The first weekend of January saw me out for the first gala of 2024 in the form of Severn Valley Railway's Winter Steam Gala, a new event for 2024, held over the weekend of the 6th & 7th January. The event would see 7 locomotives in operation throughout the weekend... well at least that was the idea.. sadly visiting locomotive USATC S160 no.2253 'Omaha' was declared a failure on the Friday evening the 'Fitness To Run' exam, with a fairly last minute announcement Friday afternoon from the SVR that BR Standard 4MT no.75069 would replace 2253 for the full weekend.
The event would also be the final weekend in traffic for the railway's flagship locomotive no.43106 'The Flying Pig' alongside 34027 'Taw Valley', who's boiler tickets would expire at Midnight on Sunday evening.
The full lineup included:
Home fleet:
- GWR 7800 Class 4-6-0 no.7812 'Erlestoke Manor'
- GWR 5700 Class 0-6-0PT No.7714
- LMS 'Stanier Mogul' Class 5MT 2-6-0 no.42968 (2968)
- BR(M) Ivatt 4MT Class 2-6-0 no.41306
- BR(W) Standard 4MT Class 2-6-0 no.75069*
- SR Rebuilt West Country Class 4-6-2 no.34027 'Taw Valley'
Guests:
- USATC S160 No 2253 'Omaha'**
* Does not feature
** Locomotive deemed unfit prior to the gala, replaced by 75069.
Timestamps:
00:00 7812, Tenbury Wall
01:03 34027, Northwood Lane
02:08 7812, Orchard Crossing
03:18 2968, Highley
04:37 43106, Alveley Miners Halt Crossing
05:49 7812, Alveley Miners Halt Crossing
06:51 7714, Alveley Miners Halt Crossing
07:41 7714, Highley
09:02 34027, Highley Engine House
10:37 2968, Arley
11:49 7714, Arley
13:27 43106, Kidderminster
Filmed on a Panasonic VXF990 with a Takstar SGC-598 Microphone.
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