SVR Loco Newsy News / discussions

What a heartening post John. I sometimes think as enthusiasts that we easily get trapped into thinking we can possibly be the only ones interested in steam locos - perhaps it's years of media disdain & being called 'anoraks' or similar. But why shouldnt other humans be interested in steam engines?!! Clearly TV executives think so, with the number of railway and heritage programmes being commissioned. Yes there are different levels of enthusiasm, but ultimately if our hobby is to survive we NEED fresh interest to come through.

 

Great post. This bit though gave me cause to ponder. I've not seen anything to suggest it will directly pay down debt. The PR says it will go the appeal fund.

From what's been published, the fund is to cover the expected financial shortfall/pay bills through the 2024 winter shutdown. The target is £1.5m, the total raised is £400k, so (unless something's changed) it's a reasonable inference that it'll go into the railway's expenditure (which will include several months loan repayments) rather than paying off debt before it’s due?

 

Well as a volunteer I’ll chuck my thoughts in for what it’s worth and see what the critics think -

1) Railway or No Railway? I’m not saying this sale will be the ultimate survival of the SVR but it’s certainly going to go a long way to assisting with our current troubles. I’d far rather see the railway continue, albeit with an engine less, than the business fail and we have no railway.

2) On the quiet, or just business? I don’t believe for a second that it wasn’t contracted to keep this sale quiet until the loco had touched down at its new home. It’s rumoured to be Carnforth and we all know how tight they are when it comes to the press. It’s an almost certain guarantee that WCR/David Smith won’t have wanted the Press to know before the locomotive was safely tucked up in 10A. And who can blame them? I think the way it’s been handled is very professional and business like.

3) Consultation required? Ultimately what would the H Board have done if 90% of the shareholders said they didn’t want it sold? Probably still had to sell it tbh, or sell other assets. So really there was no need of consult or inform anyone ahead of anyone else. Ultimately this is about keeping the SVR going in to the future and the H Board and current managemnt are probably the best for quite some time and I’m sure have taken a decision to benefit long term.

4) Would it see steam at the SVR again? I very much doubt it. Estimated to be a near enough £1 million job, I think we learnt the lesson with 4930. I’m more than certain it would have sat idle for another 20/30 years before it was even looked at. Far better to me it head for pastures new, with an intention to run it and who knows in 2028 we might get a 60th Anniversary run of 1T57, with 70013 and 44871 likely to both be in traffic then too. That’ll please those 15 Guinea loyalists on here!

5) Space at a premium. This sale frees up a space in the carriage shed. Alright it’s only one space, but non the less a space we can keep out rolling stock in. The engine house simply doesn’t have enough space for everything, and 45110 did its stint in there. But passenger views tell us they want to see different things in there and likely the 5 would have sat out a while longer.

So, in the big picture, it’s a shame it’s gone but you know it’s probably for the best all round. It was mentioned it would return for a visit when it’s overhauled, let’s hope that is the case. But let’s also hope that generations to come get to enjoy both the SVR and 45110 running, and with luck this sale provides a path forward for both!

 

As an active SVR volunteer and SVRH shareholder the sale of 45110 is the right decision - providing a good market value has been obtained for it.
Much of the angst seems to have come from folk more familiar with their keyboard than their volunteering overalls or monthly supporting standing orders.
The reality is that the SVR still has well over 20 steam locomotives closely associated with the railway, it needs less than half that number and a Black 5 is really one size too big for what is needed for regular day to day operations. It is becomming very clear that the future of heritage railway steam is increasingly reliant on top up funding to bridge the gap between what heritage railways can afford to pay for steam traction and escalating overhaul costs. That top up funding is best achieved by organisations which can benefit from charitable status as well as attracting active volunteer support. PLC ownership is no longer the right answer.

 

I agree PLC is not the best answer anymore more like the national trust with Trains greater say for members.

 

PLC structure may not be the right answer if starting afresh, but the existence of various flavours of company + charity + support organisational structures demonstrates how they can work, and work well. However, whichever structure is adopted, those in office have duties that go beyond merely representing the preferences of members - and where putting a major decision like this to a vote may actually make effective decisions harder to achieve. I fear that this sale may have been one in which directors had to consider their wider legal duties regarding solvency.

The challenge is about how to ensure that leadership hold and maintain the confidence of members such that, where hard decisions are required, they carry that support.

 

If my arithmetic works out, there’s 22 (excluding the engines too small for day-to-day service). If you have 7 in traffic and each averages around 9 years in ticket, you have a loco going in/out of traffic every 16 months or so. With two going through works that gives about 3 years per overhaul. So each loco on average has 12 years in The Engine House, 5 years in store, 3 years in works and 9 in traffic. Lots and lots of variables in that, and you’ll have groups with fundraising and volunteer support more quickly turning their locos around, but it reinforces 1472’s point.

 

Well the 2 locos in steam today were in fantastic form! Given one of them is on its (3rd?) stay of execution, 14th year of its boiler ticket and is one failure from retirement - 43106 was being trusted with 8 coaches and was being worked pretty vigorously on its additional 'relief' service this morning. Some terrific chimney noise and some sprightly accelerations, brought a definite smile to my face!
Myself and my daughter had a cracking day taking advantage of a 'return free visit' ticket and my membership card. For just over £20, we enjoyed 2 steam engines and 2 diesels, suffice to say our secondary spend was more than usual!
The Bridgnorth start was very popular loading 5 carriages and full. As mentioned above, the Ivatt 4 ran an additional, non-timetabled service to Highley, again loadings fully justified it. All trains were comfortably loaded for the rest of the day, the last class 50 hauled service was especially full.
Lastly, 75069 was hauling 8 coaches and the obbo saloon. This load called for some volcanic departures from stations and some very sprightly point to point running. The noise up Eardington this afternoon was as good as any I have experienced on the Valley (or even mainline), you guys on the NYMR are in for a treat!
This was my 3rd visit to the SVR this year and 1st non gala. I didn’t know what to expect, but it was my best day's entertainment on the railway for a long time. There was plenty of visitors, lots of (happy) volunteers and timetable C provides plenty of action. I like how they have the flexibility to add additional services if needed, (the class 14 return to Bridgnorth can carry passengers too if required). Hopefully this is translating into positive trading figures too.

 

Yes, badly worded, '14th year of continual service' is perhaps more accurate - however the 10 year ticket is also a bit of a myth, as it is all down to the permission of the boiler inspector on its annual inspections.

 

Me too @acorb A chum and I attended the launch of the RailArt exhibition at Kidderminster Railway Museum. We managed a seat on the 10am from Kidderminster to Highley behind 75069 and the ‘extra’ return behind 43106. I agree the Flying Pig was in excellent form

 

A pic of 2968 posted today on the SVR media channels. Getting there but plenty still to do.

Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk

 

That looks a bit special. Hopefully it will do the rounds of other railways. It would look nice with a freight on the Worth Valley

 

Thought it was to be 13268 this time around ?

 

It will be after winter. There is a desire to get the loco up and running, potentially for Christmas. The intricate paint job required for 13268 means plain back for the time and then a proper job done in the close period, to become 13268.

 

One from the memory banks

 

It would mean some LMS wagons to make it right this time.

 

You're right. I am a member and nothing has been said about a change of plan

 

I’d call it a mere diversion rather than total change John. It’s actually a really practical decision. It’s thought that if it went in to the paint shop after testing for the intricate job to be done to make it 13268 it would actually miss the remainder of the season. As such a waste of boiler ticket time, when it could be running. As you know there’s a few twists and turns before it hauls a train but I think they want it out without wasting too much ticket.