Locomotive Services Ltd’s ScotRail liveried Class 37 No. 37409 ‘Loch Awe’ at Kidderminster during the Severn Valley Railway Diesel Gala – 17/05/2024
May 17th to May 31st 2024
Hello there, we’re slowly going to attempt to catch up with mine and Yoshi’s adventures over the last couple of months. So join us in the first instalment which brings up to the end of May 2024, the month which saw the Spring Diesel Gala taking place on the Severn Valley Railway. The Kidderminster based heritage railway reports the event significantly exceeded expectations with more than 5,000 attendees over the four day event which ran from 16th to the 19th of May. This year, a number of visiting British Rail and present day diesel classes were represented, including classes 20, 37, 43, 46, 59, 69, 70 and 73, in addition to several locomotives from the home fleet. I attended the gala on the Friday and concerned about the hot weather being forecast, Yoshi stayed with Caroline so he was able to stay cool. As is usual with the SVR diesel gala, the sheer number of locomotives involved means that not every example is in operation every day, so I didn’t get to see everything during my one day visit. Maybe another year, I’ll hang around for a bit longer!
My 2024 SVR Diesel Gala began at Bewdley with the arrival of Class 46 D182 (46045) working the 0830 Kidderminster to Bridgnorth service. The “Peak” is owned by the Peak Locomotive Company Limited and is normally based at the Midland Railway Centre, Butterley – 17/05/2024LSLs ScotRail liveried Class 37 No. 37409 ‘Loch Awe’ arrived when I was at Bewdley working the 0855 Highley to Kidderminster service – 17/05/2024Guest loco Freightliner GE PowerHaul Class 70 Co-Co No. 70005 was at the other end of the 0855 Highley to Kidderminster train which enjoyed a 27 minute layover at Bewdley – 17/05/2024I next moved onto Highley, arriving in time to see BR Class 43 Bo-Bo No. 43301, provided by Colas Railfreight (along with No. 43303 at the other end of the MK3 carriages), departing with the 1022 service to Bewdley. This HST set was to fail later in the day – 17/05/2024 Diesel Traction Group’s Clayton Class 17 Bo-Bo No. D8568 is the only surviving example of the this particular Type 1 series of which 117 were built in total. The locomotive is pictured having arrived at Highley station with the 0955 service originating from Bridgnorth – 17/05/2024Class 50 No. 50007 ‘Hercules’ carries the temporarily re-designation of No. 50034 ‘Furious’ on one side as a thank you to GBRf charter manager Paul Taylor for his prostate cancer charity fundraising efforts, ‘Furious’ was his favourite Class 50. The locomotive is seen on the approach to Highley at the head of the 1000 Kidderminster to Bridgnorth working. No. 50007 was purchased by the SVR-based Class 50 Alliance in November 2016 – 17/05/2024Class 46 D182 (46045) at Highley returning to Kidderminster with the 1045 from Bridgnorth – 17/05/2024BR Class 40 1Co-Co1 No. 40106, owned by The Class 40 Preservation Society has been on long term hire to the SVR since August 2018. In my train-spotting days, No. 40106 was quite a celebrity being one of the last Class 40’s to be repainted into BR blue livery in September 1978, before being repainted in BR Brunswick green with full yellow ends almost immediately. In that form No. 40106 was used on a number of railtour and other special passenger workings. The locomotive was preserved in 1984 and the same year was named ‘Atlantic Conveyor’ in memory of the Cunard cargo ship and those on board who lost their lives in the 1982 Falklands War. n October 1987 the locomotive, disguised as D326, was used in a re-enactment of the ‘Great Train Robbery’ for the film ‘Buster’. The locomotive is seen at Highley working the 1125 Bridgnorth to Kidderminster – 17/05/2024BR Class 52 diesel-hydraulic C-C No. D1015 ‘Western Champion’, owned by the Diesel Traction Group, powers towards Highley on the 1130 Kidderminster to Bridgnorth service. The locomotive was star attraction at the Swanage Diesel Gala a couple of weeks previously. A total of 74 examples built for BR’s Western Region between 1961 and 1964 with all being given two-word names beginning “Western”, hence the type became known as Westerns! – 17/05/2024BR Class 33 Bo-Bo No. 33108 would have been a regular visitor on Dorset metals in the 1970’s having been fitted with push-pull equipment and primarily employed on the Bournemouth to Weymouth leg of London Waterloo services. Now owned by the Class 33/1 Preservation Company Ltd (who also own Swanage Railway based sister locomotive No. 33111). No. 33108 currently carries Civil Engineers ‘Dutch’ livery and is seen above on the approach to Highley with the 1215 service from Kidderminster – 17/05/2024English Electric Type 1 BR Class 20 Bo-Bo