Christmas holiday period over, decorations down, even did some gardening today!
Nothing exciting happening in the coming days, maybe I can sort all those forgotten photos from last year? Time will tell!
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.
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.
44871 waiting to depart from Kidderminster
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.
42968 at Highley, with D2961 arriving in the background.
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.
42968 at Kidderminster, taken on a 1/4 second exposure.
After helping out at the SVR during the Christmas period, 44781 returned north today.
Where to stand at Old Hill is always a problem…..
