Severn Valley Railway

[BobM]

I will refrain from commenting on specifics and as a shareholder and working volunteer member of the SVR for nearly 20 years, and a member of the GWR...I will only repeat a previous posting of mine made in February of this year....

 

 

The SVR is indeed, akin to many, going through and faces many challenges. However difficult and painful these will undoubtedly be, especially for those paid staff whose livelihoods may be uncertain, knowing the railway as I do it will, with the support and affection of its staff, volunteers and long standing supporters weather this uncertain patch. Together is the only way forward, each heritage railway relies upon the collective strength of the movement.

Keep the faith!

 

Regards always

Bob

Edited April 11, 2023 by BobM

[Blandford1969]

4 hours ago, rogerzilla said:

The SVR finances are the reason I'm likely to retire to near the GWSR and volunteer there instead.  I love the SVR and will continue to visit, but I suspect they've overspent on big new infrastructure projects in the last few years, as well as having a suboptimal employee/volunteer mix.

To ensure the record is accurate lets look at the last few large projects

• Bridgnorth shed yard / points - paid for from an appeal, on budget and on time
• Bridgnorth shed rebuild and crane, paid for from an appeal, on budget and on time
• Hampton Loade slip - works paid for by a company who used the railway as a test bed to prove a way of dealing with slips - no cost to the railway
• Falling Sands viaduct - funded by the Charitable Trust and National Lottery - on budget and on time
• Hagley Hall - paid for the the Charitable Trust 
• Bridgnorth refreshment rooms- went beyond the original budget, but still within the money raised
• Kidderminster Diesel depot - came in on budget from an appeal 

 

To answer the how would I know is down to the position held for a good number of years.

 

Yes some older projects did cost more than expected which pre date the Charitable Trust (eg the wheel drop which was learned from as have each subsequent project to make sure any lesson are always leaned. However your statement is not a fair reflection of the past few years.

 

The issues are a perfect storm

1) Minimum wage rises have pushed up many of the ancillary staff who supported the railway in catering, pubs, cleaning 

2) Covid 

3) Cost of coal and utilities - coal went from around £100 a ton to nearly £500 per ton- each loco will burn about 2.5 tons per day

4) The world around railways has changed in terms of compliance requirements and the ORR requirements which come out of incidents on preserved lines.

 

All railways are being effected by these issues and the recent changes in leadership are already showing in more thanks being given and more encouragement to volunteers. The green shoots are there and we all hope to see more changes which we hope will encourage more people to visit us. 

 

We all want the railway to survive. 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by Blandford1969

[Phil Bullock]

I hope that with the new management regime at the SVR financial priorities and business planning are aimed at improving the core business. 
 

Will be there on Thursday behind 4079…. This railway history focussed event feels like a good start

Edited April 11, 2023 by Phil Bullock

[Blandford1969]

46 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:

I hope that with the new management regime at the SVR financial priorities and business planning are aimed at improving the core business. 
 

Will be there on Thursday behind 4079…. This railway history focussed event feels like a good start

In the past 35 years as a volunteer I have seen all sorts and spent over 1/3 as a Director. What I see on the ground is a shift and recognition there is a way to go. The cost challenges are massive and we are not unique. Others are struggling too, but may not be being public about it. 

 

Just as we heard rumours of what was coming earlier this year which proved correct, we now are also hearing rumours suggesting positive improvements, but they take time to happen. We are all keeping our fingers crossed. 

 

There are of course new challenges and unfortunately visitors do not always understand how the doors work on coaches for instance as they press the door stop expecting the door to open. 

 

We still are able to have a laugh at times 

 

On Saturday afternoon the Driver of Taw Valley said they wanted a bucket of coal (they had some in the morning) This was the result of their request. 

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by Blandford1969

[Phil Bullock]

8 hours ago, Blandford1969 said:

In the past 35 years as a volunteer I have seen all sorts and spent over 1/3 as a Director. What I see on the ground is a shift and recognition there is a way to go. The cost challenges are massive and we are not unique. Others are struggling too, but may not be being public about it. 

 

Just as we heard rumours of what was coming earlier this year which proved correct, we now are also hearing rumours suggesting positive improvements, but they take time to happen. We are all keeping our fingers crossed. 

 

There are of course new challenges and unfortunately visitors do not always understand how the doors work on coaches for instance as they press the door stop expecting the door to open. 

