DATE: 03 AUGUST 2023
For some unknown reason, I’ve never been to the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) which runs between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth. Been on a load of steam railways, but not this’un.
That was all fixed when son Sam sorted out tickets as a birthday treat for yours truly, so a bit of a boy’s day out….. Delayed until August, as he could only go during school holidays and I had to fit it in with medical appointments and operations, etc.
So off to Kidderminster we went, parked up and on to the 10 o’clock train.
Restricted to 25 mph because of their operating licence, it was good to look at the countryside without it not flashing past so quicky – although I noticed that the West Midlands Safari Park had put up fence boards next to the railway to stop people looking in too much……..
SVR is apparently a bit stretched money-wise (they have what they are calling a Survival Fund) so not as many trains running as before, so Sam and I decided to stay on the train until Bridgenorth, have a look around there, have a bite to eat, then back on the 1450 to Kidderminster – a plan !
Our trusty steed was 75069 – all big , black and beautiful…. Bit of an explanation about how it all works to dear son, who has no idea about how these wonderful feats of engineering work – or was he just pandering to his Dad’s child-like fascination with steam trains ??????? I just love the engineering. Anyway – whatever, it’s the journey that counts !
So, arriving in Bridgnorth, it’s across the bridge from the station, up the stairs and into town. I had hoped to make it two railways in one day, but unfortunately the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway was not working, due to “ our forced closure pending the repair of a neighbouring retaining wall……” – another day perhaps ?
Bridgnorth has some good looking buildings and the main street was (to use that old fashioned phrase) bustling busy…
Where was lunch ? That young person’s favourite – Wethespoons !!!!!! I think there was also the opportunity to partly watch a football match as well …..
Somehow we’d missed the predicted rain showers and we wandered back to the station, grabbed a cuppa from the buffet. I indulged myself with a few pic’s of the operation while Sam buried his nose into his phone.
Back on the train, I once again revelled in that wonderful evocative situation of steam haulage, with the engine working hard, the click clack of the rail joints and smuts in the eye through poking my head out the window. Why doesn’t the whole world love steam trains ????
A good day out all in all. Just to top it, there was an offer on to get FREE return tickets, so I can go again for nothing !!!!! Thank you Sam for a grand day out (a Wallace and Gromit reference there…)