Severn Valley Railway to launch £4,000,000 share issue.

A recent SVR press release about the sell-out of Santa Special seats this year comments that with one week of running after Christmas still to go, the SVR could end the year with total passenger numbers in excess of 213,000 against the budgeted figure of 205,000. I recall that every 1000 shortfall in passengers costs the railway around £10,000 in lost revenue, so a possible 8000 additional passengers on the total will be most welcome.
As ever though as blandford1969 mentions above, there are plenty of expensive infrastructure projects forthcoming on which to spend the money, quite apart from taking steps to increase the working steam fleet, which it is now accepted is down "to the bone" again.

 

I would imagine that the milder winter this year has ben beneficial to many railways. I'm sure that the NYMR, for example, will be showing much better figures for the run up to Christmas than it has done for the last couple of years, and costs have probably been reduced as well.

 

Equally I suppose the NYMR will have plenty of demands on any additional revenue. Do I recall they are into bridge repair/overhaul again this winter?

 

from the SVR motive power thread:

The SVR(H) Chairman's report gives three key objectives for 2012 and onwards, that is improving finances through share issue and charitable giving, continuing investment in infrastructure and completing the MPD revitalisation project.

The 31/12/11 accounts show bank loand of £950k and cash of £250k, so I too doubt if they have the funds to overhaul a medium or large SVR loco. The Charitable Trust might help though?

Patrick

 

The Severn Valley Railway is offering the opportunity to anyone with a keen interest in the Railway to invest in its future and own a part of this growing national treasure. The Share Offer (launch October 1st 2012) includes an exciting Benefits and Incentives package. More at http://www.svrlive.com/Documents/SVR_ShareDoc-DL-Insert_lowres.pdf

The Offer is for £3m

Patrick

 

Info at http://www.svrlive.com/Documents/SVR_ShareDoc-DL-Insert_lowres.pdf

Share documents are now available. Register at The Severn Valley Railway or call 01299 403816

Shares £1 each, min £100, and 30% EIS tax relief is available, and incentives/benefits provided. Conditions apply, offer doc is 32 pages

Offer opens 1 October

Regards

Patrick

 

Is the GWR set for restoration to be formed of coaches currently unrestored or for the upkeep of the current GWR2 set?

 

Perhaps a sense of reality of the country's financial situation is creeping in. Reading the paperwork indicates the original target of £4000000 seem to have been scaled back by 25% to £3000000.

Much as such a flotation is laudible it has too much of a scatter-gun objective. Pay off loans, Cafeteria building develop at Bridgnorth, Restoration of a rake of coaches, Works Viewing Gallery, Additional footbridge and the restoration of Hagley Hall.

At the moment the style for the buildings Bridgnorth is undecided thus making it difficult for potential investors to decide whether to part with their hard earned or not.

 

Ive seen artists impressions of the Bridgnorth buildings in various literature, though not sure if these are the definitive ones, but on what Ive seen they dont fit in well at all with the current station buildings. If thse are the final designs then I think my hand will be staying in my pocket, or more likely going to a railway that is intent on preserving its past and not turning itself into another theme park.

I do increasingly question what some railways are preserving, look at the SVR the recent projects such as Kiddy carriage shed and the Enginehouse have both been modern structures, the Highley footbridge is hardly in keeping and the Bridgnorth structures are also new outline, so I find myself questioning the rationale of preservation. Yes there needs to be increases in facility capacity due to visitor numbers but why not keep what is original and develop new, improved and capable facilities at an arms length from the historic.

Im not just SVR bashing either, another railway in the area (GWSR) ruled itself out of my cash when they announced the implementation of cwr on the grounds of ease of maintenance. Again I ask myself just what is the meaning of preservation these days.

 

I agree, having seen some artist's impressions of Bridgnorth in of the mags, im not against the development, far from it, but the style is all wrong for fitting into a Heritage Railway Station, who on earth was daft enough to think a 21st century state of the art footbridge and building would blend in with a 19th century station and steam age shed/workshop ?.

People could argue Highley Engine House and Kidderminster Carriage Shed are not period building, the difference is, Higley is 150 - 200 yards from Highley station so doesn't ruin the Heritage feel of Highley too much, likewise Kiddy Carriage Shed is discreetly hidden around the corner, helped in part by the footbridge, this development would be right on the station site and there would be no escape from it.

The developments a good idea, but for god's sake, redesign it to blend in, not stand out like a boil on Angelina Jolies face.

 

Zigzag. May I clarify the point I made on SVR Online where I posted "I can continue by mentioning the footbridge at Highley where we have an imitation GW style footbridge where the main span was created using what is essentially a mock lattice structure atop a pair of "I" beams. I fear this was because the designer was unable/unwilling (incompetent/too bone idle) to do the calcs." Noting that this post has now been moved to the Members only area; my criticism was only targeting the main horizontal span as I was informed the staircases were constructed in the way they were to comply with modern regs. As new construction doesn't carry Grandfather rights reluctantly we must accept that however I still stand by my italicised comments above.