 

We still are able to have a laugh at times 

 

On Saturday afternoon the Driver of Taw Valley said they wanted a bucket of coal (they had some in the morning) This was the result of their request. 

 

Thats good to hear the positives! What were loadings  looking like over Easter? 

Edited April 12, 2023 by Phil Bullock

[sidmouth]

For anyone planning on going over the weekend and please if you can do go and support the SVR , I've tried to bring everything that is on together in one place 

 

Timetable

https://svr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Spring-Steam-Gala-Timetable-ALL-DAYS.pdf

Tickets
https://my.svr.co.uk/events?view=list&k=Spring-Steam-Gala

Station updates

Kidderminster
Kidderminster Railway Museum should be open with their excellent cafe and book sale .
Kidderminster shop and buffet
Coalyard minature railway
King and Castle
Station fund stall

Bewdley
Bewdley station fund shop
Erlestoke Manor Fund Shop
GW SVR A Fund shop
813 fund shop
Bewdley Buffet

Bewdley Buffet, Fund Shop & Beer Tent opening times over Spring Steam Gala:
Buffet:
8am-3.30pm Fri/Sat/Sun.

Station Fund Shop:
10am-6pm Fri/Sat/Sun.

Beer Tent:
10am-10pm Fri/Sat
10am-6pm Sun

Arley

Tom's Cabin will be open every day 11am till 3pm serving teas/coffee's and biscuits, run by the station volunteers. Come and have a cuppa!

The station fund shop will also be open throughout the event.


Highley
Engine House and station cafe

Hampton Loade

Station open day Thursday


and then the weekend



Bridgnorth

Bridgnorth buffet will be open tomorrow 8.30 - 1.30.
LMS/BR Carriage fund shop
Railwaymans Arms
Fri, sat, sun will be open 8.30 - 4.30.

Edited April 12, 2023 by sidmouth

[rogerzilla]

I do like the pop-up railwayana stall at HL, or the Crypt of Crap as we call it.  Have bought some great stuff there over the years.

 

Will there be sales stalls at Kidders apart from the station fund one?

[LMS2968]

The SMF stand will be in the Nursery building at KR. I don't know about others.

[Chris M]

I've been a regular visitor to the SVR since before it opened sometime as a volunteer but for the last few decades just an ordinary member and shareholder. Volunteers will often moan about the management but I have to say I have never heard or seen anything like the animosity towards Helen Smith ever before. Volunteers will tell complete strangers how bad the SVR was under Helen's management and that is unusual. On discussing the fact that Helen had moved on to manage St Michael's Mount one volunteer said "It will probably sink with her in charge". From all I have heard it seems Helen didn't really understand how a heritage railway works or the importance of appreciating everyone's efforts. I have heard many reports of Helen having no interest in volunteers or loco owning groups. 

 

This feels like a new dawn. I will make a donation to the cause, after all I have had terrific value watching trains (as well as riding them) along all the footpaths by the SVR, and I feel I owe the SVR a payment for all those enjoyable moments over really almost all of my life. Well from about 13 onwards, I was 15 when the SVR first opened and was a working volunteer.

Edited April 12, 2023 by Chris M

[rogerzilla]

The SVR volunteers had previous big fallings-out with Gerald Nabarro and Colin Binch in the past, so they have form for the occasional mutiny!

[EmporiaSub]

16 hours ago, Blandford1969 said:

 

The issues are a perfect storm.

 

3) Cost of coal and utilities - coal went from around £100 a ton to nearly £500 per ton- each loco will burn about 2.5 tons per day

 

 

 

To take just this quote….

 

One train working has gone from £250 a day up to £1000+.

Some lines only operate one steam train a day, and have also cut back on the number of operating days too.

That sort of increase in costs has to come from somewhere!

 

[Phil Bullock]

24 minutes ago, EmporiaSub said:

To take just this quote….

 

One train working has gone from £250 a day up to £1000+.

Some lines only operate one steam train a day, and have also cut back on the number of operating days too.

That sort of increase in costs has to come from somewhere!

 

That means the first 40 passengers at £25 a head just cover the cost of running the train. Then there’s infrastructure costs, rolling stock,  staff costs, fuel bills….

 

A 7 coach train including a brake, buffet and accessible coach full loaded seats around 300 passengers half of which may be children. 
 

