With around forty members and friends on board, including members of the local National Trust, our Bakers coach left Weston at 8am and headed northwards up the M5, with the final pick-up being at Clevedon.

After a stop at Strensham services we left the motorway and headed for Kidderminster, arriving at 1040. The coach dropped us off here for our one-way trip on the SVR, arranging to pick us up at Bridgnorth. This allowed us an hour or so in Kiddderminster, before our train at 1145, and the opportunity for refreshments or to browse around the station, and see the changes and improvements to facilities including the new overall roof.

Whilst we were at Kidderminster the coaching stock for the SVR Dining train was prepared, along with dining train loco 8F 48773. Our train engine was former GWR 2-6-2T no 5164 and in warm sunny weather the train set off for our one-way trip on the SVR, arriving in Bridgnorth at 1255. On arrival, our party rejoined the Bakers coach, leaving at 1310 for the journey to Blists Hill museum where we arrived just twenty minutes later.

We left Blists Hill shortly after 1700 for the return journey via the M5, with a further stop on the way at Strensham Services, returning to Weston just before 2030.
All in all, a very successful and enjoyable day, in good weather. But how different things were just eleven days later, when the equivalent of two weeks rain fell along the Severn Valley in the space of just thirty minutes. In no fewer than forty-five separate locations along the railway line between Bewdley and Bridgnorth the ground slipped or moved, with key parts of the line washed away.
Services on the SVR will not resume until 2008, so had our trip been scheduled for two weeks later we would not have had our trip on the Railway this year!