Bridgnorth to Kidderminster

On Saturday 13 February we joined our friends Jan & Jan (or in railway pre-grouping speak the old J&J) in a rather ancient central gangway carriage for a run from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster - that's the whole route on the SVR. The steam heating was much in evidence as the whole system leaked both inside and out. A 30-something couple couldn't open the slam-door from the inside so Johnny just put his arm through the (open) window and showed them how. We all laughed.

First thing modern people do is take out their 'devices' and play with them. Fascinating to watch.

I just stuck my head out the (openable, note H&S conscious people) window for a whiff of that Polish anthracite, or was it South African, couldn't really tell. We move forward at a stately 25 mph. because that is the speed limit for preserved lines, and quite right to when you read what preservationists do on the real railway (can't stop before an 'on' signal - still, that's GWR all-over).

This geezer is I suppose the station master of some halt on the line, here giving the right-a-away hand signal as per the manual Has he nothing else to do?

Now when we approached Kidderminster the SVR displayed some of its treasure in the shape of a 1950s first generation DMU. Sets like this were tested around 1955 along the otherwise disused line from Oldham Clegg St. to Guide Bridge, over the Park Bridge viaduct. When in running service between Oldham and Manchester they were fast, comfortable, warm, on-time and with a wonderful view of the the passing slum landscape. I'd come home from an all-nighter on Sunday morning in one of these in the mid 60s.

 This is Jan.

Two views of an LMS 3rd class carriage. Below Jan is talking to the Thompson twins through the window.