SVR General Discussion

Another factor could be that just about everything and everywhere (not just railways) seems to be holding some sort of celebratory event. In some areas people could be spread pretty thinly

Jon

 

Yes, we were wondering about that. Bank holidays can be a very variable if there's lots of other stuff happening.

 

Have the numbers travelling on the railway thinned out compared with pre-Covid years?

 

I for one have only been around at Easter and the two Spring Galas. All were well attended.
On normal days, I've heard Saturday being quite busy. Midweek is on the quiet side but frankly midweek May was often quiet before COVID.
That said, actual numbers would be interesting to look at.

 

Methinks any change in the demographic would be as illuminating as overall numbers. Looking at what's being said on various threads and what I see for myself, the whole covid thing has pushed everywhere into uncharted waters and I honestly feel it'd be foolish to come at any investigation assuming pre-lockdown conditions automatically still prevail.

 

A new appeal from the SVR - £500,000 to relay the loco yard at Bridgnorth:

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2022/0...al-to-restore-bridgnorth-locomotive-yard.html

That seems like a lot to me, for materials at least, but perhaps they plan to use contractors - if so, where has the volunteer ethos gone?

 

Given their reference to the yard not draining well, it may be that they want to do some more substantial work on the ground underneath where the rails sit, which I guess could well end up with high costs and requiring more specialist contractors in to do the work.

 

Its a lot of work to be done- drainage, excavating whatever substance(s) currently cover the yard, new pointwork, ballasting or cementing the new track in...

I imagine there's only so much work volunteers can do in a short amount of time. Contracting it will probably be less disruptive to operations?

 

It does say that the track plan was planned by Volunteers, but I think all those ex rail served locations from the 1970’s and 80’s that used to donate their redundant track are long gone, if that’s what you mean?

 

I wonder if this work will include or at least lead to installing the turntable ?

 

I’d forgotten about that, that could explain the cost.

 

If that was part of the plan I would have expected that to be publicised quite significantly

 

On the other hand, lightly used track, could it not be laid with good s/h material if that is not intended, after all if s/h material was used originally it has lasted 50 years or so already. There's no detail of how the costs break down so it's hard to judge.

 

Do not get much for £0.5M these days if extensive groundwork by contractors needed. I would assume it would take far longer if you could use volunteer labour.

 

As Patrick @D1039 observed on the SVR-Online forum, "The internal announcement says provisions will be made that ‘could’ facilitate a future turntable (2016 share prospectus: 'The former Bristol (Bath Road) Turntable will be installed...'.). Take from that what you will"

My personal view is that the turntable is still on the to-do list but behind the station building refurbishment, and both are liable to require additional fundraising due to the overspend on the refreshment room. The proposed yard work will allow for the future installation of the turntable, in the same way that the recently installed points at Foley Park will allow for a future siding / wagon shed, but without any commitment from the railway as to when.

 

Considering the ground is fairly heavily contaminated, I suspect the disposal of this material will cost a bit.

 

Thats another cost people dont appreciate. Disposing of contaminated waste. We simply cannot reuse it in another location like railways used to.

I would imagine the concreted areas wont be touched but everything leading upto them will be. There is also a sump that needs moving, water column to move and reconnect plus associated drainage. If it is the plan that has been spoken about for a while. The works will adjust the geometry of the points and may cause the unofficial footpath up the headshunt to closed but thats for when the works are done and whether it can or cant be accessed safely
these works will also allow us to extend P2 southwards to cater for 6 coach trains.

 

I beg to differ. Mr Stroudley's 'Green', although it is mustard, actually looks fantastic. Just look at this beauty launched for this year's Jubilee on the K&ESR. It is certainly more sober than purple.

 

Newly named loco 70 "Pizza Express Woking" .... Er, I mean "Elizabeth II" Made it on to the lunch time news:
Midlands Today, Lunchtime News: 02/06/2022: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0017yng via @bbciplayer

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

How many other railways appeared on the news today? How many appeared in the daily telegraph? The only other railway that I have seen produce anything purple has been the Talyllyn. No other railway has done this so it is unique. Whilst this forum is primarily for enthusiasts. It hasnt been done for "us". The amount of families and children that have absolutely marvelled at the loco has been incredible. The trains today have all been full and standing.
The one eyed enthusiasts/ keyboard warriors/ armchair d***heads can say and moan all they want but they are not the ones who keep our hobby alive. Paying public enable us to have the hobby we hold so dear.
For once, take the rose tinted glasses off and look at the commercial/ marketing aspect of the loco and the event to the railway and the wider local area.