Severn Valley Spring Gala 23-25 March 2012

A comment on the SVR Newsy News thread has prompted me to start this!

From the SVR website

"Back for 2012 and with a move to a new springtime date, our Spring Steam Gala already promises to be one of the great steam enthusiasts events of the year.

Three full days and with guest locomotives currently being finalised. Details of these locomotives will be announced shortly.

Special timetable".

Revised fares apply. This is a pre-book & save event (you can save money with and advance purchase ticket, which must be purchased at least five working days in advance of your visit in order to allow time for delivery [not yet online]).

Patrick

 

How can anyone claim this could be one of the top events of 2012 with out listing visiting locos and with out knowing what other events are taking place on other preserved lines?

 

Sorry forgot to add.

This event also now clashes with the WSR gala. Why move to the same date has the WSR gala and could reduced attendances to both galas

 

Moved to the same date so as to ensure all winter maintenance will be completed well in time.

WSR gala is over two weekends - if you want to visit both, WSR one weekend, SVR the other!

Simple.

 

The clashing of galas is already being discussed on another thread.

Also the Spring gala for the SVR in 2012 is going to be a larger engine gala due to NR working at Kidderminster in August. So to allow for any over runs and commissioning work to be done September will have a smaller loco theme.

 

There was a suggestion that 62005 might be visiting.

 

Comment elsewhere suggests Bittern/DoNZ as a visitor. Should look good with the teaks.

 

No it isn't simple. I have already booked my B&B for the WSR gala and, anyway, haven't you noticed that most people are finding that money is tight nowadays? Quite frankly I wish the SVR all the worst over this; a totally stupid decision.

 

As ever your somewhat misguided and boisterous comments on a gala thread never fail to amuse!

 

Good, I'm glad something positive comes out of this situation

 

Unfortunate over the B&B. Cancellable though, if you really felt like it (you clearly don't, but that's a different matter). Proves that your mind was already made up on which to visit though, making all this rather academic.

Now regarding money being tight - your logic is non-existent! Whether they are on the same weekend or two weekends apart, if you are in a position to financially go to only one - you will still have to choose! How about we insist on only one high profile gala a month to suit our wallets? I bagsy September.

Have a pint and come back in an hour.

 

I've already paid a £35 deposit for the B&B so it would be daft to cancel. Finances for the over 65s can be complex because the old-age pension is paid as per a lunar calendar ie 13 payments a year (two payments in December would you believe), but the other pension from the pension fund is paid monthly ie 12 payments a year. Stay with me ...

If a gala is held at the beginning of the month of March, as the SVR's usually is, it can be paid for out of the pension fund pension, while the WSR's gala, being at the end of the month, can be paid out of the old-age pension. So in March it is usually possible to go to the SVR and WSR SSGs; but, now the SVR has changed its dates and the fact that a deposit has been paid, this won't be possible. Hence my annoyance!

But all is not lost because I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised if there aren't other galas at the beginning of March which I shall be able to attend ... but ... and it's a big but ... the SVR has spent a fortune over the last few winters fixing its infrastructure and by moving its weekend to coincide with the WSR's SSG it has not only reduced its income from its gala, but has reduced the WSR's too. Talk about a double whammy; utterly crazy.

Anyway, I'm going off to make my dinner, the pint can wait until Friday lunchtime in the Plough.


Regards

 

Thats a bit harsh but yeah having it over the WSR gala is a bit silly, ok they have a 2 weekend gala but it still clashes. I don't understand why the SVR didn't have their gala a week later 30th March-1st April. Apparently the MHR gala is the 23-25 as well. Also some people can't afford to do 2 galas within 2 weeks. Previous SVR and WSR spring galas have had a 3 week gap.

 

I wonder whether the Club 55 deal will be available in late March - makes at least the travel part more affordable for those of us who live in the more remote parts of the country.

 

Well, I for one am grateful that it's later than the norm as it falls into my uni holidays.
As for it being later, at the moment, it's two weeks from Easter. If the SVR is doing anything for easter, the SSG being a week later might affect the prep for this.

 

Why don't you just save up a bit each month, over the year, that way you don't have to spend a whole months pension in go ?