The Severn Valley Bash!

The Severn Valley Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala — one of the highlights of the heritage railway calendar — was the “big away game” this year, and my first taste of night running on the line. What followed was four days of steam action, atmosphere, and a few weather challenges along the way.

This year’s gala held particular significance, with one of the visiting locomotives being none other than the Camelot Society’s own Standard Class 5 No. 73082 Camelot, visiting from my home line, the Bluebell Railway. The visiting roster also featured Merchant Navy Class No. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co. from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, Class 3F “Jinty” No. 47298 from the East Lancashire Railway, and Austerity No. 49 from the Tanfield Railway — all joining an impressive Severn Valley home fleet.

An early start each morning was essential to make the most of the line, though the first two days were dominated by cloud and rain, offering only brief moments of golden light. Despite the gloomy conditions, I was delighted to capture a favourite shot of my “guest of the gala” — the plucky Jinty.

The Unexpected Gala Champion - Having not seen a Jinty since the days of 47493 at Spa, it was fantastic to see East Lanchasire’s Jinty take to the rails, seen here at Cottage Crossing on the Thursday of the Gala.

Camera Settings - Focal Length: 55mm, Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec, Aperture: f4.0, ISO: 100

One of my main photography goals for the weekend was to improve my panning shots. Most guides recommend using a shutter speed of around 1/50th or 1/60th of a second, but I’d found that didn’t produce much background blur. With some advice from Southern Steam Lad (famous for winning the great Alfa Romeo vs Fiat Van race to the Valley), I dropped my shutter speed to 1/30th and experimented. Almost immediately, everything clicked — the results were a blurred background and more dynamic image. Unfortunately, the sunshine and a temperature rise to 21°C meant steam effects were minimal, but it was still a valuable learning experience and gave me the confidence to add panning shots to my photographic toolkit.

Chuffing through the Valley - No35006 powers up Erdington Bank with the GWR set on one of those warm September evenings.

Camera Settings - Focal Length: 56mm, Shutter Speed: 1/30sec, Aperture: f7.1, ISO: 64

As mentioned earlier, the weekend wasn’t just about photography — it was just as much a social occasion. One of the first highlights came on Thursday night, when I met up with a friend who, back in May, I hadn’t even known existed. Since then, we’ve become firm friends and shared several great outings together. Mike gave us a number of useful pointers around the Valley and also the weekend’s proceeding, so thank you to him and also to shout out his TikTok (@traintravelmike) as well.

After an evening of photography, we headed to a pub in Bromsgrove, where the first funny moment of the weekend occurred — getting ID’d for a pint. I could understand Chailey being asked; he shaves and instantly loses ten years. But me, at 33? Not so much! The bartender looked at my ID and said, “Oh wow,” — not sure whether that was a compliment or not. After a good laugh and a well-earned drink, it was time to rest up for Friday’s adventures.

Friday kicked off with the much-anticipated “race” between Southern Steam Lad (James) in his trusty Fiat van and The Southerner (Matt) in his Alfa Romeo. Despite James starting 20 miles behind and being limited to just over 50 mph, he managed to take victory by a few miles — proving once again that, in racing terms, “second is the first loser.”

The day’s second amusing moment came at Erdington Bank, where a couple of curious horses decided my camera bag looked worth investigating. They gave it a good sniff — and even a lick — though I’ve no idea what smelled so appealing. Had Hagley Hall appeared a few minutes earlier, Chailey’s video might well have needed an age restriction on YouTube… those horses were getting a little too frisky!

GWR Goods: No7802 “Bradley Manor” passes Orchard Crossing on a goods demonstration

Camera Settings - Focal Length: 96mm, Shutter Speed: 1/800sec, Aperture: f6.3, ISO: 125

Saturday was our main day for riding the rails and experiencing the gala from a passenger’s perspective — though, of course, there was always time to stop for a photo or two. One of my favourite spots on the Severn Valley Railway is The Engine House at Highley. It’s a brilliant place to get up close to locomotives awaiting overhaul, and from the balcony, you can watch the working fleet powering in and out of the station.

High on my list for the weekend was capturing a shot of Camelot as she stormed out of Highley. The weather, sadly, was miserable — but the steam effects were superb. With the whistle echoing through the valley and safety valves almost lifting, No. 73082 powered out of the station on slippery rails. The resulting photo became one of my favourites of the weekend, even if it wasn’t quite the shot I’d hoped for.

I’ve set myself a personal goal: to capture the “white whale” shot of Camelot. Whether I’ll ever get it remains to be seen — but that’s part of the fun.

70 Years Young: No73082 “Camelot” powers out of Highley with whistle blowing and fantastic exhaust

Camera Settings - Focal Length: 59mm, Shutter Speed: 1/500sec, Aperture: f5.6, ISO: 500

As night fell, we made sure to reach Kidderminster with plenty of time to spare. Before that, though, we’d spent the early evening out at the Rifle Range, waiting for Camelot on her “Greek Line” run. As dusk deepened and Chailey kept an eye on the weather radar, a rain squall suddenly swept in and drenched the four of us — four slightly mad photographers standing in a near-dark field. Still, hearing Camelot thunder past in the gloom was worth it. Huge thanks to the crew for the incredible soundtrack — though, from a photography point of view, it was a complete washout.

