The Event

Train Services
AC Cars railbus unfortunately spent the weekend in the yard at Kidderminster, while an attempt was made to sort out some mechanical faults that had emerged in transit. For those that are superstitious, it may be blamed on it being the 13th vehicle to arrive! Also, the lorry delivering it broke down in Kidderminster car park. It's scheduled shuttles were instead operated by the bubble cars.

Thursday
There were driver experience trains throughout the day using the Class 104 and 2-car Class 108, for passed drivers from other railways. In the evening there was fish & chip run to Bridgnorth for all the support crews now on site. It was also a positioning move to take Class 101s to Bridgnorth. Northbound it was a 9-car set, with Class 122 55006, 3-car 108, Class 114 56006, Class 101s 51213, 56358, 53253 & 53170.

Friday
This was DMU only day. Chiltern Railway's Class 121 55020 joined the fleet in the afternoon. In the evening there was a presentation in the Kidderminster Railway Museum by Tony Fox, Stuart Mackay & Chris Bull on the ancestry and preservation of DMUs.

Saturday
DMUs ran in-between the steam services. Class 114 56006 had to be taken out of traffic at lunchtime with battery problems. A 12-car fish & chip train ran in the evening, with 2 x 2-car Class 101s, Class122, 3-car Class 108, 2-car Class 108, 2-car Class 104.

Sunday
101 692 blew a gearbox on the Saturday night, and so was dumped in the carriage yard at Kidderminster. Plans to put the AC Cars railbus into Kiderminster station for public access fell through when a 350hp shunter failed in Bewdley causing all sorts of problems along the line. Again a mixed steam / DMU day. The Chiltern bubble returned to Network Rail about lunchtime.

The 7 1/2 gauge railway in Kidderminster Station also got into the spirit, and multiple units could be seen operating there.

There was also a selection of displays, mainly at Bewdley station.