First time visiting SVR and NYMR - any tips?

[Clearwater]

I think the pubs at both ends serve Bewdley Breweries.  Heartily recommend Worcestershire Way.  I like to stop at Highley.  Exiting the station towards the river, there’s a decent large pub at the bottom.

 

if you have time, the walk along the river from Bewdley to Highley isn’t that arduous and gives some excellent views, notably of the Victoria viaduct.  There’s something special about walking through the woods, hearing the chuff and getting a glimpse of a train.

 

Waving a train from one of the gates was a highlight! Also racing them along the valley.  Though your child might be a few years away from such fun.  Our smaller chap, at 4m, did stop complaining one hot day when a manor arrived in Highley.  Get ‘em young….

Edited August 23, 2022 by Clearwater
Pic added

[Michael Hodgson]

1 hour ago, RichardT said:

Still, it’s always useful when people put themselves forward for the “ignore user” button - saves having to read lots of their posts. Although your username is a pretty good red flag.

 

I always thought it was the other lot who sing the Red Flag, and that Boris and his cronies preferred Jerusalem. 

But maybe he's got p*ssed off with his own party since they booted him out of No 10!

[Michael Hodgson]

duplicate post deleted

Edited August 23, 2022 by Michael Hodgson

[Blandford1969]

Just for clarity sadly the pub down the hill from the station at Highley - 'The Ship' there was a fire there on the 21st of July and at present it is still shut. If you are thinking of going down the hill at gala it would be recommended to check their Facebook page on the day, just in case they have reopened by then. 

[papagolfjuliet]

On 23/08/2022 at 10:06, Wheatley said:

Pickering - the yard north of the station (just off the platform end) often has some interesting  stuff parked in it, and you can stand at the LC for a less crowded view of the trains going by. There are a couple of sheds used for carriage and wagon restoration, both were open last time we went and worth wandering through to see what they're up to. There is also a large car park/shop/cafe on the old trout lake immediately north of the station which I believe has some model railway interest but I've not been yet and I can't find a link to the business (anyone ?)

 

 

 

This is it: http://www.platform3ltd.co.uk/

 

There's also the castle, and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul which has the best preserved collection of pre-Reformation wall paintings in the UK: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Peter_and_St_Paul's_Church,_Pickering

Edited August 27, 2022 by papagolfjuliet

[Boris]

And don't believe the NYMR guff about being stuck on a particular train for your journeys, they keep coach A (Northernmost coach) on all the prebooked services for people who want to do something different, they just don't tell everyone because they don't want people overloading it.

[rogerzilla]

Booked for the steam gala in 2 weeks.  It's not the most exciting line up of guest locos (SNG and the S15 are hard to follow) but it will be good to see Hagley Hall.  My mate had a Hornby model of it in the 80s.

 

AIUI some bits of track are out of action so the diagrams have been unusually hard to work out.  They fitted a goods train in, though.  I wonder what's pulling that?  The mickey?

[Ian Hargrave]

On 27/08/2022 at 08:19, papagolfjuliet said:

 

This is it: http://www.platform3ltd.co.uk/

 

There's also the castle, and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul which has the best preserved collection of pre-Reformation wall paintings in the UK: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Peter_and_St_Paul's_Church,_Pickering

Pickering is well worth a visit in its own right as is correctly posted above. The White Swan is a personal recommendation,having recently spent a night there. Its staff are so helpful and kind. Pickering also has a retailer of perhaps one of the most beautiful but expensive mens shoes outside London in the UK. Tempted ? Maybe but  in another life .

[Boris]

On 02/09/2022 at 20:40, rogerzilla said:

Booked for the steam gala in 2 weeks.  It's not the most exciting line up of guest locos (SNG and the S15 are hard to follow) but it will be good to see Hagley Hall.  My mate had a Hornby model of it in the 80s.

 

AIUI some bits of track are out of action so the diagrams have been unusually hard to work out.  They fitted a goods train in, though.  I wonder what's pulling that?  The mickey?

Are you sure some bits of track are closed?  They've been running the gold timetable all week.

 

You around on the Thursday?

[rogerzilla]

13 hours ago, Boris said:

Are you sure some bits of track are closed?  They've been running the gold timetable all week.

 

You around on the Thursday?

Just Saturday this time.  It's some of the loops at Bewdley and Kidders that are closed, apparently, so fewer opportunities to pass trains.

[Blandford1969]

37 minutes ago, rogerzilla said:

Just Saturday this time.  It's some of the loops at Bewdley and Kidders that are closed, apparently, so fewer opportunities to pass trains.

Just for clarity presently the following are not possible pending replacement of points 

- Platform 3 at Bewdley is not a through platform as the point at the north end needs new point switches. 

- At Kidderminster it is not possible to go from the loop to platform 1 again due to switches needing replacement. 

 

Right now its not what is or is not available that is what we need. What we need now is RAIN, steady rain for days and days. each day we are forecast rain and it does not come. Hopefully we will see some over the next week or so as right now we are on our third steam replacement of the summer.

[Blandford1969]

On 04/09/2022 at 11:31, Blandford1969 said:

Just for clarity presently the following are not possible pending replacement of points 

- Platform 3 at Bewdley is not a through platform as the point at the north end needs new point switches. 

- At Kidderminster it is not possible to go from the loop to platform 1 again due to switches needing replacement. 

 

Right now its not what is or is not available that is what we need. What we need now is RAIN, steady rain for days and days. each day we are forecast rain and it does not come. Hopefully we will see some over the next week or so as right now we are on our third steam replacement of the summer.

We had a good amount of rain last night together with thunder and lightening and I'm pleased to say it is raining again. If it keeps this up for the next few days it will start to make a real difference.

