Severn Valley Railway February Half Term Services, 2024

How’s the old saying go? “By the magic of television, I bring you a film from two separate days!” Sorry to shatter the illusion but it’s just clever editing. Anyway, never mind that. The SVR reopened for fare paying passengers this year in February Half Term for the first time in a long while and saw three trains in service each day - two off Kidderminster (one steam, one diesel) and one off Bridgnorth (the DMU) which also did a shuttle to Highley at lunch time. Being as these services were to see 7812 Erlestoke Manor out and about before it disappears off to the Bluebell and West Somerset Railways, I thought it would be good fun to get some footage of it and, by extension, two other locos not yet seen on this channel.
Though I am a steam man at heart, I do appreciate the early era diesels. Particularly the DMUs of which we at the railway have a five car set which has just re-entered service after several years languishing in the rock siding at Bewdley. Though there is still work to do on the unit, it’s great to have it back with us again. The other loco featured which has not yet been seen here is Peak class D182. This monster of a machine, on loan from the East Lancashire Railway, was deputising for the failed Class 40 D40106 Atlantic Conveyor (also on loan from the ELR). I have no interest particularly in filming the SVR diesel galas which is why neither of these two have appeared before but they were in fine form today and looked superb on camera.
The other locos featured today are Class 20 20048 which was called in last night to drag the DMU at short notice and Pannier Tank 7714 which was stabled at Bewdley MPD. This loco has been working services throughout the half term (sharing the 10:00 with 7812) and also providing footplate experiences but today was having a rest. I was on duty last weekend and filmed 7812 leaving Hampton Loade so decided to choose yesterday (Sat 17 Feb 2024) to go up and continue filming - partly because of 7812 and partly because of continuity. Gratefully in that regard the Manor was hauling the same set as the week before including the dining cars on the south end. Huzzah!
I am expecting to make a film of the Spring Steam Gala when that rolls around but as yet no roster or timetable has been published so we’ll wait and see. In the meantime, hope you enjoyed this one and that you’re all looking after yourselves. Cheers folks, see you again.
ALL TRACKSIDE SHOTS WERE OBTAINED WITH A VALID PTS AND A HIGH VISIBILITY JACKET. PLEASE DO NOT TRESPASS WITHOUT EITHER OF THESE OR A LINESIDE PASS!
Stay Safe & Stay Tuned!
- Alex.