News from our partners: ‘Baton’ brothers unite for a very special event
News from our partners Severn Valley Railway
When the Birmingham 2022 The Queen’s Baton Relay visits the Severn Valley Railway on Saturday 23 July, in the run-up to its final destination at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, it will be a particularly special event for brothers Craig and Andrew Sharp.
While Craig will be in charge of the signal box at Arley station, Andrew will be on board the train as part of the Baton’s security team.
Bromsgrove-based Andrew is a sergeant with West Midlands Police and was selected to accompany the Baton on several legs of its 90,000-mile journey around the Commonwealth.
Craig and Andrew Sharp at the Severn Valley Railway’s Arley station
Andrew explained:-
“Our job is to make sure the Baton safely reaches the Opening Ceremony for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The Baton contains The Queen’s Message to the Commonwealth, placed there in October 2021, when The Queen’s Baton Relay launched from Buckingham Palace. By the time it travels along the SVR line from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth, the Baton will have visited all 72 nations and territories in the Commonwealth.”
IT managing director Craig, who lives near Droitwich, first volunteered for the Severn Valley Railway as a teenager in the 1980s, and rejoined to train as a signalman in 2018. He talked about his role on the day:-
“When the SVR’s purple loco, No 70 ‘Elizabeth II’ passes here on 23 July, it will be my job to operate Arley signal box to ensure the safety of trains on the line. It’s a safety critical role, and I’ll be ensuring that the track is clear, and exchanging a physical token in the same way as it’s been done here since the 1860s. Without possession of this, a train is not permitted to proceed. I’ll also be operating the signals and points in the Arley area.”
For both brothers, who were born and bred in Hall Green, Birmingham, taking part in the Baton Relay is a real privilege.
Andrew said:-
“The Queen’s Baton Relay is very much a community event. It’s about getting people from all walks of life involved, sharing their stories and celebrating people across the Commonwealth. I’m very proud of what my brother does here at the railway, and I know he’s proud of me too, so this will be a wonderful memory that we’ll share for years to come.”
Craig added:-
“The fact that the Baton is coming through the region is very exciting. I’m so proud that I’m playing a small part in getting it to its final destination. And you can be sure that both Andrew and I will be giving each other a wave as the train passes the signal box at Arley!”
Further information
Looking forward to its 60th Anniversary in 2025, the Severn Valley Railway welcomes up to 250,000 visitors per year, and is among the UK’s most popular and much-loved historical attractions. Run largely by a dedicated body of more than 1,600 volunteers, the full-size, standard-gauge railway line runs regular steam- and diesel-hauled passenger trains along a scenic 16-mile route between Kidderminster in Worcestershire and Bridgnorth in Shropshire for visitors and enthusiasts alike to enjoy. There are six attractive, beautifully-maintained stations along the route as well as the Engine House Visitor Centre at Highley. Here, visitors can enjoy interactive exhibits including up to eight steam locomotives, a magnificent royal carriage and a ‘how the SVR works’ exhibition and café.
There’s a wealth of background on the railway, and the chance to go behind the scenes at the SVR’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SevernValleyRailwayOfficial
