THE STRATHSPEY STEAM RAILWAY
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Severn Valley Railway’s Autumn Gala. Volunteers NEEDED

One of the highlights of 2011 for the Strathspey Railway (SR) was the phenomenal success of Caledonian Railway locomotive 828 visit to the Severn Valley Railway’s (SVR) Autumn Gala. There are plans for the locomotive to be present for the SVR’s Spring Gala.

The Association has made arrangements to share a stand with the Caledonian Railway Association (CRA) at Kidderminster Town station at the Gala. The dates for the Gala are the 23rd to 25 March 2012.  For members living in the Midlands, the SRV Spring Gala is an ideal opportunity to promote the Railway without having to travel far. Opportunities like this do not come along too often, and they should be grabbed with both hands. If you can help, even just for a couple of hours, we would love to hear from you. The gala will be and Ideal opportunity to promote the Grantown extension, issue 2012 timetables and have CRA books and SR items for sale.

The contact for this is Graham Ward. He can be contacted, (evenings and weekends only please) on 01299 400204.

There is also the possibility that the locomotive will attend the Llangollen Railway’s Steel, Steam & Stars III Gala that runs between the 21st and 29th of April 2012. Nothing has been finalised and would depend on how much support members are prepared to give. Again, if you can help, please contact Graham Ward using the details above.
 

Pre-season volunteer get together - Saturday 17th of March 2012.
Cairngorm Hotel, Aviemore - 9 to 11 a.m.

In the 1st event of its type on the Strathspey Steam Railway, volunteers and potential volunteers are invited to get together with the directors of the Strathspey Steam Company, Strathspey Railway Association and permenant members of staff to discuss and look forward to the coming 2012 season. Chairman of the Strathspey Steam Railway Paul Houlden said “the meeting will be a fabulous opportunity for attendees to raise issues and tell office bearers what will make their working life on the railway better".

All current volunteers and members thinking of volunteering in the 2012 season are cordially invited. Tea, Cofffee and bacon rolls will be provided.
 

CAlEY No. 828 ON THE SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY - OCTOBER 2011 - The good news continues from the loco's recent trip south to the Severn Valley Railway (SVR). The October issue of Steam Railway features the engine on its front cover. (See picture to the left) The headline reads 'Valley" Caley - Gala triumph for Scottish 0-6-0. The article inside is headlined Aviemore's 828 is the darling of the Severn Valley Gala crowd. The subheading goes on to read Caledonian 0-6-0 steals the show on its first trip south of the border. There is also a fine photograph by Bob Green of the locomotive as she climbs Eardington Bank with the 4:50 PM train from Kidderminster. The article describes how the engine worked her way into the affections of the gala crowd pulling full trains right across the weekend. Seemingly many of the locos trips were choc-o-bloc, often up to 30 min before departure, and, on the first day of the event the Kidderminster station announcer was heard urging passengers to take their seats on the 11 AM instead, which was waiting at an adjacent platform to be hauled by Tornado, making its SVR Autumn gala debut to a rather more placid reception. The pattern was seemingly repeated throughout the three days of the gala as the engine continued to pack in the crowds generating attention everywhere she went until late on a Sunday afternoon when an overheated injector saw the veteran loco withdrawn.

With thanks to Austin Whitehead from Liverpool we are delighted to add some video of 828's time on the SVR. Click the imge on the left to view and enjoy.

CALEY No. 828 ON THE SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY - SEPTEMBER 2011 - Caley No. 828 was invited earlier this year to participate in the Severn Valley Railway's (SVR) Autumn Steam Gala. The loco headed south in mid September by road and by all accounts was the big star of the event. No.828's visit to the SVR has been the biggest publicity event the Strathspey Railway has ever had.  People came from all over England and Wales to have a ride behind her and not a bad word was heard. Everybody loved her and was impressed by the performance she put in - sure footed and workmanlike. Graham Ward of the SVR commented “It has been such a credit to the Strathspey to undertake such a mammoth task in providing the loco. The lads have never seen such crowds of photographers as during the autumn gala. How many times has a Great Western King been a minor bit player?   It must be the first time that Tornado hasn't been the star. One small blue engine outdid them all.  The Friday of the Gala was the busiest I have ever known and all bar one of the trains hauled by 828 were full and standing.  There were a number of occasions that people simply couldn't get on or off the trains."

So successful was No.828 visit to the SVR, the railway announced further appearances at the Diesel Enthusiasts Gala and the Classic Car and Bike Day.

Caley No 828 returns north later this month.

NEW WATER TANK - APRIL 2011 - There is a new structure visible at Boat of Garten Station. Using salvaged components from Alloa, a proper water tank structure with a capacity of 7000 gallons has been erected. This was done by contractor Ross & Thomson of Huntly, who also recently erected the new carriage shed. The cost has been shared by SRC & SRA (who donated £3000).

The tank will be plumbed in over the summer and connected in the next close season allowing the temporary, installed in the 1970s, tank to be disposed of at last. The visual appearance of the station area will improve.

The new tank is offset slightly to allow safe platform access and to allow a new signal to be added in due course.

Alan Stuart, Davie Dow, George Macnair and others had earlier done a lot of preparatory work cleaning up the old cast iron sections.

The tank will be painted black and some thought will be given to insulating it, easing the problems of watering locos in the winter.

This is a big improvement in the SRC infrastructure and was a very badly needed. It is a good example of recycling old but quite sound material.

RESTORATION Work Has Started on LMS BLACK 5 NO 5025 - FEBRUARY 2011 - A start has been made on removing the boiler on LMS black 5 No. 5025.  The lift is scheduled to take place on Thursday the 23rd of February 2011. This will allow for a full survey of the 70 year old engines boiler allowing a more accurate estimate of the cost for the locos overhall and eventual return to traffic.

MARCH UPDATE - The boiler eventually came out of No. 5025 frames in early March, which allowed for the remaining small tubes to be removed. This allowed three different boiler repair contractors to look the engine over and give the railway quotations for the overhaul of the boiler. It is hoped to have all the quotations by the end of spring time. While this is ongoing, the locomotive and tender wheel sets will be removed and despatched to a contractor for the tyres to be turned.

The Strathspey Railway Company Ltd., Aviemore Station, Dalfaber Road, Aviemore, Inverness-shire, PH22 1PY, Scotland.
(A Not For Profit Company (Limited by Shares), Registered in Scotland – No. SC049011)