You can see how the financial maths quickly gets in to challenging territory 

[rogerzilla]

Are galas generally more profitable?  You get oodles more people but there are hire fees.

[Helmdon]

5 minutes ago, rogerzilla said:

Are galas generally more profitable?  You get oodles more people but there are hire fees.

this is currently being done to death on the SVR thread on NatPres. General consensus is that the SVR's galas are profitable, and that's why they're unaffected. Also that it's difficult to see how you extract cost from them without hitting value, and given that they are profitable, best leave well alone and focus on the bits that are bleeding money.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2023 by Helmdon

[rogerzilla]

I got the impression that Didcot made no money from FS's visit a few years ago, even though it was standing-room only across half the site.  They had event staging costs of £250,000 that year, and I bet FS was most of it.  60009 turned up too, but I think it was on its way to another hire.

 

So you have to be careful what you hire in - FS is going to cost far more than a random DB Schenker diesel!

Edited April 12, 2023 by rogerzilla

[LMS2968]

1 hour ago, Chris M said:

Volunteers will often moan about the management but I have to say I have never heard or seen anything like the animosity towards Helen Smith ever before.

You don't remember the Gerald Nabaro episode of 1970?

[rogerzilla]

The British Gas boiler service man was telling me that his dad volunteered at SVR for years and went through one of the mutinies.  He stuck it out, as he enjoyed the work, but a lot didn't.

[woodenhead]

Whilst th SVR is asking for funds to stay afloat and the WSR fumbles along, over in the middle of the country the GCR is asking for a similar amount to continue it's aim of reunification.

 

What's different at the GCR that they are able to push on with reunification whilst the others struggle after Covid, energy woes and general issues from the current state of the country?

[Bucoops]

1 minute ago, woodenhead said:

Whilst th SVR is asking for funds to stay afloat and the WSR fumbles along, over in the middle of the country the GCR is asking for a similar amount to continue it's aim of reunification.

 

What's different at the GCR that they are able to push on with reunification whilst the others struggle after Covid, energy woes and general issues from the current state of the country?

 

Renting their line out for various purposes?

[woodenhead]

8 minutes ago, Bucoops said:

 

Renting their line out for various purposes?

I don't know, but their outlook is quite contrasting, also the NYMR is very much focussed on looking forward - I see Piglet is going to be starring in a new C5 series about steam trains, I imagine the NYMR will make some income from that as well as Piglet himself.

[Helmdon]

I think we need to be a bit careful about reading out what's going on from one line being open about things. Without casting aspersions at any line in particular, anecdotally in the volunteer world it's not just the SVR in trouble. The difference (at the moment) is that the SVR is being open about it and others (naming no names) are trying to trade out of it or keep very quiet and hope for the best. High stakes times all round really.

 

One or two lines did very well last year, so there are genuine good news stories. I think as a movement though, the defining characteristic at the moment is one of 'heads in sand'. 

 

Time will tell. I reckon the SVR is doing the right thing (now), and will be fine. On the other hand I am sadly expecting casualties somewhere in the movement from what's going on.

Edited April 12, 2023 by Helmdon

[Helmdon]

2 hours ago, LMS2968 said:

You don't remember the Gerald Nabarro episode of 1970?

 

There have been a couple more recent than that! 

[Blandford1969]

10 hours ago, Phil Bullock said:

Thats good to hear the positives! What were loadings  looking like over Easter? 

Some trains were very good on Saturday when I was there, others more lightly loaded. The last one in was really heavily loaded, sad as they don't get much time before the departure.

[Blandford1969]

1 hour ago, woodenhead said:

I don't know, but their outlook is quite contrasting, also the NYMR is very much focussed on looking forward - I see Piglet is going to be starring in a new C5 series about steam trains, I imagine the NYMR will make some income from that as well as Piglet himself.

However Chris Price has been very clear the NYMR is having financial challenges and it effects the entire movement.  

[sidmouth]

2 hours ago, woodenhead said:

Whilst th SVR is asking for funds to stay afloat and the WSR fumbles along, over in the middle of the country the GCR is asking for a similar amount to continue it's aim of reunification.

 

What's different at the GCR that they are able to push on with reunification whilst the others struggle after Covid, energy woes and general issues from the current state of the country?

I'd be tempted to wait for the accounts to come out