No. 20048 arrives at Highley with the 1225 “local” train from Bridgnorth. Currently owned by the Class 20189 Limited, of which Michael Owen is the sole Director, and is on loan to the SVR – 17/05/2024Having arrived on the “local” service, No. 20048 shunted its stock in to the loop at Highley awaiting the 1535 departure back to Bridgnorth. Class 20’s are nicknamed “Choppers” because of their distinctive engine beat under load which resembles the sound of a helicopter – 17/05/2024English Electric Class 37 Co-Co No. 37263 in Departmental Grey livery works the 1300 Kidderminster to Bridgnorth towards Highley. The locomotive arrived from the Telford Steam Railway in May 2023 and has remained for an extended stay – 17/05/2024Parry People Mover PPM 50 prototype ‘Car 12’ arrived at the SVR for trial purposes. Unfortunately, during tests ‘Car 12’s’ flywheel was damaged, and it was subsequently stored awaiting collection by the owner. In 2023 it was ‘tagged’ at Highley by vandals, and she was seen in this state on my visit. Parry People Movers Ltd. (PPM) was a small British manufacturer of lightweight railcars that utilise a rotating flywheel as a store of kinetic energy which is then used to power the vehicle, allowing electric systems to operate without overhead wires or third rails. The company built one prototype and two production vehicles, the British Rail Class 139. PPM was founded and directed by John Parry, who died on 17th February 2023, the company being liquidated later that year. In September 1996 a trial run utilising a PPM vehicle took place on the Weymouth Quay tramway which was cut short when the wheels hit hard debris embedded in the sunken rails. – 17/05/2024RailAdventure UK owned Class 43 Bo-Bo ex-HST power cars No.’s 43468 and 43480 at rest in Kidderminster railway station. RailAdventure purchased eight Class 43 power cars from Angel Trains in 2021, six for dual-car operational use, and two for spare parts – 17/05/2024D1015 ‘Western Champion’ arrives at Kidderminster with the 1345 service from Bridgnorth – 17/05/2024D1062 ‘Western Courier’ departs Kidderminster with the 1600 service to Bridgnorth. ‘Courier’ is one of four members of the class resident on the SVR and is looked after by the Western Locomotive Association – 17/05/2024Freightliner GM Electro-Motive Division Class 59 Co-Co No. 59206 ‘John F. Yeoman – Rail Pioneer’ was not in use on the day of my visit, but could be seen parked up at Kidderminster – 17/05/2024Freightliner GE PowerHaul Class 70 Co-Co No. 70005 takes a break from gala duty at Kidderminster – 17/05/2024GBRf Class 69 Co-Co No. 69009 ‘Western Consort’, one of the main line visitors to the gala at Kidderminster prepares to take over a rake of carriages to form the 1630 service to Bewdley – 17/05/2024English Electric Class 20 Bo-Bo’s No.’s 20007 and 20205 running light into Kidderminster. Weighing approximately 73 tonnes and delivering 1,000 horsepower, the Class 20’s were designed to work light mixed freight traffic at up to 75 mph. During the period of their introduction this traffic was already declining, and their low power and narrow field of view when operating ‘nose first’ limited their suitability for other work. Subsequently, Class 20’s were often paired together nose-to-nose, with their cabs at the outermost ends. This offered 2,000 hp and they gained employment on heavier coal and aggregates trains – 17/05/2024GBRf Class 69 Co-Co No. 69009 ‘Western Consort’ departs Kidderminster with the 1630 train operating only as far as Bewdley – 17/05/2024
Video from my visit to the Severn Valley Railway Diesel Gala recorded on 17th May 2024
The Class 69 working was the last locomotive hauled train I saw on the SVR for this gala. Despite locomotives working that day, notably Class 20 No.’s 20142 and 20189, which I didn’t manage to see, I have to report I thoroughly enjoyed the day. On the journey home, a stop for refreshments at Newbury was added to the schedule and the opportunity to see two Class 56 locomotives double heading a freight train was also grasped!
GBRf Class 56 No. 56098 on hire to DC Rail with their recently returned to service Class 56 No. 56103 inside hauling 6Z61 1642 Merehead Quarry (FHH) to Willesden DC Rail Sidings passing Newbury – 17/05/2024Shortly before the Class 56’s passed through Newbury, Freightliner Class 66 No.’s 66415 ‘Your Are Never Alone’ and 66554 passed heading west working 7V70 1631 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Merehead Quarry (FHH) – 17/05/2024
Sunday 19th May 2024 saw The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) mark its 200th anniversary with a 40 boat flotilla in Poole Harbour in connection with a special open weekend where visitors could watch demonstrations, displays and talks at the RNLI College.
