SVR General Discussion

An enjoyable read, thank you to those involved for putting it together. I will look to send an e-mail subscription request tomorrow.

Many thanks

Ben

 

Two unfortunate but understandable (well to me at least) announcements this week:
Cancellation of the 1940s weekends
https://www.svr.co.uk/2022/03/14/severn-valley-railway-cancels-step-back-to-the-1940s-events/
Postponement of the April and May footplate experiences
https://www.svr.co.uk/2022/03/18/severn-valley-railway-implements-coal-saving-measures/

 

Diesels on the back next I can just see it now, 60007 getting shoved hard up Eardington on the opening train of the gala.

 

Ah, but will there be any diesel fuel left to allow the diesels to shove? It might be a case of a Titfield Thunderbolt style Gala: "Everyone out and push up Eardington Bank!"

 

Third class passengers only, surely?

 

Perhaps attach a hot balloon to the front to be powered by the air hot generated by the Taw Valley paint froth.

 

Wines and Sprits first!

 

'What happens if we can't get started?'
'Well,' explained O'Malley, 'First class passengers will be taken on by private car.'
'What about us third class?'
'You get out and bloody well push.'

Puckoon, Spike Milligan.

 

Funkey times for 'up' passengers?

 

I am sure that the SVR will probably use the coal shortage as an extra excuse for barring shareholder travel.

 

I do hear that the SVR are responsible for all the significant shifts in global energy prices due to their desire to screw loyal customers.

Sent from my SM-G770F using Tapatalk

 

What do you expect from a secret security agency? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Intelligence_Service_(Russia)

 

Coincidence? I THINK NOT.

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'Sure [..] will probably' covers all your bases!

I gather a letter to shareholders is imminent (I haven't seen it), with travel vouchers for those eligible in time for use on the Open House start of services on 2nd April.

It's already been announced that 2023 shareholder travel will go before the 2022 AGM.

In other shareholder news, Companies House shows an additional £223,444 was subscribed between May 2021 and February 2022, I guess most of it from existing shareholders buying extra shares to maintain their travel entitlement.

Patrick
(Ex-silver pass holder who didn't top up)

 

That is nonsense. The ORR have no problem with photo charters and one organiser has run them at the Valley quite safely for over 20 years and another is an active SVR member. The new management doesn’t come from a railway background and is causing a lot of grief for the line’s supporters and volunteers from what I’ve heard.
I attended the Pannier Tank charter at the KWVR, a line I have now joined as a member after ditching the SVR.

 

@Sidmouth was one of the organisers and has contributed to the discussion.

If one followed your implication through:

(a) if the ORR does not prohibit an activity then a heritage railway should offer it, even if they weigh up the benefit vs risk and decide that it's not worth it to them.
(b) because railway A decides an activity is worth it to them, it's unreasonable for railway B to make a different call.

That would be 'nonsense'.

The ORR not having a problem with photo charters would be one thing, but whether one agrees or not it's different from the SVR weighing up the benefit vs risk and deciding that it's not worth it to them. And they're quite entitled to do so.

As mentioned before, the current MD doesn't come from the railway but the board (which includes railwaymen and volunteer) does, and much of the criticism is of the board's decisions. The previous GM didn't either btw, and certain previous railwaymen GMs weren't an unqualified success.

 

The SVR has decided, in the current climate, that the hassle and level of resource required doesn’t justify the financial return. Seems a sensible approach.

Whether or not ‘the management’ comes from a railway background is surely neither here nor there (and as time goes by based on demographics it’s likely that an increasing number of heritage railways will be led by non-railway folks). What matters is that somebody is making decisions, admittedly not popular with everybody, with the aim of securing a viable future for the railway. I’m not a member of the SVR but as an interested observer you seem to be doing pretty well!

 

I believe they have said it’s for safety reasons which is just an excuse because they can’t be bothered. A volunteer crew on a non operating day takes virtually no resources at all, deduct the cost of the coal and consumables and it’s all profit. 30 participants paying £70 - £80 each, you work it out.
That’s not so serious as alienating the volunteers, I’ve spoken to a number and no one seem to be happy with the new regime. They don’t seem to publish membership numbers now but the figures I’ve heard are that they have lost 1000 to 1500 members.
I’m still a shareholder and a member of a loco owning group on the Valley and was looking forward to a few events with it when it gets back in traffic. Let’s hope things change but if I was part of the management team o would want to know why we were losing long standing members.

 

I’ve nothing to do with the Valley but I just worked it out using your figures and, if I was ‘management’ I wouldn’t be bothered for that level of income. Take away the coal costs, hire fees/maintenance costs and management time and there’s nothing in it, probably even a paper loss. Even volunteer time has a notional cost.
I can’t say why they are losing members but I’d hazard a guess that people are simply dying off. Today’s generation simply aren’t as interested in steam and railways in the numbers that we were.