The Severn Valley Railway has announced that 6880 Betton Grange will be visiting them for their Spring Steam Gala.

Taking place between the 18th and 21st of April 2025, the gala will see an intensive timetable in operation.

Whilst trains will run to Hampton Loade only due to the landslip, Bridgnorth will play its part with 7714 in steam, offering footplate rides for an extra charge.

7802 Bradley Manor should be in service for the gala, alongside 7812 Erlestoke Manor, 75069 and already announced 45596 Bahamas.

‘We’re excited to be hosting this very special locomotive and are grateful to the 6880 Betton Grange Society for agreeing its long-awaited first appearance at the Valley. Alongside our already-announced guest LMS Jubilee No 45596 ‘Bahamas’, we think ‘Betton Grange’ will attract plenty of attention.  

‘We’ve still got one more guest locomotive to announce, and all being well, we’ll have news of that very soon!’ 

‘This is likely to be the only time both locos are seen together at the SVR. That’s because 7812 goes off on hire to the West Somerset Railway for an extended period after our event.  

‘For the Gala, this gives us three Great Western ‘mixed traffic’ locos, alongside 45596 ‘Bahamas’, BR 75069 and one more visiting main line locomotive, still to be announced. We expect to have six locos in steam, operating a busy timetable between Kidderminster and Hampton Loade, supplemented by the DMU running shuttle services between Kidderminster and Highley. Trains will run from 7.55am until the evening, with later trains on the Friday and Saturday.’ 

Gus Dunster