SVR General Discussion

Deleted!

 

Good news today - 6960 will be staying at the SVR until the expiration of it's boiler certificate in 2021 - and will be running tomorrow

 

Super, still haven't had a chance to have a ride yet, and it does look good on the GW set.

 

Tomorrow marks the beginning of Bewdley-Bridgnorth running whilst the work on Falling Sands viaduct is carried out.
Hopefully, passenger number aren't too affected as the 27th/28th were very busy. Boxing day was decent for what is an odd day with no public transport and is for many Christmas day part 2.

 

A couple of people lately commented in another place that they had recently overlooked SVR’s monthly newsletters. These are out today, you can read them and can subscribe to get future editions in your mailbox https://www.svrlive.com/newsletters

Patrick

 

Noticed while browsing the unofficial SVR forum a comment about 2020 fares, which have still not been published. According to a poster there, an NBI has stated that the Falling Sands work is expected to mean reduced income this year, and "there would possibly be 'significant' increase in fares for 2020 to compensate."

I don't know any details about what 'significant' may mean, but I do wonder whether the fact that we still await 2020 fares with barely a month before reopening may mean that internal debate is still going on. We all know that railway running costs are going up. But that applies to families' everyday costs as well. They're not a captive audience, and if they don't think the SVR offers value for money they'll look elsewhere.

Finally, if a 'significant' fare increase is deemed necessary this year, maybe it would be good to hold it off until the full line reopens in April? Charging people more in early season, for a service with less mileage than usual, fewer locos running and no convenient interchange with the Big Railway would seem a bit tin-eared.

 

Shall we just hold fire and wait before we know what significant is?

 

There probably is a discussion going on. I don’t want to use the B word but it is likely that from 2021 people will be worse off than they are now and there is little point in charging more if you risk collecting less. It’s called revenue saturation or whatever the buzz term is now, put up the cost by 10% and lose 10% of your customers achieves nothing. If costs are going up then the only way to go then I’d reduce the service

 

I take the point, but I'm not altogether keen on the notion that public debate and discussion should always be reactive only. The word 'significant' comes from an NBI, so that much is not speculation in any case.

The question then becomes how you do *that* without revenue loss outweighing cost savings, not to mention things like reputational damage - the SVR becoming seen as a "secondary line" would. I'm certainly no expert on this subject and I'm sure people have been working hard internally on exactly that kind of question.

 

I do take your point, and I don't intend to make post after post on this while there's no official news - but I'm not altogether keen on the notion that public debate and discussion should always be reactive only. (Barring of course cases where speculation can cause serious problems, eg RAIB investigations.) The word 'significant' comes from an NBI, so that much is already out there and is not speculation in any case.

The question then becomes how you do *that* without revenue loss outweighing cost savings. I'm certainly no expert on this subject and I'm sure people have been working hard internally on exactly that kind of question.

 

An update from the SVR-Online forum. The 2019 fare structure will continue in use until the full line reopens in April. The new fares will be on the website before then.

 

NBI?

 

Notice Board Issue, internal document though sometimes the contents is also public.

 

On the SVRA forum are details of 2020 fares https://forum.svr-online.org.uk/viewtopic.php?p=58414

Patrick

 

SVR’s monthly newsletters are available, you can read them and can subscribe to get future editions in your mailbox https://www.svrlive.com/newsletters

Patrick

 

Interesting reading, and thanks for the info. A £1 rise in the standard and gala day rovers really isn't too bad, only a little above inflation. The child/member rate isn't given, but it was £14.50 in 2019 so I'm guessing it will go up to £15 or £15.50 in April? Only an extra £1 on the gala rate as well, which is pleasing to see too. Overall I think these are reasonable increases, and the higher pre-book discount may at last stop the booking fee making buying online nearly pointless for smaller groups.

The Loyalty Pass is the really interesting one. Very happy to see there's an option for people who want a season ticket but don't bring a family, who weren't really catered for under the old structure. They now only need to come six times a year for the layout to be worth it, so the price seems acceptable. The "2+4" full family pass price increase is a LOT, though - now £252 including the booking fee, which it's a shame isn't absorbed on a purchase of this size. I suppose the assumption is that families are very likely to come to premium events and so the new (and welcome) concession there will offset the increase in the headline price.

Nothing really to frighten the horses as far as I can see. Hopefully it'll work out well.

 

Has the SVR survived Storm Dennis unscathed? There's lots of flooding along the
Severn valley with Bewdley getting mentioned on the news again.

 

The railway is far enough above the river to not be in danger of flooding directly. The biggest risk is the many tributaries flowing through culverts, a never ending job for the P.Way gangs to monitor and clear.
A diesel ran from Bewdley to Bridgnorth early on Monday morning to check for obstructions or damage. Everything's been running as normal since then, as far as I know.