SVR General Discussion

That sounds to me like the perpetual Marks & Spencer excuse for ever declining sales - they always blame the weather - it was always too warm or alternatively too cold.

 

Not really - in that it's not a perpetual excuse, it's about how the SVR measures use of a relatively new ticket type. The number is an estimate based on number of tickets sold, with the number of family passes multiplied as each pass presumably accounts for more thanone return trip. The speculation is that this multiplication factor is too low: if it is, then as more regular passengers buy family passes (they're very good value) the published passenger numbers estimate will be lower than the true figure. The SVR only introduced the family pass in 2013.

 

I doubt that is the 16,000 passengers they were short on there target there needs to be a good look taken at why people are not turning up in the numbers they were before.
I guess this is more the casual visitor and maybe the coach trip that went away after the flood damage might not of come back also there is more completion now do you need more theme events like the great central offers.

 

Counting up, there are over 30 special event days in the SVR calendar this year - that's at least one per month for the rest of the year.

Hopefully the 50th Anniversary will bring in extra publicity too this year - there's a segment about the SVR on Inside Out West Midlands this Monday (the 23rd), for example.

 

I don't think its people not knowing the railway is there it is people who have visited not choosing to visit as often. This could be the visitor experience is not what they want.
Have the numbers been lost from general days or are the visitor numbers down on the special events.

 

I visited SVR yesterday and can see that work is now well underway on the Diesel maintenance shed. Why is the new shed so tall ? Even if they lift the loco's which I am assuming is what is intended, there looks to be significant further headroom. Are they going to install an overhead travelling crane or just a mezzanine for offices and stores ?

 

The overhead travelling crane was installed before the cladding started to go on. I believe the intention is to crane out power units etc which needs considerable height. Loco height + body height + slings +a margin

 

I read in the latest SVR news that 4270 is the tank version of a 28xx.
Some mistake !

 

The report of the Holdings Company AGM are available at http://www.svr.co.uk/NewsItem.aspx?a=676. As well trailed here and elsewhere over the last couple of years the SVR will make a provision in its balance sheet of approximately £4.5 million for owners' locos awaiting overhaul, which will be shown as a loss for 2015. This is a paper transaction only and will not affect cash flow.

Patrick

 

Plans and artist's impressions for Bridgnorth redevelopment were on display over the gala. I gather these should be appearing online (whether SVR or shropshire council) shortly.

 

What's on display. It should be submitted to the council within the next couple of weeks

 

Didn't spot that during my visit. Good to see the plans include a more "in-keeping" appearance. Interesting to see a turntable included too, that will be interesting to see!
Take it full details will appear online explaining it all? Or will it wait for the SVR Shareholders to be informed first?

 

Don't know, I don't work at Bridgnorth!
I would hope something will appear soon. Hopefully, a web page on it and something in the SVR news.

 

I think a quick summary post of current plans (as far as I'm aware of them):
The new station building will comprise of a buffet and new toilets. The station shop will move to what is currently the ladies and the rooms nexts to it. The current shop will be become the waiting room as it once was and the back room to the shop will be come part of the bar. The exisitng gents will became part of the back bit to the bar, giving them more space.
The hostel building is part overnight accomodation and part stores and is situated around the back of the boiler shop. This will allow the removal of the 4 mark 1's and it is hoped that the sliding will be re-connected and used for the venture and/or strengthening coaches which is more practical than the exisitng arrangement.
I think there is a plan to extend platform 2 southwards which will require re-arrangement of the yard entrance. As you can see, there is plan to instal a turntable. To allow space, the exit road for the overflow carpark will redirected. The overflow carpark will also tarmaced either in part or the whole. This will hopefully allow more people to start at Bridgnorth rather than at Kidderminster.

 

Thanks for the summary. Are there any timescales attached too this yet?

 

From what I can see on that image it looks like there won't be room, with the new restaurant building in place, for either a bay platform replacing the siding, or a new signalbox at some point in the future. Bit of a shame. It's a handsome-looking building though!

 

None that I know of atm. The buffet and changes to the exisiting station building are likely to occur first I would imagine. I suppose within 5-10 years is a fair estimate for the major parts and it being fully finished.

Much point in a new signal box though? While I agree the existing one needs a little work, not sure moving it serves much advantage overall. While a bay platform sounds nice, would it actually be used when there's the exisiting two platforms? Space at Bridgnorth is at premium unfortunately.

 

Yup I agree with you about the space hence the April Fool about extending over Hollybush Road and blasting the sides out to create a subbtereanian round house to put the turntable in! Some people did believe it at the time btw!

 

There is plenty of space for a replacement box. If/ when the box is replaced (a project which has already started), the replacement will be between the starter bracket on P2 and the dummy controling the exit from the headshunt. The current box doesnt need a little bit of work. It needs the brick base rebuilding along with the the timber structure, which is too small for the brick base, needing the four corner posts renewing along with the windows. The timbers holding the frame up still show evidende of the fire 30+ years ago.
Georges siding wont be a bay platform. It will be become a siding. Described above, it will serve as the venturer storage and strengthening coaches.
Where the 5-10 year timeline for the major parts has come from baffles me. Planning application should be going in within the next 10-14 days with work starting very early in the new year on the buffet building.
If anybody has been to Bridgnorth lately. The north end of P1 is being extended by 33ft northwards along with a widened area by the buffet which allows the bar/ on train buffet store building to be moved, which then creates the 16th square to allow the new buffet building in place.
Forestpines. Are you forgetting the bridge half way through the site?

 

A guess and it was within 5 for the major parts, 10 for everything. So when is the hostel going to started or completed? I can't imagine it being built at the same time as the buffet so it will take time for that to come into being. Is everything that is proposed going to happen within 5 years? Personally I think that is unlikely.
It's like the usual 'x loco will be ready in time for such and such' and then it isn't. My expectation is that things will take time and so my guess was probably a little conservative with respect to the amount of time it would take.
But I think most will accept it taking time as long as it's done right and well. The plans are very nice and Bridgnorth will be a great station once everything is done.