The finale; a “Parade of Sail” involved more than 20 historic RNLI lifeboats, the current lifeboat fleet including the most modern 25-knot lifeboat – the Shannon class – alongside current inshore lifeboats and the RNLI inshore rescue hovercraft and brought to a close the celebratory events in the town where the charity’s headquarters is based.
The oldest RNLI vessel taking part, the rowing lifeboat ‘William Riley’, went on active service in 1909. She was credited with saving 35 lives in 1914 during the First World War when the hospital ship, SS Rohilla, which was carrying wounded soldiers from Dunkirk, was caught in a fierce storm and ran aground. Although being badly damaged itself in the rescue operation, the lifeboat spent 50 hours at sea.
International lifeboats were also welcomed as part of the two-day event having travelled from France, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden, with the oldest rescue craft taking part being a Swedish rowing lifeboat from 1868.
Some images I captured are shown below. Many thanks to Caroline and Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) for organising special access to the Quay.
Tamar class lifeboat RNLI 16-10 during the “Parade of Sail”, Poole Harbour – 19/05/2024Built in 1954 by J Samuel White of Cowes, Isle of Wight, CITY OF BRADFORD III is a Watson Class lifeboat of timber construction with a Parsons Barracuda diesel engine, 70 shp. She served as the Humber lifeboat from 1954 to 1977 and as the Lytham St Annes lifeboat from 1978 to 1984. During her service life she was launched 377 times and saved 113 lives. RNLI “Parade of Sail”, Poole Harbour – 19/05/2024RNLI “Parade of Sail”, Poole Harbour – 19/05/2024RNLI “Parade of Sail”, Poole Harbour – 19/05/2024RNLI “Parade of Sail”, Poole Harbour – 19/05/2024RNLI “Parade of Sail”, Poole Harbour – 19/05/2024William Riley of Birmingham was built by Thames Ironworks on the Isle of Dogs, London in 1909 as a Thames Class Lifeboat. RNLI “Parade of Sail”, Poole Harbour – 19/05/2024RNLI “Parade of Sail”, Poole Harbour – 19/05/2024RNLI “Parade of Sail”, Poole Harbour – 19/05/2024RNLI “Parade of Sail”, Poole Harbour – 19/05/2024RNLI “Parade of Sail”, Poole Harbour – 19/05/2024
We were up bright and early on Monday 20th May as we had planned a trip to National Trust Lacock Abbey and village. In a cunning plan, I had also hoped to see a Colas Class 56 at Westbury (No. 56090) on the return journey, but it cleared off at lunchtime! To be fair to Caroline, she did suggest I should pop in at Westbury railway station on the way to Lacock!
National Trust Lacock Abbey, seen from a public footpath as dogs are not allowed into the grounds at this time and Yoshi and I took a walk instead – 20/05/2024Yoshi was able to take a stroll through Lacock Village and took in some of the sights made famous in TV and film productions over the years, including the BBC 1995 version of “Pride and Prejudice” as well as the Harry Potter series of films – 20/05/2024Another view of Yoshi taking in the sights of Lacock village – 20/05/2024“The Red Lion” where we enjoyed lunch! – 20/05/2024Colas Rail Freight Class 67 Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotive No. 67027 at Westbury – 20/05/2024Colas Rail Freight Class 67 Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotive No. 67023 outside The Elephant House at Westbury – 20/05/2024Great Western Railway Class 166 No. 166214 pauses at Westbury – 20/05/2024
On Wednesday 22nd May, Yoshi was at the groomers as the New Measurement Train (NMT) headed to Weymouth. I wasn’t able to capture the Colas High Speed Train on the NMT working, but my brother was on hand to record the train passing through Dorchester West.
Yoshi following his most recent grooming session – 22/05/2024Screenshot of Colas Rail Class 43 No. 43274 entering Dorchester West leading New Measurement Train (NMT) 1Z22 0729 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road – 22/05/2024 (With thanks to G E Barrett)Screenshot of Colas Rail Class 43 No. 43357 at the rear of 1Z22 0729 Derby RTC to Bristol Kingsland Road NMT as GWR Class 166 No.166209 waits departure with 2V72 1528 Weymouth to Gloucester – 22/05/2024 (With thanks to G E Barrett)
NMT at Dorchester West 22/05/2024 (With thanks to G E Barrett)
The Branch Line Society ran a railtour on Sunday 26th May 2024 utilising Hanson and Hall liveried Class 50 No. 50008 ‘Thunderer’ top and tailed with Freightliner Class 66 No. 66509 ‘Josiah’s Wish’. The train was destined for Weymouth, scheduled on the outward journey to traverse tracks from Eastleigh via Salisbury, Yeovil and Dorchester West returning via Dorchester South and Bournemouth. We headed to Gillingham to photograph the “The Millbrook Meander” as it headed to the seaside and planned to capture the train climbing Parkstone Bank on the return leg. Unfortunately, a fatality at Holton Heath later in the day meant that no trains were able to run between Wareham and Poole and the decision was taken to re-route the tour reporting as 1Z81 1708 Weymouth to Eastleigh via Dorchester West and Westbury on its return.
