SVR Autumn Steam Gala - Friday 15th September 2023

The Autumn Gala marks the 100th anniversary of the Big Four grouping act with representatives from all four companies leading the line up.
Visiting locomotives B1 61306 ‘Mayflower,'
Bagnall ‘Vulcan’,
USATC S160 2253 ‘Omaha’
and LMS Ivatt 2 41312
appeared alongside the SVR’s home fleet.
Although I wasn't able to video 7714 or Taw Valley on the day
Timetabled services returned to the Severn Valley Railway's smallest station at Eardington for the first time in more than 40 years. The historic occasion was marked on Thursday on the first day of the railway's Autumn Steam Gala.
43106 ‘The Flying Pig’ made a spectacular arrival at 2.15pm for the official reopening ceremony at Eardington, on a local service from Bridgnorth, reprising one of the first trains to stop here in 1970, when the SVR opened in preservation.
Eardington Station is often referred to as the SVR’s ‘hidden gem,' effectively a ‘ghost’ station for the past four decades, with no timetabled trains stopping.
However, it’s not been forgotten, because a dedicated group of volunteers has lovingly maintained the 155-year-old station building and preserved its unique history.
Eardington is the only station left in the UK that’s lit entirely by oil lamps and an electricity supply has never been installed.
I spent the day around Bridgnorth & Eardington videoing.
Enjoy!