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

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by geekfindergeneral, Oct 16, 2011.

  1. Lingus

    Lingus New Member

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    At what point does someone who only attends and listens in the bar become a ex-volunteer?
    Many others should be in front of Chris in the resignation queue. Not to join the rebellion but for the SVR to be rid of them. For all his faults at least Chris has the railways best interests near the top of his agenda.

    Can you clarify how he thinks Bridgnorth should be protected? Better still, he could post how he would see it protected. Or have the directors also been subject to a gagging order?
     
  2. geekfindergeneral

    geekfindergeneral Member

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    Er, yes.

    GF-G
     
  3. 84A

    84A New Member

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    I agree with what you are saying, however, as stated by Martin above (and others), it is possible to purchase other tickets now through the SVR website which are financially more beneficial than a membership. How does the railway hope to increase its membership, mid to long term, with such an attitude as this?
     
  4. huochemi

    huochemi Part of the furniture

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    As a matter of interest, why is "Hagley Hall" the SVR's flagship loco, and more worthy of swift repair than the other locos in the queue? It's not as pretty as the Manors, not as impressive as a Bulleid and possibly not as economical as say 80079. The SVR sold its glamour loco, Leander, some years ago although I believe red locos tend to appeal to the general public...unless of course they are going to turn the Hall out in red(?).
     
  5. 46118

    46118 Part of the furniture

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    Maybe it is because it was already well up the queue for overhaul, and perhaps more importantly it has substantial funds raised over a number of years by its "Friends" group. The latter reason will also mean that 42968 does not wait too long before entering the works.
     
  6. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    You have misunderstood my point slightly, I also agree with what Martin and yourself are saying my point was that the reduction was done in a sly way by raising the child fare which was quite obviously done with the primary aim of lessening the membership discount as the most children will be traveling on a family ticket I would imagine (which still offers excellent value) so there was little danger in damaging the bottom line by doing such even though it was a underhanded way of doing it. That was bad enough but trying to hide the information away with a couple of lines in the middle of an article in the SVR news was a kick in the teeth to the membership and a unforgivable bit of poor communication in my opinion.
     
  7. geekfindergeneral

    geekfindergeneral Member

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    Not sure it was slyness – more a total indifference. Holdings gets the fare income, while the now semi-detached Guarantee Company gets the membership payments. I think Holdings ramped the child fare in order to increase the spend per head, which is laudible enough, and they lumped the members fare in with it to avoid creating another pricing point, and another row of tickets in the rack. They probably did it with no further thought or care than that. They have chiselled the shareholders travel benefits (which are ticketed differently) over the years and alienated a number of silver pass holders and above who have not unbelted for this share issue as a direct result of it, but by and large the losers have suffered in silence.

    The point they don’t understand is the real value of a “priv”fare. It isn’t the money – there is no extraction of revenue in offering a proper "priv": I would bet anything you name that the total spend per head of a visiting member or shareholder and the friends and family they bring with them is far ahead of the average return from ordinary visitors. And the relationship with them is for life if it is done right.

    But to understand that, you need to understand the idea of being a family and the part “priv” plays in bonding it all together. The old railway companies knew it, and BR didn’t forget it. And the expensive General Manager SHOULD know it – he has a First Class “priv” fare entitlement on the national railway. Oh well.....

    Aye


    GF-G
     
  8. Lingus

    Lingus New Member

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    It isn't just the silver pass holders that they've nickel and dimed.
     
  9. geekfindergeneral

    geekfindergeneral Member

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    Good news for anyone who is silly enough to think there are communications “issues” at SVR...some helpful advice has emerged in the other place, from a BH Steam Instructor Driver no less, as follows

    One good way of finding out what's happening is to follow SVREngineering [also SVRBridgnorthStation and svrofficialsite] on Twitter. Posts today, complete with photos, giving news re 34053, 4566 and 5164. Those of you that say you don't like, or don't want to use, Twitter are missing out on getting up-to-date info. It may well be published elsewhere, but you'll find out sooner from the posts on Twitter!

    So that’s all right then. Just log on to a communication network that most over-fifties can’t be bothered with or actually detest or distrust, and be instantly better informed than the Old Fogies who have fallen behind in the technology arms-race.


    Except you won’t be. You will be bombarded with trivial rubbish, much of it re-tweeted from elsewhere and bereft of any content, analysis or relevance, which might but probably won’t distract from the train wreck that is consuming the Holdings Board as they hide in their soundproof bunker.


    Press on regardless!


    GF-G
     
  10. Corbs

    Corbs Well-Known Member

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  11. tigger

    tigger New Member

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    Your profile has recently been updated, and you claim to be Neil Howard. Why the secrecy all this time, and why the reveal now?
    Your website: www.trainofevents.co.uk
     
  12. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

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    Interesting that you seem to be very concerned with finding out who G-F-G is and revealing him/her, but yet you don't have your own name in your profile here - a little hypocritical perhaps?

    Keith
     
  13. gios

    gios Member

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    The contribution of posters to honest and open debate is much more important than a name. The scholorship of life requires knowledge and discussion and GF-G seems to have served this objective well with his contributions. I know some found his comments a little personal, but I for one never took exception to this weakness in his presentations. He is a self admitted miserable bugger with no sense of humour, who is not taking part in a popularity contest, but clearly has the best interest of the SVR at heart - I assume he has one !

    I for one hope his contributions continue.
     
  14. geekfindergeneral

    geekfindergeneral Member

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    I did it because the time is appropriate, for reasons that will soon become apparent. Interesting that no sooner has the SVR Chief Twitterer noticed than the following very intimidating PM thudded into my inbox from her.

    "If it turns out to be true that you are actually Neil Howard, well .. hope your PR skills are up to the result."

    I don't mind being threatened, but if that is the best the Company can do, then my "PR skills", combined with a strong personal conviction of the rightness of the cause and that I and others are genuinely trying to make the SVR a better led railway, I might just be up for it.

    I am not going to trade blows with Mrs Tigger. She has plenty of work to do updating the SVR Forum about the progress of the "highly succesful" share issue. Oh wait, no, she doesn't do that any more. I wonder why not...

    Aye

    GF-G
     
  15. 84A

    84A New Member

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    Did somebody call for a Moderator?
     
  16. richards

    richards Part of the furniture

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    No.

    If you want a moderator to look at something, you only have to click on the "Report Post" button (the little black triangle with a "!" in the middle, in the grey bar below each post.

    If you have an issue with a specific post, then please report it with an explanation of the issue.

    Richard
     
  17. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Why??
     
  18. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    One thought that occurs to me is what support the SVR have given Tigger

    She has tried to keep us informed often offering a lone voice from from within the SVR . Initially part of the steamworks project then cast aside . Tigger has had to stop posting at times then restart . One questions what the communcation strategy or mechanism was from the SVR and to be honest I'd share her frustration as she appeared initially supportive of the project then her focus appeared to go to Plan B . I'm not sure with the latest developments where she now stands especially as through the SVR forum she seemd to be collating support for plan B . I, for one am at least grateful that she has tried

    I'm not sure there is a middle ground anymore and Tigger, like us all may have to make an uncomfortable decision on which side we sit
     
  19. michaelh

    michaelh Part of the furniture

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    For what reason?
     
  20. b.oldford

    b.oldford Member

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    Readers here might like to read the letter written by Nick Ralls and posted by P Cherry at the other place.
     

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