Hanson & Hall Class 50 No. 50008 ‘Thunderer’ hauling the London Underground 4-TC stock approaches Gillingham with Branch Line Society “The Millbrook Meander” 1Z79 0959 Eastleigh to Weymouth – 26/05/2024Hanson & Hall Class 50 No. 50008 ‘Thunderer’ waits for the road at Gillingham with Branch Line Society “The Millbrook Meander” 1Z79 0959 Eastleigh to Weymouth – 26/05/2024Freightliner Class 66 No. 66509 ‘Josiah’s Wish’ at the rear of “The Millbrook Meander” 1Z79 0959 Eastleigh to Weymouth – 26/05/2024Class 50 No. 50008 ‘Thunderer’ departing Gillingham with Branch Line Society “The Millbrook Meander” 1Z79 0959 Eastleigh to Weymouth – 26/05/2024Screenshot of Class 50 No. 50008 ‘Thunderer’ arriving at Dorchester West with Branch Line Society “The Millbrook Meander” 1Z79 0959 Eastleigh to Weymouth – 26/05/2024Screenshot of Freightliner Class 66 No. 66509 ‘Josiah’s Wish’ at the rear of “The Millbrook Meander” 1Z79 0959 Eastleigh to Weymouth passes Dorchester West – 26/05/2024
Video of “The Millbrook Meander” 1Z79 0959 Eastleigh to Weymouth passes Dorchester West – 26/05/2024 (Additional video courtesy of G E Barrett)
A class 458/4 Electric Multiple Unit drag to Bournemouth depot on Wednesday 29th May didn’t go to plan as one of the ex-Class 508 barrier coaches suffered brake failure whilst the train was in Poole Storage Sidings, where the locomotive assigned to haul the train changes ends. On this the occasion, the train was in the charge of GBRf Class 57 No. 57303 and, together with Class 458/4 No. 458427, the consist remained in Poole Sidings for a couple of days before repairs on the translator coach were completed.
GBRf Class 57 No. 57303 hauls refurbished Class 458/4 No. 458427 through Poole as 5Q64 1534 Southampton Central to Bournemouth TRSMD while SWR Class 444 No. 444025 awaits the off with 2W68 1700 Poole to London Waterloo – 29/05/2024Awaiting attention to the barrier / translator coach closest to the locomotive, GBRf Class 57 No. 57303 and Class 458/4 No. 458427 stand in Poole Storage Sidings. Empty Coaching Stock (ECS) movements which normally reverse in the sidings ran to Wareham and back while the only usable siding was otherwise occupied – 30/05/2024
Video: 5Q64 1534 Southampton Central to Bournemouth TRSMD – 29/05/2024
The New Measurement Train (NMT) which passed through North Dorset on Thursday 30th May was an all yellow affair as former High Speed Train Class 43 power cars No.’s 43062 ‘John Armitt’ and 43013 ‘Mark Carne OBE’ powered 1Q23 0556 Reading to Salisbury via Exeter. Friend of this blog, @smithy.377 shared the following images and video from Yeovil Junction.
Network Rail operated Class 43 No. 43062 ‘John Armitt’ arrives at Yeovil Junction leading NMT 1Q23 0556 Reading to Salisbury – 30/05/2024 (image by kind permission of @smithy.377)Network Rail Class 43 No. 43013 ‘Mark Carne OBE’ at the rear of NMT 1Q23 0556 Reading to Salisbury – 30/05/2024 (image by kind permission of @smithy.377)Network Rail Class 43 No. 43062 ‘John Armitt’ rests at Yeovil Junction whilst working NMT 1Q23 0556 Reading to Salisbury – 30/05/2024 (image by kind permission of @smithy.377)Another shot of Network Rail Class 43 No. 43062 ‘John Armitt’ 1Q23 0556 Reading to Salisbury – 30/05/2024 (image by kind permission of @smithy.377)
Video: 1Q23 0556 Reading to Salisbury – 30/05/2024 (With thanks to @smithy.377)
That brings us to the end of this instalment and, indeed, May 2024. Next time around we’ll be taking a look at the Swanage Railway “Strictly Bulleid 2” event which saw an unprecedented eight working Southern Railway (SR) Oliver Bulleid designed Pacific locomotives in one place post British Rail days. Be seeing you!
Yoshi has had some fabulous adventures.
Thank you – he does!! 🙂