Monthly Archives: January 2013

Update 725. 37611 & 37259 on The Enigmatic Logistician at Smethwick Galton Bridge, 12/01/13

Running over 2 hours late, the train is seen heading towards Birmingham. It was a really cold day & I found it difficult to hold the camera still, having been standing around for hours. The shot would’ve been better from the other platform but I couldn’t risk another train getting in the way. A friend of mine was over there and did get a clear shot, perhaps he is luckier than me.

Link to photos

A real mix of liveries on those coaches!

Update 724. Just a few “units”, 12/01/13

The Pathfinder tour was due through Smethwick, so I went to see it. These are the other photos I took – nothing exciting at all! No trains were running via the Lickey & the Birmingham to Hereford trains were diverted via Kidderminster and the spur at Smethwick to/from the New Street line.

Link to photos

A sight you don’t often see, a train from the Kidderminster line heading to New Street (170633)

SVR re-opens 16th February 2013 for half-term week!

6 weeks to go before the trains run again!!

I believe Arley station kiosk is open for refreshments for a few hours during the day on Sundays while the line is closed, so somewhere to take KC for a walk if the weather is reasonable.

There is also a modified Timetable A – with an extra train that runs from Kidder to Highley, then continues to Bridgnorth a couple of hours later. It makes it easier to have a ride to Arley from Kidder & not have to wait nearly 2 hours for a return train.

Check SVR timetable

Update 723. Final day of SVR trains before winter closure, 06/01/13

Over the next few weeks no service trains will run and essential maintenance work will be carried out. The Grotto coaches were due to be collected from Arley, using 50135 as the loco. Yet another excuse for a few hours out! 43106 was my loco to Arley, 44871 on the return, 1501 was on the Diner & 5164 on the other service train. Back at Kidderminster I wanted to get some photos of 44871, as it was returning to Bury the following day, so headed down to the footbridge to wait for it to depart. It was booked to cross with 50135 at Bewdley, so I didn’t have long to wait for the arrival of 50135. 12099 was shunting stock , also D3022 & D3201 were in action, so 8 locos seen operating in just 1 day.

Link to photos

44871 waiting to depart from Kidderminster

Update 722. Final day in steam for 42968, seen at Highley, 05/01/13

42968 is due a major overhaul and was working a special train between Bridgnorth & Highley. A good excuse to go to Highley and see it! Before catching a train at Kidderminster, I hesitated before taking photos of D2961, thinking the light would be better when we returned. Good job I took them, as the loco followed our train to Highley! We saw 42968 arrive with its single coach, after running round, it had to await the arrival of D2961 before being allowed out of the siding and returning to Bridgnorth. 5164 was on our train to Arley & 44871 on the return.

Link to photos

42968 at Highley, with D2961 arriving in the background.

Update 721. 5164 & 42968 on New Year’s Day – 01/01/13

What better way to start the new year than a ride on a steam train? The water level on the River Severn was still high, so we decided to go to Arley and walk down to the river. You will see from the photo that the water level was almost up to the road that leads to the church. There was certainly no access along the lane to the car park on the east side of the river.

Link to photos

42968 at Kidderminster, taken on a 1/4 second exposure.

Update 718. Wickham Trolley 8085, 1501 & 43106 at Kidderminster, 03/01/13

Just time for a quick trip from Kidderminster to Arley & return. 1501 was our loco to Arley & 43106 was already at the station, so a dash over the footbridge to get the train back to Kidderminster. On the way out of Kidderminster I noticed the Wickham trolley in GWR livery, so had the camera ready on the return journey.

Link to photos

Wickham trolley 8085

It’s 2013 and winter projects aren’t progressing very well

Winter, the days are short, weather poor and not many trains to see. Should be plenty of time to crack on with all those little tasks that need doing around the house, sorting through all those old photos that I’ve forgotten about, add descriptions to photos I uploaded to galleries years ago. The list is endless, unfortunately it grows longer instead of shorter.

A few days ago I decided it was time I upgraded my BB3 message board, as there had been several updates to the software. Then I found a mobile mod to add, tried it, and it works very well with my smart phone. That started me messing around with the content on that board. When I first set it up I had great ideas, all sorts of content – road vehicles, railways, miniatures etc. Trouble is though, allowing people to sign up means you get spammers & other trouble makers joining, giving me extra work to contend with. So now it’s mostly me & “coalyardrly” doing all the posting. No aggro but not may postings. It does make a change from blog postings and adding loads of photos to galleries.

Then there is my online calendar, which I can’t keep updated – oh dear! Never mind.

See if the message board works on your mobile:-

Message board

What will I get up to next, I wonder…..