SVR Loco Newsy News / discussions

Is there still that much of an obsession outside the press that only old people read and a few Glasgow postcodes? Maybe its because my sample group is younger and less English but there is no open love round my circle for the royal family. The response to the publicity has hardly been roaring GSTQ.

 

All understood Alan, and reasonable. From my perspective, as I said upthread, the owners can paint their engine any colour they like. Additional points to yours though are that the SVR has raised Fight Back Funds and is in financial survival mode with consequent effects on departmental budgets, yet is spending a considerable amount on 'fun'; as we've seen elsewhere that might mean people are less receptive to putting their hands in their pockets at the next appeal. Also, it's acknowledged that it'll be divisive and the SVR has gone ahead anyway, it upsets some supporters and the implication is that it doesn't care.

My final words on the subject

Patrick

 

Totally see your perspective too Patrick. However, I can see the marketing sense behind this too. A big deal will be made of the Jubilee in the press and media, this is a way of the SVR getting a slice and getting the public's attention.
Unfortunately, those likening the SVR to a theme park are missing the point. To the majority of visitors, the SVR is a type of 'theme park' and is competing for a slice of that disposable income against other 'theme parks'. That available disposable income is likely to become a lot smaller as the cost of living crisis deepens this year and there will be many attractions competing for attention.
It is families over the summer months that pays the SVR's bills, the costly infrastructure repairs and ultimately the nice things we enthusiasts like.
If a purple loco with a crowd chosen name gets the SVR some media time and convinces a few more families to spend their hard earnt £100 at the SVR rather than Alton Towers or Peppa Pig World, then let them crack on.

 

That topic warrants a thread of its own!
I suspect my sample group in Mid-Wales is similar to yours! Certainly don't bring up the topic of the Prince of Wales to certain sections of the Welsh population..
However, having visited London pre-pandemic and seen the crowds around Buckingham Palace for changing of the guard, the Royal Family definitely still has a massive draw. Plus I suspect the double bank holiday this year will allow all of us to have a bit of a celebration and let off steam after a tough couple of years.

 

There's nothing especially wrong with what they are doing, and there is plenty of precedent for it. Let's not pretend they have hit on some genius new marketing techniques though. It is just a gimmick designed to generate social media traffic at the end of the day. Much like the Festiniog fetish for giving all the trains twee headboards. Basically you want people to come and take their picture with it, then post it on Instagram, Facebook etc for marketing purposes. My partner who is a marketing manager would tell you this is not nearly as effective as the people championing it think it is. Most people don't spend loads of money visiting a preserved railway because of the colour of the engine. It's the quality, and value for money of your product that will really drive buisness forward. Not silly stunts.

Tim

 

Gonna be Purple, and based on the Middle Lands… Dairy Milk anybody?

 

Purple (T)Rain.

(With apologies to Prince).

 

Already mentioned on the Bulleid Pacific thread how fetching it would look at certain location on the Cross City line.

 

Spending a considerable amount, but a tiny fraction of the railway's overall running costs, on a publicity stunt that stands a good chance of bringing in considerably more than it costs. Seems reasonable to me, regardless of how many of us actually like the look and how many think it's horrible.

 

I suspect the extra cost of the coats of purple paint will be very small, given that they were to repaint the locomotive anyway. It is the cleaning and prep time that is the major cost item so to redo that after a few months will be a lot easier, so a real publicity coup for the SVR at very little extra cost. I also don't think they are deliberately trying to upset the dedicated heritage enthusiast, just accepting that some people (in reality a tiny number I think) may not approve.

 

But just imagine the hoards of smug traditionalists who'll turn out post-purple to see the loco in fully lined MT black.

Wot?

 

Painting in purple will be no different from painting in green: the extra cost is doing a job twice that would otherwise have only needed doing once.

Tom

 

I'm sure the SVR will have carefully costed out the extra cost involved in applying a purple top coat ...and then a few months later a green top coat. Already it has generated a lot of comment/publicity, largely positive, but with some negative. Obviously, time will tell, if this will result in more people visiting the SVR to see the "Big purple engine". I'm convinced that it will be a big success though.

 

The voting has now opened for the alternative name of a purple 34027. The four options are shown below:

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

Oliver Cromwell, in all seriousness none of them particular stand out for me.

 

For a Bulleid? No real connection with SR territory (unless you count the 1645 remodelling of Corfe Castle) ..... Wat Tyler, on the other hand .....

 

Theme Parks don’t have an educational aspect, heritage railways do or should do. They are there to allow the experience of travelling back in time, that’s why a lot of them will have a static display museum and run things like demonstration freight trains. That raise income so that the members and the railway enthusiast section of the population can enjoy their hobby.

 

As I’ve said on another thread, I like being silly, as I’ve been listening to to Fleetwood Mac today, Severn Wonder might not be a bad shout for a name, but the four names mentioned don’t particularly do anything for me.
I totally get that this is something that’s not aimed at someone like myself, and tbh as someone who’s said they wouldn’t mind seeing a Purple A4 (like in 1948)
I’ve no problem with the coat of paint, (if anything I’m rather looking forward to it)
But the was that really the best of the names that came through?
Not inspiring, to me anyhow.