If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

SVR General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by threelinkdave, Aug 20, 2014.

  1. Crawley Ben

    Crawley Ben New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2012
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    57
    An enjoyable read, thank you to those involved for putting it together. I will look to send an e-mail subscription request tomorrow.

    Many thanks

    Ben
     
    D1039 likes this.
  2. Kje7812

    Kje7812 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2010
    Messages:
    2,653
    Likes Received:
    1,050
    Location:
    Kidderminster/ York
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    D1039 likes this.
  3. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2013
    Messages:
    2,882
    Likes Received:
    3,590
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    TBC
    Location:
    Birmingham & Arley
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Diesels on the back next ;);) I can just see it now, 60007 getting shoved hard up Eardington on the opening train of the gala.
     
  4. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2006
    Messages:
    6,596
    Likes Received:
    2,242
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Hampshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Ah, but will there be any diesel fuel left to allow the diesels to shove? It might be a case of a Titfield Thunderbolt style Gala: "Everyone out and push up Eardington Bank!"

    pushing-thunderbolt-14701250.jpg
     
  5. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2017
    Messages:
    12,172
    Likes Received:
    11,493
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Brighton&Hove
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Third class passengers only, surely? :Pompus:
     
    Bluenosejohn and green five like this.
  6. Kje7812

    Kje7812 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2010
    Messages:
    2,653
    Likes Received:
    1,050
    Location:
    Kidderminster/ York
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Perhaps attach a hot balloon to the front to be powered by the air hot generated by the Taw Valley paint froth.
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2022
    olly5764 likes this.
  7. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2014
    Messages:
    15,334
    Likes Received:
    11,668
    Occupation:
    Nosy aren’t you?
    Location:
    Nowhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Wines and Sprits first! ;)
     
    240P15, green five and 30854 like this.
  8. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    'What happens if we can't get started?'
    'Well,' explained O'Malley, 'First class passengers will be taken on by private car.'
    'What about us third class?'
    'You get out and bloody well push.'

    Puckoon, Spike Milligan.
     
    240P15, mdewell and 30854 like this.
  9. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Messages:
    7,498
    Likes Received:
    5,455
    If it gets to that stage the Ffestiniog slate train is going to gain new importance as front line passenger stock…..

    Well in one direction anyway :D
     
  10. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2017
    Messages:
    12,172
    Likes Received:
    11,493
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Brighton&Hove
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Funkey times for 'up' passengers?
     
    oliversbest and Pete Thornhill like this.
  11. Dead Sheep

    Dead Sheep Member

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2021
    Messages:
    225
    Likes Received:
    486
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Ambridge
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I am sure that the SVR will probably use the coal shortage as an extra excuse for barring shareholder travel.
     
  12. Platform 3

    Platform 3 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2015
    Messages:
    827
    Likes Received:
    1,093
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I do hear that the SVR are responsible for all the significant shifts in global energy prices due to their desire to screw loyal customers.

    Sent from my SM-G770F using Tapatalk
     
  13. Kje7812

    Kje7812 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2010
    Messages:
    2,653
    Likes Received:
    1,050
    Location:
    Kidderminster/ York
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    acorb likes this.
  14. Platform 3

    Platform 3 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2015
    Messages:
    827
    Likes Received:
    1,093
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
  15. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    'Sure [..] will probably' covers all your bases!

    I gather a letter to shareholders is imminent (I haven't seen it), with travel vouchers for those eligible in time for use on the Open House start of services on 2nd April.

    It's already been announced that 2023 shareholder travel will go before the 2022 AGM.

    In other shareholder news, Companies House shows an additional £223,444 was subscribed between May 2021 and February 2022, I guess most of it from existing shareholders buying extra shares to maintain their travel entitlement.

    Patrick
    (Ex-silver pass holder who didn't top up)
     
  16. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2014
    Messages:
    14,320
    Likes Received:
    16,399
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired, best job I've ever had
    Location:
    Buckinghamshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    That is nonsense. The ORR have no problem with photo charters and one organiser has run them at the Valley quite safely for over 20 years and another is an active SVR member. The new management doesn’t come from a railway background and is causing a lot of grief for the line’s supporters and volunteers from what I’ve heard.
    I attended the Pannier Tank charter at the KWVR, a line I have now joined as a member after ditching the SVR.
     
    YorkyLad and bobsungod like this.
  17. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    @Sidmouth was one of the organisers and has contributed to the discussion.

    If one followed your implication through:

    (a) if the ORR does not prohibit an activity then a heritage railway should offer it, even if they weigh up the benefit vs risk and decide that it's not worth it to them.
    (b) because railway A decides an activity is worth it to them, it's unreasonable for railway B to make a different call.

    That would be 'nonsense'.

    The ORR not having a problem with photo charters would be one thing, but whether one agrees or not it's different from the SVR weighing up the benefit vs risk and deciding that it's not worth it to them. And they're quite entitled to do so.

    As mentioned before, the current MD doesn't come from the railway but the board (which includes railwaymen and volunteer) does, and much of the criticism is of the board's decisions. The previous GM didn't either btw, and certain previous railwaymen GMs weren't an unqualified success.
     
    35B, Johnme101 and MellishR like this.
  18. Vulcan Works

    Vulcan Works Member

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2018
    Messages:
    261
    Likes Received:
    711
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    England
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    The SVR has decided, in the current climate, that the hassle and level of resource required doesn’t justify the financial return. Seems a sensible approach.

    Whether or not ‘the management’ comes from a railway background is surely neither here nor there (and as time goes by based on demographics it’s likely that an increasing number of heritage railways will be led by non-railway folks). What matters is that somebody is making decisions, admittedly not popular with everybody, with the aim of securing a viable future for the railway. I’m not a member of the SVR but as an interested observer you seem to be doing pretty well!
     
    Johnme101, Kje7812, ghost and 3 others like this.
  19. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2014
    Messages:
    14,320
    Likes Received:
    16,399
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired, best job I've ever had
    Location:
    Buckinghamshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I believe they have said it’s for safety reasons which is just an excuse because they can’t be bothered. A volunteer crew on a non operating day takes virtually no resources at all, deduct the cost of the coal and consumables and it’s all profit. 30 participants paying £70 - £80 each, you work it out.
    That’s not so serious as alienating the volunteers, I’ve spoken to a number and no one seem to be happy with the new regime. They don’t seem to publish membership numbers now but the figures I’ve heard are that they have lost 1000 to 1500 members.
    I’m still a shareholder and a member of a loco owning group on the Valley and was looking forward to a few events with it when it gets back in traffic. Let’s hope things change but if I was part of the management team o would want to know why we were losing long standing members.
     
  20. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    11,930
    Likes Received:
    10,088
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I’ve nothing to do with the Valley but I just worked it out using your figures and, if I was ‘management’ I wouldn’t be bothered for that level of income. Take away the coal costs, hire fees/maintenance costs and management time and there’s nothing in it, probably even a paper loss. Even volunteer time has a notional cost.
    I can’t say why they are losing members but I’d hazard a guess that people are simply dying off. Today’s generation simply aren’t as interested in steam and railways in the numbers that we were.
     

Share This Page