The week before the gala was graced with the running of visitor No. 3440 City of Truro on Jazz trains to Highley, on the Wednesday 3440 sits in the siding at Highley awaiting a return to Kiddermnster. I was rider at the time on the footplate as a reward for my Hard work cleaning the loco before these trains, It took Me and another cleaner 3 hard days of polishing to get the result you see before you.

3440 and its train of 3 Edwardian GWR Toplight coaches coasts into Bewdley in the sun on the Thursday, the day before the gala on another jazz train, on the footplate can be seen my cleaning collegue Kian who had also been rewarded with a play on the engine for the hard work put in to the cosmetic tidying of the engine.

On the Friday of the gala, 4566 and 7812 storm out of Bewdley with a symphony of high and low tone whistles from both engines as they attack the bank on a train for Bewdley

Visiting 4575 prarie tank no. 5542 storms the bank on a uniform rake of LNER teak coaches.

Resident manor No. 7802 had been adorned with white Aberwystwyth style embelishments and really looks the part as she tops the summit at the tenbury junction in the Friday evening sun.

A rare opportunity was taken to double head north of Bewdley over the gala, 2 small praries are about the maximum you can have over Victoria Bridge so this was taken to our advantage, and here we see 5542 and 4566 on the first double headed run of the weekend.

A stirring sight to be seen was the pairing of Visiting Dukedog No 9017 woth our rake of GWR coaches, here the ensemble approach Orchard Crossing in the Firday Evening Sun

Saturday morning saw Ivatt 46443 haulinga goods train along the valley, here it is seen passing 42968 at Bewdley taken from next to 7812.

PTR Saddle tank No.813 is seen here on a 4 coach train of GWR stock passing the Dukedog stabled in the headshunt at Bewdley south on its way to Kidderminster, It makes a pleasant change to see it in action on the Valley

The pairing of the 2 double framers was a must, and here we see 9017 and 3440 in the Cutting adjacent to the safari park on their way to kidderminster

the Prarie pairing are seen at the Bewdley up outer home on their way southbound, this time 5542 led the pairing, shame they weren't seen on the GW set as much as I would have liked

813 is seen in the wilderness that is Northwood on Saturday Afternoon Heading for Kidderminster

9017 on the western set again, doesn't she look at home here!

A favorite sight of mine was the novelty of a GW tank in Black livery, here 5526 from the SDR tackles the bank with a lightweight Cambrian Coast Express, the headboard belonging to the Erlestoke Manor Fund was transfered from 7802 to 5526 at my request, I'm glad I asked now!

Sunday Morning and 5764 arrives at a cold and loneley Bewdley Station with a Goods Train

The sun comes out as the 2 Double framers make a spirited departure from Bewdley on Sunday Morning

the 2 Praries again, this time with 4566 leading depart Bewdley. Apologies for the lack of shiny Brasswork on these on the sunday, my Arms wouldnt work at 3.30am on Sunday morning...

My favorite sight of the gala and a first since 1960, a Manor and a Dukedog Doublehead on the Western set away from Bewdley, what a sight!

5164 trots up the bank with its light 4 coach load on the Sunday Morning

3440 on the teaks looking as smart as ever.

7812 with the Early style CCE headboard is seen attacking the bank, previous to this shot I had fell asleep amongst photographers in the field, My Body isnt used to 3.30 starts!

No SVR 2008 Gala photo collection would be complete without the inclusion of the autotrain, here 5526 romps out of Bewdley on the Sunday afternoon

Another fine pairing is seen as 5164 and 7802 attack the bank with their 10 coach Train.

The last of a series of Double Framed Double Headers is seen in the low Sunday evening sunlight as 3440 and 9017 Depart Bewdley into the history books as one of the best galas the SVR has ever put on, my sincere thanks to everyone involved...