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

I am a little unhappy with any comparison with the South Atlantic Task Force - please never forget it claimed 250 British servicemen's lives and left many others permanently damaged. But, it operated under a United Nations mandate, and had Rules of Engagement. You cannot just have chaos and of course we have looked strategically at the end game. If "Xanadu Two" genuinely satisfies the SVR family that it no longer contains the financial Cancer that afflicted Version 1, and meets their aspirations for architectural aesthetics, what "casus belli" would my supporters have? The answer is we would not, and it would be time to stand aside.

But if "Xanadu Two" fails either or both of those tests, and for reasons of its own the Board pressed on with it without a clear mandate from the membership, then we would seek a refreshed and altered mandate from our own supporters. The issue would not be around the HLF itself - 3 out of 4 bids fail anyway, and if SVR cannot show there has been full consultation and support from within, it will inevitably fail. Plan B, although technically rejected, remains alive and kicking so HLF must also weigh in their assessment that a volunteer solution funded solely from the share issue exists and does not require their funds. So, the bid almost certainly fails without interference. The danger, as you alluded to, is that they stubbornly keep trying, at the costs of huge expense in management and consultant time.

I hope and trust it never comes to that.


Neil

 

I apologise if I touched a nerve in making my comparison with the Falklands conflict. As you did to others as GFG beforehand, sometimes it's necessary to raise a few hackles to realise awareness. It would seem you have carefully considered the options and I share your concern that the board may exhibit stubbornness. It wouldn't be the first time decision has been revised at the eleventh hour. I only hope they do not allow the clock to strike twelve.

 

Bridgnorth Development – Looking Forward

The future success of the Railway in general depends to a great extent on thev olunteers who give their time in many and varied ways, and in particular at this time when the development of the Bridgnorth site within the framework of the ‘Steamworks’ proposals, outlined in the Share Offer document of 2012, is a priority matter.

There have been a great number of comments received and feedback provided on the proposals published to date. It is the policy of the Board that every element of the project must be of the highest quality. This includes the project brief, the architectural design, the conservation policy and the protection of the existing heritage elements of the station site. It also means that the project overall must be supported by a business plan that delivers revenue and costs that can be sustained by the Company in the long term.

With all these factors in mind, and in recognition of the contribution made by the ‘Plan B’ team, a meeting will be arranged in the near future to share ideas and concerns, and to explore how, by acting and co-operating together, a scheme can be developed which they would recommend to the Railway and the Directors.

The Board meeting on Tuesday 19th February will be an opportunity for the Directors to be appraised of the progress achieved to date. The Board will not be asked to approve the designs at this stage but merely to give the working and steering groups the mandate to continue with consultation and development activity.

The project will not be signed off by the Board until the Directors are satisfied that there is a robust business plan and conservation management plan, and it has the broad support of both shareholders and members of the Railway.

A further notice board update will be issued immediately following the Board meeting.

Nick Ralls
General Manager

 

I welcome this latest development, even if it has been some time coming. The concerns of the many seem at last to have been acknowleged. Lets hope the the next step takes account of all those items listed by the GM.

 

Unless I'm mistaken Steamworks = Xanadu. If things like the "Visitor Reception Centre" and "Lecture Theatres" remain present in any way Xanadu is alive. I doubt the GM will give up on a better polished CV that easily. I'm remain puzzled why the other three want such a big scheme. Any ideas? P.S. Niel. I was not trying to make light of the Falklands conflict. I was trying to highlight the need to plan any future action with great care and consider the likely outcomes. I'm sure Margaret Thatcher did consider the spilling of British blood very likely before the Task Force was assembled. Sadly she was correct. I believe Leopoldo Galtieri did not consider the UK Government would have the resolve to go so far from the British Isles to reclaim a small territory. Equally sadly, much Argentinian blood was also spilt.

 

I'll second that, Martin.

 

Sidmouth, nice of you to suggest it but that is not my job. This whole shameful business happened because the unwashed took their eye off the ball, and trusted the General Manager and the Xanadu Project Team who, for their own reasons, took advantage of them. Thanks to that the members and shareholders have now had a good look over the edge of the financial cliff, and will not be so quick or generous with their trust next time.

Whatever finally appears as the Bridgnorth Plan will automatically be subject to an appropriately detailed and sceptical level of scrutiny by the very people without whom there would not be a Severn Valley Railway at all. And that is exactly how it should be.

Neil

 

SteamWorks Bridgnorth
A reminder to Working Members that the project team are updating the Holdings and Guarantee Directors and invitees from the SVRA and SVRCT on Tuesday 19th February. This is an update meeting for the Boards only and I would emphasise it is not a sign off of redrafted designs or the project. A full report and update will be released following this meeting.
Nick Ralls
General Manager

Link to SVRLive website: News

 

What a positive statement from the SVR, about time too.

 

Bridgnorth Development update:
Update report to theHoldings Board and invitees19th February 2013

The format of the evening:
The meeting was well attended by representatives from the Holdings and Guarantee Boards, SVRCT Trustees and SVRA officers. Paul Taylor, Project Manager gave a 30 minute presentation updating all those in attendance on how the Working Group has embraced a more traditional architectural philosophy and is making progress with the production of both business and conservation plans.

