NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 80
Arley
Michael L. Roach
In Part 79 I related what we did on Saturday 13 December 2008 visiting Bewdley and Kidderminster Stations to see and photograph the Severn Valley Railway's Santa Specials. These departed from Kidderminster every 30 minutes using four sets of coaches and five steam engines. At Kidderminster the incoming engine was locked in until its set of coaches had pulled out on the next departure; hence the need for the fifth engine. Three of the sets had 8 coaches and one had 9. Some of the engines used were quite small, but they all coped admirably well with the loads given to them.
On the Sunday morning it was a cold day and we did not leave until about 11.15am, but it only took 15 minutes to reach Arley Station. The first train we saw was hauled by 7812 Erlestoke Manor coasting slowly down the bank into the departure platform, and facing the right way – it had obviously worked out tender first from Kiddderminster. At 11.44am our first train could be seen and heard working hard through the cutting and into Arley Station hauled by the wonderful small prairie 4566 – a Penzance engine for the whole period between nationalisation in January 1948 and September 1961 when it went to Laira, and was withdrawn there in April 1962.
7812 departed and 4566 came off its train and ran through the departure platform ready to push its rake of coaches up the 1 in 180 gradient according to Middleton Press (it actually looks steeper to me) to beyond the loop points and bring them back into the departure platform, which cleared the arrival platform for the next train. This turned out to be hauled by the Stanier Mogul no. 42968 built at Crewe in 1934. We watched 4566 depart and then walked back to the river and the car. I took 52 pictures at Arley on the morning of Sunday 14 December 2008 in just one hour – but only a small selection can be shown here.
There are no road bridges across the Severn between Bridgnorth and Bewdley so we headed south from Arley to cross the river at Bewdley before heading north again on the A442. The destination was the National Trust's Dudmaston Hall where there was a craft fair and a group of singers singing carols. We returned home to our holiday accommodation via Bridgnorth and in the evening we drove through the village and up the private drive to Kinlet Parish Church located in the grounds of Kinlet Hall for a carol service which was a fitting end to an enjoyable, but cold, weekend. Between 1928 and 1950 the GWR and BR constructed 330 Hall-class and Modified Hall-class engines and towards the end had to trawl far and wide to find names for them and yet Dudmaston Hall was never used to name an engine. Dudmaston lies firmly in Great Western territory, so I can only think that the owner at the time was approached for permission to use the name and declined to give that permission.
A final thought on the Severn Valley Railway's Santa Specials. The destination for the Specials was well chosen when the SVR made that decision many years ago with the village of Arley a five minute walk away from the station; the bridge over the river; the Harbour Inn; and the station forecourt for Santas's Grotto and various stalls. Arley may be only 7¼ miles from Kidderminster but that is quite far enough; and in BR days steam trains were allowed 18 minutes to cover that distance. All the photographs were taken on Sunday 14 December 2008.
On the Sunday morning it was a cold day and we did not leave until about 11.15am, but it only took 15 minutes to reach Arley Station. The first train we saw was hauled by 7812 Erlestoke Manor coasting slowly down the bank into the departure platform, and facing the right way – it had obviously worked out tender first from Kiddderminster. At 11.44am our first train could be seen and heard working hard through the cutting and into Arley Station hauled by the wonderful small prairie 4566 – a Penzance engine for the whole period between nationalisation in January 1948 and September 1961 when it went to Laira, and was withdrawn there in April 1962.
7812 departed and 4566 came off its train and ran through the departure platform ready to push its rake of coaches up the 1 in 180 gradient according to Middleton Press (it actually looks steeper to me) to beyond the loop points and bring them back into the departure platform, which cleared the arrival platform for the next train. This turned out to be hauled by the Stanier Mogul no. 42968 built at Crewe in 1934. We watched 4566 depart and then walked back to the river and the car. I took 52 pictures at Arley on the morning of Sunday 14 December 2008 in just one hour – but only a small selection can be shown here.
There are no road bridges across the Severn between Bridgnorth and Bewdley so we headed south from Arley to cross the river at Bewdley before heading north again on the A442. The destination was the National Trust's Dudmaston Hall where there was a craft fair and a group of singers singing carols. We returned home to our holiday accommodation via Bridgnorth and in the evening we drove through the village and up the private drive to Kinlet Parish Church located in the grounds of Kinlet Hall for a carol service which was a fitting end to an enjoyable, but cold, weekend. Between 1928 and 1950 the GWR and BR constructed 330 Hall-class and Modified Hall-class engines and towards the end had to trawl far and wide to find names for them and yet Dudmaston Hall was never used to name an engine. Dudmaston lies firmly in Great Western territory, so I can only think that the owner at the time was approached for permission to use the name and declined to give that permission.
A final thought on the Severn Valley Railway's Santa Specials. The destination for the Specials was well chosen when the SVR made that decision many years ago with the village of Arley a five minute walk away from the station; the bridge over the river; the Harbour Inn; and the station forecourt for Santas's Grotto and various stalls. Arley may be only 7¼ miles from Kidderminster but that is quite far enough; and in BR days steam trains were allowed 18 minutes to cover that distance. All the photographs were taken on Sunday 14 December 2008.
Santa's Grotto was in the station forecourt at Arley. Copyright Michael L. Roach
7812 Erlestoke Manor brings its stock back into the station for the next departure to Kidderminster. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
4566 brings the next Santa Special into Arley. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A busy scene at Arley as 4566 deposits its load of passengers while 7812 is about to depart. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
566 is about to buffer up to push its coaches up the bank out of the station. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
It took a supreme effort from 4566 to push its set of coaches up the bank. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The decorated front elevation of the station building was superb and added to the atmosphere at Arley Station that day. 4566 is on the right. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The next train to arrive was hauled by Stanier Mogul 42968, the only one of the 40 built to be preserved. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
It is a pleasant five minute walk from the station down to the River Severn at Arley. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking upriver from the footbridge with the village of Arley on the right. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
After Arley Station we travelled to Dudmaston Hall (NT) for lunch. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Charles Babbage – the father of computers – had connections to South Devon and particularly Totnes and Teignmouth. His wife was the sister of the owner of Dudmaston Hall and he spent a lot of time at the Hall. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Dawlish 'Castles'
Paul Barlow
43092 and 43198 with the 0825 Truro to Exeter 2E20 pass Rockstone Dawlish. 03.12.2025, copyright Paul Barlow.
43092 leading 43198 on the 0825 Truro to Exeter approach Langstone Rock Dawlish. 03.12.2025, copyright Paul Barlow.
Classic scenes - many thanks, Paul.
Dawlish 'Duff'
Roger Geach
47523 works the 0835 Liverpool to Penzance service past Dawlish Warren on Saturday 08.07.1989. I recall 47523 as once an Eastern Region 47 based at York and Gateshead, but like many it moved around. Copyright Roger Geach.
Many thanks Roger - a nice follow-on from Pauls photographs above.
Marazion Engineering
Roger Salter
Engineering works at Marazion. 03.12.2025, copyright Roger Salter.
Engineering works at Marazion. 03.12.2025, copyright Roger Salter.
Engineering works at Marazion. 03.12.2025, copyright Roger Salter.
Many thanks Roger, great to see work going on all over West Cornwall, the blockade being used to great effect.