| Re: Severn Valley Railway - public (not tourist) service trial Posted by Electric train at 07:23, 25th October 2026 |     |
A blueprint for, amongst others, Bodmin General-Parkway, and Kingswaer-Paignton perhaps?
Not to mention Taunton - Minehead
After all, the people of West Somerset have only been waiting 55 years so far
I like that ... but yet the Severn Valley does not use any Network Rails track, nor do the Bodnin or Kingswear suggestions. Others similar are services to Chinnor and Wallingford. Running onto Network Rail lines - Minehead and Swanage, please.
Chinnor now has a separate and independent track like wise Wallingford, they both however do run parallel with NR on the same right of way. In both cases the complication is around maintenance and emergency evacuation, these procedures / agreements would already be in place.
The challenges to heritage railways will be the operating costs against the revenue income, availability of staff to operate a service, reliance of volunteers is not reliable enough; availability and reliability of traction and rolling stock a public service places different demands on trainsets and the reliability of the infrastructure (permeant way, track and signalling) and insurance will change.
There is nothing about these that cannot be overcome and managed, its just not as simple as lets start running a regular commuter service after the RH&D Rly has run school a service for years
| Re: Severn Valley Railway - public (not tourist) service trial Posted by grahame at 06:51, 25th October 2026 | |
Update from the BBC at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm369z748epko
Could commuting by steam train be the future?
A unique trial that saw Severn Valley Railway steam and diesel trains help people travel was used by 1,000 passengers - leading to calls to make it a permanent service.
For the last two months heritage trains have been used to carry commuters from Bewdley to Kidderminster, where they can then access mainline services to Birmingham and beyond.
John Dutton, a special needs teacher, said: "It's brilliant - I think it would be good for tourists as well as workers if they made it a permanent thing."
Gus Dunster, Severn Valley Railway's managing director, said talks would be held to decide what happens next.
The service, known as the 'Bewdley Express', has been running three days a week between Tuesday and Thursday during the 8-week period in September and October.
A unique trial that saw Severn Valley Railway steam and diesel trains help people travel was used by 1,000 passengers - leading to calls to make it a permanent service.
For the last two months heritage trains have been used to carry commuters from Bewdley to Kidderminster, where they can then access mainline services to Birmingham and beyond.
John Dutton, a special needs teacher, said: "It's brilliant - I think it would be good for tourists as well as workers if they made it a permanent thing."
Gus Dunster, Severn Valley Railway's managing director, said talks would be held to decide what happens next.
The service, known as the 'Bewdley Express', has been running three days a week between Tuesday and Thursday during the 8-week period in September and October.
As ... guessed ... takeup has been somewhat constrained as it's been just 3 days a week for a limited period ... article too long to quote in full. Who at the BBC added that absurd "steam train" headline, and is it confusing that the MD of one heritage line is named after a station on a different heritage line?
| Re: Severn Valley Railway - public (not tourist) service trial Posted by grahame at 07:57, 2nd September 2026 | |
https://svr.co.uk/news/bewdley-express-rolls-out-for-first-commuter-journey-on-the-svr/
Bewdley Express rolls out for first commuter journey on the SVR
The Severn Valley Railway’s Bewdley Express commuter trial got off to a flying start today [Tuesday 1 September] as the first heritage train carried passengers from Bewdley towards Birmingham, marking the beginning of an eight-week experiment in connecting the town directly with the wider West Midlands rail network.
The inaugural service, which departed Bewdley at 6.40am, attracted plenty of interest, with press and photographers on hand to capture the historic first journey.
Representatives of Bewdley Town Council and Worcestershire County Council were also present, alongside representatives of the three organisations that have worked together to make the trial possible: the Severn Valley Railway (SVR), West Midlands Railway and the West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE).
The Bewdley Express operates on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during the eight-week trial, with two morning services departing Bewdley at 6.40am and 7.40am. Passengers change at Kidderminster for West Midlands Railway services, with the first service reaching Birmingham Snow Hill at 7.46am and the second at 8.46am.