Decisions taken:
Questions were taken at the end of the presentation and it was agreed that: ‘Support be given to the revised design approach and permission for the Working Group to proceed with further consultation and development of the project, reporting back to the Holdings and Guarantee Board, SVRCT Trustees and SVRA officers in May 2013’ It was generally recognised that whilst good progress has been made there would be a need for a wider engagement with a number of interest groups before any schemes could be finalised and signed off by the Board.

Meeting with Plan B colleagues and the release of the presentation to the Members and Shareholders:
All attendees at the Holdings Board meeting agreed that whilst the distribution of the presentation to the membership and shareholders on SVRlive would be expedient, it was decided that the most appropriate course of action was to use the presentation to inform and consult Plan B colleagues of the current project development first.

The formation of a Conservation and Heritage Committee:
Following the end of the presentation SVRCT, SVRA and Guarantee Board Directors left and the normal business of the Holdings Board was undertaken. Last night’s Board Meeting also received a recommendation that a new Committee be formed to support the Railway in all matters relating to Conservation and Heritage. David Postle, Curator of Kidderminster Railway Museum has agreed to initially lead this new committee and will work with Mike Ball, Deputy Chairman of SVR(Holdings)Plc and Nick Ralls, General Manager to establish a clear mandate and terms of reference. They will also consider the composition of the committee and propose a list of members, primarily drawn from the volunteers on the railway. This work will be completed in time for it to be issued prior to the next Board meeting so that it can be formally ratified. The next Board meeting is on Tuesday March19[SUP]th[/SUP]. A meeting will be called in the immediate future with the team that has developed ‘Plan B’ to share with them the latest proposals that were presented at last night’s Board meeting, to enlist their support in the formation of the Conservation and Heritage Committee and to involve them in the on-going development of the Bridgnorth site. The Holdings Board were keen that any project in the future concerning the built environment of the Severn Valley Railway is initiated with a full understanding of the importance of the historic precedent of the buildings and structures and has been considered by the new committee.

Nick Ralls
General Manager

 

I'm really encouraged by this turn of events, in particular the respect shown to the Plan B group and the re-creation of a new heritage committee.

I don't think the members/shareholders could ask for a better outcome and as long as the board(s) deliver on the promises laid out here, let's hope for a more peaceful, integrated future.

Well done to the Plan B group for their diplomatic but insistent approach and to the board for listening and acting, a good day for the SVR.

Cheers

Duncan

 

I think it's very encouraging and vindicates the efforts of those who were prepared to stand up and be counted.

 

I agree with all the above. A vote of thanks is certainly due to GF-G and his group for giving strong, unwavering leadership to all those who care about the SVR

 

Glad everyone seems to like it, and thank you gios and Sidmouth for those kind words, but I am afraid I am still trying to translate it from Sir Humphrey Appleby-speak and understand what actually happened last night – what really changed and more importantly, how it plays out in terms of the long-term viability of the SVR. I have served a total of 17 Ministers of Transport over the years – including Portillo in the days when he was a virulent Tory-Boy with an eye on ending the Settle-Carlisle losses by closing it, before he emerged as a charming and sybaritic TV personality and railway champion- and weasel words make me very nervous. They are always used to obfuscate or conceal, never to clarify.

As best I can interpret it, the really good news is the open involvement of the Curator of Kidderminster Railway Museum, previously the SM Highley, a man who is unimpressed with ego, honest to his bone marrow, difficult to intimidate, and with more years SVR service alone than the Gang of Four can muster between all of them. He too has delivered a major project – the KRM,which pretty much speaks for itself. He will ensure a fair hearing for the Plan B people, and fight for a properly composed and constituted Heritage Committee. That much we can all put our shirts on.

The bad news seems to be that “Xanadu Two” and its caravan of paid consultants stumbles on in a sort of undead Zombie state and the bills for fees, petrol, even more exciting new drawings and – finally - a business plan to prop it all up continue to rack up, and provides guaranteed lucrative work for the participants until the May Board meeting at the earliest. It is unclear if it will be shown to the unwashed at all, although if there is a big hole at the Member’s & Shareholder’s Weekend even more opprobium will be heaped on the railway and the re-launch of the share issue will flop again – at huge cost. Perhaps they are nervous of the reaction when people find out it not only sports newly added pastiche gas lamps, but a whole new storey has been added to one of the buildings. Ker-ching!

On balance, unless I have truly misunderstood the statement, and although it contains much good news, I do not feel able to recommend to my supporters than they stand down or relax their guard just yet, although you can now see a day in the future when they may be able to do so. You cannot expect them to slavishly lend support to something they haven’t seen after a debacle on this scale. The new timescales set by the Board mean we no longer need an EGM – if needs must the Special Resolution can be tabled at the Guarantee and Holdings AGMs, for which no 5% entry hurdle exists. I so don’t want it to come to that.

Neil

 

Well done to the dissenters !. Hopefully we can now look forward to a heritage style Bridgnorth Station site.
I hope that working members of other railways which have out of touch boards of management will learn from this victory.

Bob.

 

I think the GW style building is now a given. Now we've got to shed all the other unwanted pieces of Project Xanadu. Keep up the good work Neil.