/0 45041 Royal Tank Regiment is seen in action on the Severn Valley Railway during their annual diesel gala over 18th - 20th May 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QyYwh6pjAM
The 2016 Severn Valley Diesel Gala was possibly one of the finest diesel galas to date, and in this film we see some of the many highlights which included four Class 20s, D8059, D8188, 20142 & 20205, DRS loaned Class 37 37716 and Class 68 68025 Superb, GB Railfreight Class 66/7 66763 Severn Valley Railway (which was named at the event), Class 46 Peak D182 (46045), Class 52 Western D1015 Western Champion, running as long scrapped sister D1058 Western Nobleman, and Class 55 Deltics D9002 The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier. Certainly an event that will go down in diesel history! www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FFXHVJKVJI
The Severn Valley Railway Diesel Gala held over 19th - 21st May 2016 witnessed the visit, possibly first visit, of brand new Class 68 68025 Superb, and here we see the 16 cylinder 3800hp Vossloh Eurolight in action over the length of the line. I really like these incredible diesels - never was a diesel more aptly named: Superb.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHf5kaIeWJY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHf5kaIeWJY
Filmed during a 30742 Photo Charter organised by Martin Creese, GWR 28xx 2-8-0 2857 is seen working a typical 1920s / 1930s era style GWR mixed pick-up goods on the Severn Valley on 22nd October 2013. 2857 was built at Swindon in May 1918, and was initially allocated to the GWR's shed at Salisbury, where she worked heavy freights into South Wales. Over the next 30 years she was to be based at several sheds in South Wales, including Aberdare, Pontypool Road and Cardiff, as well as further a field at Old Oak Common, Newton Abbot and Laira, before concluding her 45 year career with the GWR and BR in April 1963 based at Neath.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6RWMEquSE4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6RWMEquSE4
LNER A4 4-6-2 Pacific 4464 Bittern with a beautifully restored rake of LNER / Great Northern Railway teak coaches storms Eardington Bank during a 30742 Photo Charter organised by Martin Creese on 27th March 2012. Hard to believe this was almost 5 years ago! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trKvi6MiEg4
LNER A4 4-6-2 Pacific 4464 Bittern is seen hauling a beautifully restored rake of LNER / Great Northern Railway teaks on the Severn Valley Railway on 27th March 2012. This was filmed on day 2 of a two day photo charter organised by Martin Creese for 30742 Photo Charters and was believed to be the first time a LNER Garter Blue A4 had been paired with a complete rake of teaks in over 60 years. Certainly one of my personal favourite charters to date! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Vp3s2LFn9k
This was believed to be the first occasion since Nationalisation that a LNER A4 Pacific in Garter Blue livery hauled a complete rake of LNER teaks, and we see 4464 Bittern at work on the Severn Valley Railway during a 30742 Photo Charter organised by Martin Creese on 26th March 2012. Certainly one of my all-time favourite photo charters that I have been on to date! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kioyg12VtHw
In true 'London to Brighton' style and filmed from the cab of Class 52 'Western' D1013 Western Ranger, we travel the 13 miles between Bewdley and Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway in just 3 minutes, at simulated speeds of over 500mph! Filmed during one of the ever popular driver experience courses on 8th September 2005, 'Western Ranger' sounds as sweet as a sewing machine as she reaches a simulated speed of 530mph whilst climbing Eardington Bank! Enjoy!
Filmed during a Driver's Experience Course in Class 52 'Western' diesel-hydraulic D1013 Western Ranger, we enjoy a cab ride from Bewdley to Northwood Halt on the Severn Valley Railway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80vJzQYDXh0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80vJzQYDXh0
Filmed during a Driver's Experience Course in Class 52 'Western' diesel-hydraulic D1013 Western Ranger, we enjoy a cab ride from Northwood Halt to Arley on the Severn Valley Railway. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbD1nf0arJg
Filmed during a Driver's Experience Course in Class 52 'Western' diesel-hydraulic D1013 Western Ranger, we enjoy a cab ride from Arley to Highley Loop on the Severn Valley Railway on 8th September 2005.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a08x1rxinzE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a08x1rxinzE
Filmed during a Driver's Experience Course in Class 52 'Western' diesel-hydraulic D1013 Western Ranger, we enjoy a cab ride from Highley Loop to Hampton Loade on the Severn Valley Railway on 8th September 2005.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk-0ZcL0csQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk-0ZcL0csQ
Filmed during a Driver's Experience Course in Class 52 'Western' diesel-hydraulic D1013 Western Ranger, we enjoy a cab ride from Hampton Loade to Eardington Halt on the Severn Valley Railway on 8th September 2005. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxkjH10CfV0
Filmed during a Driver's Experience Course in Class 52 'Western' diesel-hydraulic D1013 Western Ranger, we enjoy a cab ride from Eardington Halt to Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway on 8th September 2005.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtKXc4u2CSg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtKXc4u2CSg