[rogerzilla]

Yes, the embankment at Sterns will be washed away again!

[Morello Cherry]

One caveat with pub recommendations (and I don't know all the places suggested) but not all pubs are necessarily baby friendly. Not just in the sense of an old codger pub where anyone under the age of 75 is frowned on, or a gastropub that takes itself too seriously, but simple things like toilets with baby changing facilities, ease of getting a pushchair or pram into the pub etc. If you are stopping somewhere to eat/drink you will probably want or need to do a nappy change since on the train is not really an option.

 

Likewise, is it a pub that would be willing to warm up some milk or not object to breast feeding in public.

 

The beer and food at a place might be great but not so great if it isn't baby & parent friendly.

[Blandford1969]

42 minutes ago, rogerzilla said:

Yes, the embankment at Sterns will be washed away again!

Ah but at least we would know in advance, what with the CCTV and tilt equipment with its white flashing light to tell us its clear. There is a solution, a bridge, but its cost is 4 million.  It would be nice to think the Geobear technology recently used just south of Hampton might be able to be used.  To explain more south of Hampton a twist started to appear resulting in a 5mph speed restriction. An experimental treatment has been applied by Geobear to stabilise the land by injecting polymers of different types across the slip site. Hopefully in time that 5 will come off. Meanwhile the technology may be applied at Bewdley South to deal with a developing land slip. the photos show the background to the works at Hampton in the woods.

Edited September 6, 2022 by Blandford1969
making sense

[Lacathedrale]

Thank you all for the advice, again. Having parsed again, I think I'm looking at the following:

 

Taking a pram, with a changing mat/etc. included - shouldn't be a problem even if we need to change baby on the floor we can. In sequential order:

 

Start at Kidderminster - Breakfast at AJ’s under SVR offices,

Bewdley - Convenience stop if required, good for train watching

Highley - Engine shed/etc.

Arley - Convenience stop if required, good for picnicking

Bridgnorth - Up the hill, White Lion/Old Castle for a bite/beer

 

Return to Kidderminster - Some drinks or food at King & Castle (station) or Weavers (up road) and potentially pop into the museum/footplate.co.uk shop

 

[rogerzilla]

We're going to the SVR gala on Saturday.  It will probably be heaving.  There is sometimes a railwayana stall at Hampton Loade on gala days - I got a rather unusual SR wagon D-plate a few years ago (the SR had far fewer wagons than the other companies).  I think the miniature railway there was running too.

[Boris]

On 11/09/2022 at 08:16, Lacathedrale said:

Thank you all for the advice, again. Having parsed again, I think I'm looking at the following:

 

Taking a pram, with a changing mat/etc. included - shouldn't be a problem even if we need to change baby on the floor we can. In sequential order:

 

Start at Kidderminster - Breakfast at AJ’s under SVR offices,

Bewdley - Convenience stop if required, good for train watching

Highley - Engine shed/etc.

Arley - Convenience stop if required, good for picnicking

Bridgnorth - Up the hill, White Lion/Old Castle for a bite/beer

 

Return to Kidderminster - Some drinks or food at King & Castle (station) or Weavers (up road) and potentially pop into the museum/footplate.co.uk shop

 

There is a cafe in the Engine Shed which has decent food at a sensible prices and I think a baby change place in there too

[Blandford1969]

On 13/09/2022 at 22:00, rogerzilla said:

We're going to the SVR gala on Saturday.  It will probably be heaving.  There is sometimes a railwayana stall at Hampton Loade on gala days - I got a rather unusual SR wagon D-plate a few years ago (the SR had far fewer wagons than the other companies).  I think the miniature railway there was running too.

Yes the 813 fund will be there, however the miniature railway is at Highley. 

 

If anyone is travelling on the local behind the Pig tomorrow afternoon from 3 onwards come and say hello as I've got my comfy slippers for a driving turn with her. 

[Lacathedrale]

Well, it was a success - we rode up on 2857 from Kidderminster to Highley in the company of a volunteer and his dog, stepped out to see the Engine Shed:

 

 

Back on at Highley to Brignorth behind 9351 and a quick pootle around the town and a bite to eat (unfortunately the White Lion was closed for reservation), then back in a straight line to Kidderminster behind 9351 again.

 

I managed to catch Hagley Hall at Kidderminster, but annoyingly completely missed the Black Five other than the whoosh of it passing the window as we crossed paths :( 

 

Thanks all for the recommendations, much appreciated.

[rogerzilla]

Hagley Hall is on the naughty step today for starting fires.  Jessie has the best whistle.

[AY Mod]

3 hours ago, Lacathedrale said:

Well, it was a success -

 

It's always nice when someone has asked for advice and comes back with a good result. I had intended to head over yesterday but ended up starting off some DIY; which now needs finishing of course. 🥺

[Blandford1969]

48 minutes ago, rogerzilla said:

Hagley Hall is on the naughty step today for starting fires.  Jessie has the best whistle.

Yup 5 - one at Sterns going south, at Kinlet sidings, at Northwood lane, Tenbury Wall and then at the top of Eardington. It was the right thing to pull it. As a result of the fire at Northwood we then had a landrover blocking the crossing and refusing to move and then later on a man mooning at a passing train. You cannot make it up :)

 

[Blandford1969]

Just to add 4930 has been withdrawn whilst an investigation takes place as to why it is setting fires. It has the same spark arrester as all the other engines. Mind you the current coal is not helping being very, very dusty. It was noticeable the only sparks coming out that I saw from 43106 was when the fireman had the doors open or was firing. Apart from that very few apart from when first starting away. 

 

 

[rogerzilla]

2857 was throwing a few last night. Kazakhstan coal, apparently.