SVR Loco Newsy News / discussions

First public warning
Pat

 

At least that's something - I saw and responded to their Facepest announcement, which doesn't make mention of "temporary" and although the official SVR account responded to my post, they overlooked to respond to the portion asking just how long it would be running like this.

...I still stand by the losing credibility statement though, although I'm sure as a PR stunt it will be viewed as "a success".

 

They can always enjoy the publicity and, at the end, say that no suggestion was good enough and quietly let it drop.

 

Whilst true, I can't see them miss the opportunity to have local TV news turn up for an unveiling to milk the PR aspect, along with the inevitable press releases circulated through the normal agencies and sent out to the railway media...
If you're going to race after PR stunts, then you don't only half do it and then not follow through.

 

I can not say I am a fan, but then it is not aimed at the likes of us is it?

 

Then who is it aimed at? Cavaliers? Boomers (literal and metaphorical)? Because I just can't see who the audience is but that's cos I'm the exact opposite of whatever this audience is.

 

Brenda then? (Private Eye reference!)

 

It has been said various times in the past, but the railway is focussing its business decisions around those it wants as customers - and that isn't really enthusiasts.
The railway's target customers neither know nor really care too much about the history of what gives them an olde world train ride, so long as it's fairly clean and runs on time.
If the railway organising PR stunts to cash in on topical events draws the attention of who is sees as potential customers, then that's going to be viewed a success.
If it upsets enthusiasts in the process - well <shrug> ...because enthusiasts will probably moan a bit, but generally their financial contribution will probably remain relatively stable.

...it's fairly safe to say the people who frequent railway forums online are not who they're looking to target as customers or with their stunts.

 

Could be interesting if there’s a lot of nominations for the same name though…
Just saying.
Hintedy Hint Hint

 

I'm quite amazed how poorly it's been received in the enthusiast community. Whether that's just people wetting the bed about "HeRiTaGe" or similar. The community is rife with small c conservatism (and sometimes big C Culture War wedge issues passing as conservative policy) so I thought a bit of limp-wristed patriotism for her was absolutely in line with swathes of the community. But here we are, people are multitudes. Maybe that Clean Up For The Queen a few years back really broke the back of blind Royalism that would have gone by with giddy excitement years ago.

I can't work out the business angle here though and maybe that's my anti-monarchist position. I just can not picture the wider country and who sees this and thinks "Yes let's go to deepest Kidderminster and see a train lazily named in an anniversary year". Maybe it's just not being south of Hadrian's the last 2 years but I really do struggle to envision the customer they've dialled in on.

 

Paul, as others have said it’s not for the likes of you and this competition, I think it’s more for likes of the children of Bewdley/Bridgnorth primary schools, that kind of thing.
But!
It would be interesting to know what loco would temporarily be renamed (have any loco groups been approached and if they have what do they think about it, are they up for it?)
I’m possibly thinking 4930 or 34027 might be involved?
I’m wondering if someone with a non railway marketing background has seen what the DTG and Fifty Alliance have done with their machines where you can sponsor a renamed 1015/50xxx to bring back your favourite 1000 or class 50 but is maybe misjudging things?

 

Why not?

2857 maybe?

 

Maybe call it Andrew - just does the job with no sweat?

Tom

 

I would say as far as "the enthusiast community" are concerned, the railway's stated reasoning for running the stunt is irrelevant - it's the stunt itself which is distasteful.
The fact the railway's social media PR team have the bare faced audacity to claim the railway is focused on undertaking historically accurate preservation, whilst at the same time promoting a PR exercise that (albeit only temporarily it would now seem) spectacularly deviates from that is amazing.

If you actually click through to their suggestions page, then it is also clearly an exercise to hoover up personal information for marketing purposes - hence asking for address and phone number alongside the obligatory request to add those details onto the company's mailing list for them to make further contact with you in the future.

 

Given it's been stated as a renaming exercise, when you look down the current operational locomotive fleet there aren't too many that are eligible, seeing as most at the moment don't have names in the first place, thus is it impossible to rename them!

...unless it includes the diesel fleet?
At least with diesels there's been a fairly long standing precedent on the mainline of renaming diesels each time the wind changes direction.

 

Then keep it to the schools locally. Its more akin to a Lyreco competition. It doesn't need to be some spread via social media. Yeah its grabbing attention but lets not forget, pooping yourself for attention is still pooping yourself.

There it is.

 

Even the Talyllyn got in on the act. There are a few 110-120 year old photos of Pretoria at work.

 

Just submitted it to the SVR!

 

The question is whether it is the sort of gimmick that is going to result in increased footfall and revenue. Are ardent monarchists a key demographic you want to reach that the SVR isn't reaching already?