So, with soaked cameras and even wetter clothes, we headed to Kidderminster for Camelot’s night run to Bridgnorth and back to Bewdley. We were joined by 21cPhotography and Ben “The Gen” Jenden for what turned out to be a truly unforgettable experience. The sound of Camelot’s chime whistle echoing through the Worcestershire and Shropshire countryside was pure magic — a reminder of why night runs are so special.

By the time we rolled into Bridgnorth, it was well after midnight, but the atmosphere was perfect for some night photography. I decided to use my iPhone 16 Pro instead of the Nikon Z8, and to my surprise, it performed brilliantly in the low light. Around 12:30 a.m., we began the return journey to Bewdley, during which a certain someone — Chailey — started to nod off. Naturally, everyone grabbed their cameras. I won’t post the photo here to save his blushes, but rest assured it’s safely filed away for future use — just in case I ever need to win an argument. What are friends for?

The Night Rider - No73082 “Camelot” sits at Bridgnorth ready to return to Bewdley for overnight stabling

Camera Settings - Focal Length: 6.8mm, Shutter Speed: 1/9sec, Aperture: f1.8, ISO: 2000 (iPhone 16 Pro shot)

Sunday — the final day of the gala — didn’t look especially promising on paper, but it turned out to be one of my most rewarding days for photography. We met up once again with Mike, whose 25 years of experience on the Severn Valley line proved invaluable throughout the weekend. I owe him a big thank-you for his advice and company, and I’m looking forward to returning the favour when he visits the Bluebell Railway in a few weeks’ time — though he’s already joined me for a spotting trip once before!

Our first stop of the day was the famous Bewdley S-Bend, ready for the Austerity and Jinty double-header. It was a challenging shot: the sun was perfectly placed but, being autumn, it sat low and bright, making it tricky to balance the exposure between the locomotives and their exhaust. The spot was also quite crowded, but that actually worked in my favour — I had to climb higher up, using my steps to shoot above the ferns, and the resulting angle made for a stronger composition.

The Morning Shunters - No49 and No47298 pass Bewdley S Bend on a fantastic Sunday morning with the early Autumn sun playing ball for once.

Camera Settings - Focal Length: 43mm, Shutter Speed: 1/500sec, Aperture: f6.3, ISO: 100

From Bewdley, we headed back to the Rifle Range — this time blessed with bright sunshine and clear skies. For me, that brought a mix of excitement and nerves. My photography of other locomotives is usually solid, but whenever Camelot comes into frame, something always seems to go wrong — be it the weather, my camera settings, or just plain luck.

This time, I was determined to get it right. As Mike can attest, I must have checked and re-checked my settings a dozen times, rehearsing the shot and trying to anticipate every variable. Thankfully, the passing DMU provided the perfect practice subject — something I always recommend to others: test your setup on whatever comes first before the main event.

When Camelot finally came charging through, everything clicked. The light was perfect, the exhaust just right, and for the first time, I captured the image I’d been chasing. After so many near misses, this feels like my first true “winner” with the Standard 5 — and it made the whole weekend worthwhile.

In Search of the White Whale - No73082 “Camelot” rounds the curve at the Rifle Range in splendid sun, made the trip up to SVR worth it!

Camera Settings - Focal Length: 68mm, Shutter Speed: 1/640sec, Aperture: f6.3, ISO: 100

Our next stop was Tenbury Wall — or as we affectionately renamed it for the weekend, Joebury Wall, thanks to 21cPhotography’s frequent visits there. This was the scene of one of the weekend’s most memorable moments: the first time in preservation that two National Coal Board locomotives double-headed the same train.

The mound at Tenbury Wall was packed with photographers — everything from full-frame cameras with long lenses to mobile phones pointed hopefully down the line. We all waited, scanning the clouds for that elusive break of sunlight. Luck was on our side: as No. 11 and No. 49 thundered past, a soft beam of light broke through, perfectly illuminating the pair with a fine plume of exhaust to crown the occasion. It was a fitting and historic moment to witness — and one that summed up the magic of the gala.

The First Occasion - No11 and No49 undertake a never before seen feat in preservation, two National Coal Board locomotives working together.

Camera Settings - Focal Length: 69mm, Shutter Speed: 1/800sec, Aperture: f5.6, ISO: 125

After that high point, the rest of the day brought a fair bit of frustration. Orchard Crossing proved to be a complete dud for me — every time a locomotive approached halfway, the crew shut off steam. I’m not sure if there was an operational reason for it, but it happened so consistently that it felt more than coincidence!

My final shot of the weekend came at Hampton Loade, in near darkness, featuring the non-Atlantic Coast Express No. 35006. And with that, our Severn Valley adventure drew to a close. It had been a truly fantastic gala — packed with great company, memorable moments, and plenty of photos and videos still to sort through. The night run with Camelot will stay with me for a long time.

Apologies for the late running of this blog — much like a good steam service, sometimes there are a few delays! The week after the gala was hectic at work, followed by a brilliant trip to Portugal (a blog on that coming soon, complete with some sunny shots). I’m also looking forward to sharing my write-up of the Wightwick Hall trip from last weekend — and then, of course, the GIANT blog that’s still to come.

Thanks for reading — have a great weekend, and enjoy your photography!