SVR General Discussion

Yes I did follow this - I actually had the day off last Monday and was going to have a day on the Valley but I thought it was too windy for fun on the motorbike! The HR story is the first Ive seen acknowledging a derailment - the SVR just kept saying ‘an incident’.

 

Nothing much more to say about other than "an incident". Theres always the fun of watching keyboard warriors on faceache trying to figure it out.

 

The presence at Highley of the Mess and Tool coach indicates re-railing equipment required. The railway has both ramps and hydraulic re-railing equipment

 

I disagree with the second part as it happens. The SVR made a timely factual statement but omitted the locomotive damage. The unofficial Facebook page had comments but also warning about social media policy and bringing the railway into disrepute. It was punctuated by some knowing comments about photographs and knowledge amongst the cognoscenti.

Meanwhile the trainee Telford reporter of the Shropshire Star knew enough to report a derailment, so that (officially at least) the public knew more than the members. The HR story gives further detail.

To my mind it highlights a bunch of issues that keep coming up*. IMO rather than the public knowing before the members, division by I know/you don't and encouraging speculation, adding a short explanation would have been better. It's folly to think in the days of social media that it won't get out. The social media policy is in practice being over-zealously applied. Others of course might disagree.

Patrick
(*Previously SVR Communications 2010-15, Voluntary Communications Officer 2015-18)

 

Couldn’t agree more with this, why omit information? It was an accident, it happened - these things do happen and could most likely happen again. What matters more is how the SVR deals with the situation - which to all intents it did well and professionally. As soon as you start withholding information people will wonder why and then start looking for stuff that could be partially true / pure speculation / complete fabrication.
(*evidence - see most threads on NatPres!).

 

Agree entirely. We are all railway enthusiasts and this is something out of the norm that we are naturally drawn too. It seems a little out of character of the SVR not to be more open but I am sure more detail will come out in the fullness of time.

 

Update - there are photo's on the SVR Forum (I dont think it is fair of me to copy these) with the following text:- 'As I understand it, it will need new front running steps and the guard irons are bent. The bogie frame is slightly distorted at one front corner; it is to be removed to check alignment and all castings for cracks. The main concern is wheel flats. It is hoped that these can be ground out as the tyres are now at a size where further turning is not an option. '

 

SVR to host Train of Lights event later this year, joining PDSR, NYMR, NNR and GCR.

 

Am I correct in guessing that there is a company offering this package to preserved railways? It potentially seems like a massive task to plan, build and run from scratch for each line.

Steven

 

I spent a day with the DSR General Manager a couple of months ago, at his invitation, researching an article that appeared later in Heritage Railway. He did say then that there were other railways looking to run similar events and that they were happy to assist with advice etc., but he also said that they were not claiming any IPR, and therefore licencing fees as the idea has been around in various forms in the USA for years (think xmas Coca Cola trucks). I suspect that all the advertising promos on youtube were done by the same people using the same set of lights, though - they are rather more than coincidentally similar.

I wouln't be surprised to see the GWSR, ELR, BoNess & Kinneil and Bluebell join the list, but beyond that probably not due to the high set-up costs of putting on a good show.

 

Diesel news alert.

50.007 and ex-works 50.033 are about to arrive light engine at Kidderminster.

50.033 'Glorious' has received a repaint into BR large logo livery and looks really smart. <BJ>

 

Are there no dining trains running post-Xmas this year?

 

I don't think any information has been released about post-Christmas services at all this year yet. I'd be surprised if there wasn't anything, but at the moment it's a case of wait and see.

 

A slightly specific request, but does anyone know roughly how long the maintenance pit inside the carriage shed is, and/or any pictures of inside that area of the carriage shed, preferably empty? Many thanks.

 

I don’t know the actual length but you can fit 8 MK 1 coaches on it, no need to split the set to do a basic exam. It has to be 500ft plus.

 

I don't have a picture but I can give you the description of the shed from SVR News when it first opened:

"In the carriage shed there are four tracks - or 'roads' as they are usually called - each of which can accommodate 14 coaches. There are two more tracks outside, one on either side of the shed. Looking at the shed from the station end, the roads are numbered CS1 to CS6, from left to right. CS2 road has a pit (8 coaches long, starting at the front of the shed); there is a platform between CS4 and CS5 roails (also 8 coaches long, from the front of the shed)."

 

There's a couple of pics here which may help a little:
http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/kidderminster_carriage_shed.html

ATB

 

Thanks Gary, just what I was looking for. Without wishing to sound dim, is access just at either end, or is there some kind of side access given it's narrow corridor 500ft long?

 

I only has rail access from one end, I seem to remember a pedestrian access door half way along on the north side roughly in line with the end of the pit and platform. I do have some photos somewhere, I will post them later.

 

Sorry yes, access for maintenance staff into the pit.