 

Perhaps worth mentioning that --as I understand--the detailed plans for Bridgnorth will be on display at Bridgnorth over the weekend of 13th/14th October, which is designated "Members & Shareholders weekend", but of course not exclusively so!. Frequent steam service over the weekend, including use of the T9 and Sir Keith Park. I prefer to wait and have a look at the detail on the day. Presumably there will be people from the steering group available to answer questions as well.
Normal fares rather than "special event" fares by the way.

 

Many will have seen the way that the Talyllyn Railway has ruined Tywyn Wharf Station with an oversized unsympathetic new build which looks more like an expensive white elephant every day. The original building is still there but so overshadowed that it might as well not exist.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=e...w=160&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:93


I will need a lot of re-assurance that Bridgnorth is not going the same way before I add to my shareholding.

 

I am afraid I have to agree with this. However the T.R. is not alone here and with the complete change in use which tourist railways have undergone it is extremely difficult to avoid problems of this kind.

P.H.

 

Michael: If you have serious reservations, then I do urge you to turn up at the weekend (13th/14th October) and make your views known to the steering group people who we are told will be there. I was merely saying I have an open mind at this stage, but equally will make my views known after seeing what is on display. Frankly the more people who make the effort the better. The people involved will surely want the widest range of views, ie from the many rather than the few.

From the initial illustrations, I happen to share your views, but want to see the detail, and how fixed these plans are, before condemning them.

 

Indeed I shall - I will be at the auction at Stoneleigh on 13th, but definitely at Bridgnorth on the 14th

 

What if you are unable to make the dates mentioned? Any idea if the plans will be put out after that, as tbh after reading the brochure everything is a bit wishy-washy and there are a few things that could do with being clearer.

 

I agree with much of what has been said above, lets see the detail revealed before making any final judgements, but until I can see otherwise I have reservations.

However, as the share issue has now been launched I would have thought that the detail will be more or less finalised and that any radical redesigns based on shareholder/member feedback will not be possible at this stage. Hope im wrong on that.

Point taken on Highley footbridge, forgot all about modern regs and the like, and yes both the carriage shed and engine house are away from the main stations thus not impacting thier ambience too much, I just feel they are symptomatic of the way that some railways are heading, moving more to ease of use rather than preserving the past, a reflection of what happened on the big railway really. From what Ive seen so far the Bridgnorth developments continue this trend, just hope Im wrong.

Im not against development, but it needs to be done in character and with respect to what is being preserved. Looking at places such as the Black Country Museum or some National Trust/English Heritage properties where modern facilities have to be provided to cope with visitor numbers and give them the facilities that are expected in this day and age they are usually sited away from the main property and/or are constructed so as to blend in with the main structures rather than contrast harshly.

 

An issue that no-one has noted here yet is that Bridgnorth Station is in a conservation area and the main buildings are Grade II* Listed. Now, you would think that meant that any developments associated with them must be in-keeping.

Au contraire!

In fact, the rules state that any new developments must be clearly different to the original buildings and not in a 'heritage' style, so as not to pretend they are something they aren't. The rules are very, very tight on this. Compare this to Kiddy where you haven't any listing, and consequently the wonderful station and signal box from the 80s stand.

My personal opinions on the whole thing? I can live with the wood-clad 'steamworks' visitor centre, set to go more or less where the Beer Marquee (howls of complaint from CAMRA?) currently stands, although my experience of modern wood-cladding is that it looks pigging awful after three or so years in the British weather - something to keep a close eye on. Perhaps a light and dark stone paintjob?!

I can even live with the glass and metal edifice planned to go where the current buffet is - Bridgnorth maintenance gangs have done a sterling job of repainting it recently but it still looks pretty drab and modern. The one thing that I can't deal with, and I almost feel bad for saying so as I believe as strongly as the next person in disabled access, is the lift towers on the planned footbridge to the works gallery. Beyond anything else these tall glass monoliths standing tall above pretty much everything else on-site will dominate and scream 'SHOPPING CENTRE!!! 60S STATION REBUILD!!!' and that will cast a pall over the whole site. I really, really don't like them.

 

That's the main problem I have with what's shown in the plans, it would look rather smart in a modern Birmingham City Centre, but plonking it on Bridgnorth station is like sticking a Space Shuttle Dock onto the side of Shakespeares house in Stratford on Avon.

Who comes up with these backwards law/rules ?, if it can't be made to look acceptable them im against it completly im afraid, it's not worth ruining Bridgnorth for if it can't be made to look nice, Bridgnorth will just resemble any other station on the national network then in having some original buildings with a load of modern junk tagged onto it, why visit Bridgnorth when Nuneaton will offer the same atsmosphere :frusty: