RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted May 27, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 27, 2011 I was reading an interesting article in tonights local paper on the possibilty of a new station being built on the SVR to serve the safari park.It would be beneficial to both concerns and cut the need for cars on the park.The railway would benefit too with increased passengers so it looks like a win win situation. No official plans as yet and it sounds easy but the amount of infrastructure that goes into a station would need thinking about as well as substantial costs.Sounds good though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Thumper Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 they could have done that years ago, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zunnan Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 It wouldn't exactly be a new station, there was a 'station' there until 1920 (Rifle Range Halt) that could be reinstated. But you'd have thought that if there were any legs in the idea that they would have reinstated it already. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJ Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Surely the point of a safari park is that you drive round the enclosures. Not sure if I fancy getting off a train and walking through the big cat enclosure to the cafe! Seriously I think it's a great idea. I've taken my nephew and niece to the SVR and we always combine it with a trip to the Safari park, it's a fantastic day out. If we can leave the car at Kidderminster all day (or even go by train) then even better Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 And I think it's in the Elephant enclosure that the SVR passes the Safari park so the kids and wife get entertained by animals and I get to watch steam trains - if they could just move the lions nearer the track as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 could they not just divert and run the train through the park? sounds like a good idea, take it would involve a coach transfer?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Blandford1969 Posted June 1, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 1, 2011 could they not just divert and run the train through the park? sounds like a good idea, take it would involve a coach transfer?? Apparently this is part of a bigger plan the safari park has and has been in discussions with the railway for some time. At the moment it just appears to be an idea and has not been developed into a formal plan of what it would be, or how it would happen. Nor are there any timescales. The railway has some big challenges at the moment having had to spend over 300K at Arley and Sandbourne viaduct and next winter needing to sort out the drainage and track through Kidderminster tunnel, then after than Sandbourne needs more work, fishermans crossing needs sorting out, more of the track needs replacing..... all good fun, oh and thats before we start talking about engines. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 ... if they could just move the lions nearer the track as well. Not nice to the linesiders! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 "West Midland Safari park" conjures up images of Brummies and Yam Yams carefully displayed in their natural habitat. This sounds like a good idea - particulary if a through ticketing deal could be done (train from Birmingham, SVR and Park). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 They have released plans for a waterpark and hotel, I suspect later they will look at other developments along the lines of Alton Towers/Flamingoland to develop a resort all of which supports the link up with the SVR as the safari element becomes only one part of a wider theme park. This will benefit the park, SVR and the local roads. Actually when you look at this one a wider scale, ten years ago preserved railways and traction were for enthusiasts only, but now there are several schemes that are turning these enthusiast led railways back into privately owned public service lines: SVR - linking up with the Safari park to offer a route in to the park from Network Rail's Kidderminster station ELR - looking at ways to serve Manchester commuters Through ticketing to Wirksworth Colonel Stephens would have been proud to see all these light railways sprouting up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Blandford1969 Posted June 1, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 1, 2011 They have released plans for a waterpark and hotel, I suspect later they will look at other developments along the lines of Alton Towers/Flamingoland to develop a resort all of which supports the link up with the SVR as the safari element becomes only one part of a wider theme park. This will benefit the park, SVR and the local roads. Actually when you look at this one a wider scale, ten years ago preserved railways and traction were for enthusiasts only, but now there are several schemes that are turning these enthusiast led railways back into privately owned public service lines: SVR - linking up with the Safari park to offer a route in to the park from Network Rail's Kidderminster station ELR - looking at ways to serve Manchester commuters Through ticketing to Wirksworth Colonel Stephens would have been proud to see all these light railways sprouting up. There is an argument that it could mean fewer people travel the lenght of the line and therefore the average fare per head drops further, as has already happened with the museum at Highley. There would also be implications for car parking at Kidderminster - the car park of which is already struggling. Through trains from Network Rail is an interesting one and one which will be easier following the resignalling next year. However the flip to that is capacity. Section time at the moment is 12 minutes - which of course is longer when you allow for the signalling moves and unloading passengers. All of this is surmountable, however it would need a considerable amount of money - and if the safari park are willing to pay then it might have legs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I don't think the SVR would want the cars parking at Kidderminster, this would be a NR/SVR interchange with the public arriving by NR train and swapping to SVR trains for the remainder of the journey. Direct services by NR trains is an interesting option but whilst it would give the SVR some track access charge income it would not necessarily raise the profile of the railway or encourage visitors further up the line whereas using an SVR service parents might be more inclined to take the children all the way to Bridgenorth as part of the stay at the safari park. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 If this brings more fare paying passengers to the SVR then that's a good thing. If there's a hotel going there then this should encourage people to have a ride on the train one day and safari park the next. A simple halt or magic kingdom style station???? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 And I think it's in the Elephant enclosure that the SVR passes the Safari park so the kids and wife get entertained by animals and I get to watch steam trains - if they could just move the lions nearer the track as well. Not nice to the linesiders! Don't worry: they'll probably introduce "single lion working"..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessy1692 Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Don't worry: they'll probably introduce "single lion working"..... Guffor chortle chortle! nice one Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I was at the safari park yesterday, the traffic in Kiddy was terrible. Seems most of the country was there as it took an age to get round the animals. Very good though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.