Avon Valley operates a continuous Type 2 service

News

THE Avon Valley Railway ran an intensive Class 31 top-and-tail service on June 1-2, in conjunction with a beer festival at Bitton station.

The first day promised ‘90 miles of thrash’ on the line, which is a little over 2.3 miles in length.

Class 31 No. 5518 (31101) was booked to lead towards Avon Riverside, but on Friday, following the arrival of the 13.25 from Oldland Common at Avon Riverside, the two locos were swapped around for the return. No. 31130 was suffering a slight fuel problem and the line’s gradient required the better-running loco to be on the western end. Its repaint nearly complete, No. 31130 heads the 16.05 from Oldland Common non-stop to Avon Riverside, alongside the cycle track, just east of Bitton. PETER NICHOLSON

There were 19 return trips between Oldland Common and Avonside, some passing through Bitton station non-stop.

Turn-around at each terminus was usually three minutes.

Only 14 trains were operated on the Saturday, these running around a driver experience course.

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