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.

Severn Valley Railway Autumn Gala: 15 - 18/09/22

Discussion in 'Galas and Events' started by pete12000, Aug 1, 2022.

  1. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2014
    Messages:
    15,328
    Likes Received:
    11,666
    Occupation:
    Nosy aren’t you?
    Location:
    Nowhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Pete to misquote someone you said all the right numbers, just not necessarily in the right order ;)
     
  2. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Messages:
    7,498
    Likes Received:
    5,455
    Let’s not even discuss my piano playing :eek::D
     
    35B, mike1522 and Matt37401 like this.
  3. 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
    The start/finish times according to the SVR website:
    Thursday 0800-1930,
    Friday and Saturday 0800-midnight,
    Sunday 0800-1830
     
  4. Charles Parry

    Charles Parry Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2013
    Messages:
    325
    Likes Received:
    275
    Gender:
    Male
    Running to midnight is a nice compromise. Neve been a fan of the comportants being commandeered into free bedrooms. It's certainly got my attention.
     
  5. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2014
    Messages:
    15,328
    Likes Received:
    11,666
    Occupation:
    Nosy aren’t you?
    Location:
    Nowhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Think this has happened before, maybe in about 1997?
    I seem to recall it was when 3442 became 61994.
    Rather interesting few other railways don’t seem to have taken up the all night running thing as a selling point for galas.
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2022
  6. davesrailwayphotos

    davesrailwayphotos Member

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2005
    Messages:
    513
    Likes Received:
    2
    Occupation:
    Semi-Professional Musician
    Location:
    10 miles from the North-Norfolk
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Excellent compromise. I can more than appreciate the SVR wanting to get rid of the ‘smell factor’ that does prevail on gala Sunday - completely off putting to most visitors.
     
  7. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    Except that's not the reason given - which is it's 'rested' to conserve coal
     
    Johnme101 and Pete Thornhill like this.
  8. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Messages:
    7,498
    Likes Received:
    5,455
    To be fair there is a compromise by extending the evening running till midnight, better than nothing!!!
     
  9. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2008
    Messages:
    1,898
    Likes Received:
    2,517
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I suspect that it is also quite off putting for volunteers who give much of their time and attend at their own expense, to see the rolling stock they have worked hard on turned into a mobile doss house with all that implies.
     
  10. Southernman99

    Southernman99 Member Friend

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2009
    Messages:
    894
    Likes Received:
    602
    Not just the volunteers but us paid staff as well. We have to deal with the damage and also the missing parts. Over the years we have had numerous components half-inched. This might sound a little petty but one gala we had 42 lightbulbs removed and taken away just on one set of coaches. That might not seem a lot but at £6 each at the time, it was still a cost.

    I for one wont miss the 2 hourly alarm clock going past the compartment at Bridgnorth. I would rather see the goods train/ wagons given far more recognition and useage than have damage and unsavoury smells in the carriages.

    No one complains when Glastonbury festival takes the year off.
     
    Gareth and 3ABescot like this.
  11. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2005
    Messages:
    9,635
    Likes Received:
    8,303
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Alderan !
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    it is interesting very few lines have taken up over night running which suggests the benefits don't outweigh the operational and resource requirements

    not withstanding disturbing the neighbours it consumes crews and signalmen , guards , who are then not available to support the day operations . with lines losing volunteers through covid I suspect covering all the rosters for the event can be a challenge
     
    3ABescot likes this.
  12. Simon Smith

    Simon Smith New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2022
    Messages:
    93
    Likes Received:
    60
    Location:
    South West
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I suspect coal is the convenient answer for not running over night. Lets be realistic 2 locos overnight combined would only burn a couple of tons of coal.

    Its a drop in the ocean compared to what they will burn over the event.
     
  13. cg

    cg Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2005
    Messages:
    1,296
    Likes Received:
    214
    Gender:
    Male
  14. Robin

    Robin Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    May 7, 2012
    Messages:
    1,393
    Likes Received:
    1,747
    Location:
    Stourbridge
    Slightly more than a couple – I believe the usual quoted figure is "a ton per round trip" so about 4 tons. Not a lot in the gala total I agree, but from the SVR's POV it will save on coal which is now an expensive resource. It will also save on volunteer turns and loco/carriage wear and tear. In fairness they are still looking to have (up to) four guest locos and at least some use of the goods according to the website.

    Against that is the extent to which no overnight running will reduce ticket sales. I doubt there are more than a handful of people who would totally boycott the return of Hagley Hall after 30+ years just because they can't ride behind 7714 at 3.00am. What may happen is that some people will buy a 1-day rather than 2-day, or 2-day instead of 3-day and so on. The SVR management have regularly said "This is not a normal year" and I guess this is one of those cases where they have made a tough decision and will see what happens.
     
  15. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2014
    Messages:
    15,328
    Likes Received:
    11,666
    Occupation:
    Nosy aren’t you?
    Location:
    Nowhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    It’s a tricky one, but a decision I understand and why it’s been done.
     
  16. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2014
    Messages:
    15,328
    Likes Received:
    11,666
    Occupation:
    Nosy aren’t you?
    Location:
    Nowhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Any suggestions to overcome it then?
     
  17. I. Cooper

    I. Cooper Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2011
    Messages:
    567
    Likes Received:
    666
    Location:
    Salop
    From midnight to 8am is errr..... 8 hours running.
    A normal "timetable A" day is 10am to 17:05 for the one steam loco in operation at the moment - so 7 hours running.

    I've no idea how intensive the early hours running would traditionally be at a gala, but in crude terms by not running over night it potentially saves fuel to burn on a normal operating day at another time. If normally there are two services in the early hours then that's potentially a weekend's worth of coal saved for another time.
     
  18. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    May 30, 2009
    Messages:
    21,065
    Likes Received:
    20,773
    Location:
    1016
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
  19. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2005
    Messages:
    9,635
    Likes Received:
    8,303
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Alderan !
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Ecclesbourne recently quoted £500 a ton . I think Talyllyn may have had a lorry load recently at similar prices . Talyllyn noted Ffos-y-Fran was smaller lumps to normal which is probably ok for them but I guess less so for large engines
     
    D1039 likes this.
  20. cg

    cg Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2005
    Messages:
    1,296
    Likes Received:
    214
    Gender:
    Male
    On Sunday, a similar figure per tonne for mentioned re costs for preparing Clun Castle for the cancelled run on Sunday.
     

Share This Page