Evening return services leave Birmingham Snow Hill at 4.46pm and 5.46pm, connecting at Kidderminster with SVR trains back to Bewdley, arriving at 5.57pm and 7.02pm respectively.
The Severn Valley Railway’s Bewdley Express commuter trial got off to a flying start today [Tuesday 1 September] as the first heritage train carried passengers from Bewdley towards Birmingham, marking the beginning of an eight-week experiment in connecting the town directly with the wider West Midlands rail network.
The inaugural service, which departed Bewdley at 6.40am, attracted plenty of interest, with press and photographers on hand to capture the historic first journey.
Representatives of Bewdley Town Council and Worcestershire County Council were also present, alongside representatives of the three organisations that have worked together to make the trial possible: the Severn Valley Railway (SVR), West Midlands Railway and the West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE).
The Bewdley Express operates on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during the eight-week trial, with two morning services departing Bewdley at 6.40am and 7.40am. Passengers change at Kidderminster for West Midlands Railway services, with the first service reaching Birmingham Snow Hill at 7.46am and the second at 8.46am.
Evening return services leave Birmingham Snow Hill at 4.46pm and 5.46pm, connecting at Kidderminster with SVR trains back to Bewdley, arriving at 5.57pm and 7.02pm respectively.
I wish the trial well. I ... worry ... that people may try it out, but many who could make long term use of it will just make the odd journey knowing it's only running - err - 3 days a week for 8 weeks.
| Re: Severn Valley Railway - public (not tourist) service trial Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 20:07, 23rd July 2026 | |
A few subsequent posts here, which refer specifically to the Minehead Branch line, have been split off and merged with an ongoing discussion, at https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=2688.msg377316#msg377316
Nothing has been deleted - just merged, in the interests of continuity and clarity, for ease of future reference.
| Re: Severn Valley Railway - public (not tourist) service trial Posted by grahame at 17:32, 22nd July 2026 | |
A blueprint for, amongst others, Bodmin General-Parkway, and Kingswaer-Paignton perhaps?
Not to mention Taunton - Minehead
After all, the people of West Somerset have only been waiting 55 years so far
I like that ... but yet the Severn Valley does not use any Network Rails track, nor do the Bodnin or Kingswear suggestions. Others similar are services to Chinnor and Wallingford. Running onto Network Rail lines - Minehead and Swanage, please.
| Re: Severn Valley Railway - public (not tourist) service trial Posted by Witham Bobby at 15:08, 22nd July 2026 | |
A blueprint for, amongst others, Bodmin General-Parkway, and Kingswaer-Paignton perhaps?
Not to mention Taunton - Minehead
After all, the people of West Somerset have only been waiting 55 years so far
| Re: Severn Valley Railway - public (not tourist) service trial Posted by Andy at 12:30, 22nd July 2026 | |
A blueprint for, amongst others, Bodmin General-Parkway, and Kingswaer-Paignton perhaps?
| Severn Valley Railway - public (not tourist) service trial Posted by grahame at 07:50, 22nd July 2026 | |
From Facebook
A trial train service that will enable passengers from Bewdley to connect onto services to and from Birmingham or Worcester has been announced. The trial will run for eight weeks on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 September. A heritage DMU will leave Bewdley at 0640 and 0740 for Kidderminster Town station to enable passengers to transfer to Kidderminster station for onward travel on the main line. In the evening, the heritage DMU will leave Kidderminster Town at 1745 and 1850 for Bewdley.
If this is successful, a submission will be made to DfTO to operate a regular service to and from Bewdley. West Midlands Safari Park has expressed an interest in providing links from these services to the Safari Park if the trial proves successful
If this is successful, a submission will be made to DfTO to operate a regular service to and from Bewdley. West Midlands Safari Park has expressed an interest in providing links from these services to the Safari Park if the trial proves successful
