The Spa Valley Railway diesel gala saw 31289’s return to traffic for the 2017 season. Having watched the live start-up courtesy of someone’s Facebook Live post, all looked good when we got there and the cloud of white ‘289 had spluttered out had dissipated. Locos in use of the weekend were: D3489, D9537, 31289, 33063 Read the Rest…
31206 had seen almost constant weekend work throughout June at the Spa Valley Railway, something that would continue into July; see the Spa Valley Loco Roster for further details. Over the Bank Holiday weekend of 24th to 26th May 31206 worked on both the Saturday and Monday, with it leading out of Tunbridge Wells on Read the Rest…
During April 31206 worked almost all of the weekend diesel turns at the Spa Valley Railway; mainly as there were only it and 33063 in service. Over the weekend of 12th & 13th April 31206 worked a Saturday turn on both days, with it leading out of Tunbridge Wells on the first train working the Read the Rest…
Unfortunately not a very productive trip to Tunbridge Wells and the Spa Valley Railway on this occasion. Upon arrival at the railway there was no diesel on the Eridge end of the set and the only noise coming from the shed area was that of a Sulzer. Investigations revealed 33063 running on shed, and being Read the Rest…
Due to the Spa Valley Railway not having completed repairs on their Thumper unit in time for the start of the season their loco fleet had an early press into service with the Thumper being dragged on all services for the first two weekends of their timetabled season in March. 73140 & D3489 shared the honours Read the Rest…
Having planned a weekend down at the Spa Valley Railway, just to do 31206; I wasn’t best pleased when the railway altered their loco roster, showing 31206 as only working on the Saturday and 73140 on the Sunday instead. Still, it meant a much needed rest on the Sunday instead of going back to the Read the Rest…
The saga surrounding 31206’s journey to the Spa Valley Railway is a well known one; it should have been the star of the railways’ August Gala but due to more than one farce with road transport it didn’t make it in time! What with one company having no tractor unit available and another breaking a Read the Rest…