SVR General Discussion

I could have written all that much more succinctly with 'the galas are not where most of the risk is currently, so might as well leave them alone and concentrate on the bits that are actually on fire.'

For all the criticism elsewhere of FTE numbers, when it comes down to it its still a small team tackling this, not Microsoft, so there have to be priorities.

 

The only problem I have with their recovery plan is that the lifeblood of the railway is passenger volume but they have concocted an emergency timetable that makes it less attractive to travel. Hopefully they will be trying all avenues of funding, local authorities are cash strapped but they know that to lose a major tourist attraction like the railway would be fairly devastating for the local economy. A bit ironic as Shropshire CC was the biggest objector to the line reopening when I became a member. What has happened to the funds for the Bridgnorth turntable, can some of that be redirected?
I think they will get their £1.5m but it can’t be allowed to happen again, it’s not like it was at the time of the flood appeal in 2007, most of their supporters are also suffering from anorexia of the wallet.

 

Local authorities are in the same financial position as the SVR so it is highly unlikely any money will be forthcoming from the local councils.

 

While other railways such as the Bluebell are going down the additional events/ attractions route see https://www.bluebell-railway.com/kids-for-a-quid-weekends-and-holidays/

 

I said a number of pages ago that about now would be crunch time. The temporary timetable is just that, temporary and is due to be reviewed in the next few weeks. I suspect Easter performance (& perhaps less so the gala) will influence decisions.
You are correct, the SVR has always run a large volume of trains that has made it attractive - very often a standard service day in summer could see 5 or 6 locos in service. The old adage that a 'standard SVR weekend was like most railways' gala'. Those days are long gone it would now seem, the cost of steaming a locomotive is now such that it has to be strongly justified.
Unfortunately, the hard nosed financial reality is that any new services added MUST be profitable and this will involve an element of risk and 'finger in the air' economics. This is the stance other railways have taken to avoid carrying fresh air.
I mentioned previously about gradually adding additional excursion type services wrapped around a skeleton scheduled timetable, it didn't go down well here - but it is one way of removing some of the risk. You are not committed to running too many additional trains until you know they are selling well. You could also add additional value to these services in the form of dining or tie in with other attractions. The more you sell, the more you add.

 

Yes, I’m afraid so. I don’t have a bottomless pit of funds and the priority is currently a big Green engine undergoing unexpected remedial work in Devon and a railway in Sussex that also has financial problems. I’m also now a member of the K&WVR and made a donation on my visit for the Gala. They seem to have weathered the storm a lot better than some, I didn’t see any appeals for funds during my visit and they are still operating a full timetable. I get the impression that they are much more of a local community railway than the Valley. That may be something the the SVR could explore.

 

There do. But one of them is considering the impact of galas on profit margins - and whether the effort organising them is the best way of dealing with those.

Those, by the way, are questions for 2024 - 2023 is too firmly set

 

IIRC the SVR proved it was a community railway during the floods in 2008 when many businesses suddenly realised exactly where their trade came from. The lesson from that experience IMHO is that being a "community railway" is a 2-way experience and the businesses in the SVR catchment area now need to also provide support else risk their own businesses. I note your comment on the KWVR which has always worked with the community by operating a railway service but also creating communal events such as the Christmas Carol services and events which attract customers to the railway who spend within the community. In my experience the SVR does the same but on a larger scale with the consequent result of having a higher break-even figure whilst stations such as Hampton Loade and Highley have local support in the form of catering and Kidderminster / Bewdley offer souvenir opportunities in the guise of second hand books.
In simple terms most lines have at least one iconic locomotive that visitors hope to see whilst some of the more commercial lines have the finance to attract an iconic locomotive for a short period (e.g. 4079 at the SVR) such as a gala event or for a full season of operation (e.g. 20048 on the SVR). That locomotive attraction thereby becomes a base for the public's attention and it is then up to the specific line to create events in support of such locomotive visitors whether it be by creating Gala events or operating programmes that use the visiting locomotive (e.g. 60103 on periodic visits; 2999 at ELR where a programme of running days has been created - and advertised !)

 

Well yes, but like the railway I'm trying to think about the here and now - what happens next year, at this specific point (H1 2023) is definitely something that should be on the agenda. Just not anywhere near the top of it. For 2023, normal jogging on the things that make money, and ruthless pruning of the nice to haves (I recognise that there are some loss makers that might be nevertheless worth doing for goodwill - someone else is being quite literally paid to run the numbers and work out which those are) has got to be the way IMO.

 

There are all sorts of ways of skinning this particular cat, and nothing that as yet can be described as a "one size fits all" solution. The SVR's approach is one, the NYMR has adopted another by making itself eligible for Gift Aid and free return visits on most fares (I say most, not everyone can or will sign up to it) although that carries with it the increasing risk as the year goes on that the trains may be full of people returning for free. To my mind, despite whatever an ex-Chairman says, this strikes me as a way of trying to trade out of the situation. I still think that the "living museum" concept is right, but has to be embraced wholeheartedly to encompass family orientated non-railway based additional (but sympathetic) attractions that gradually evolve to maintain a changing "landscape". Only when I see more of those sort of developments will I believe that railway managements have truly grasped theneed to move on and diversify.

 

I will make a donation and would encourage others to support the SVR in its time of need.
After a couple of years of questionable decisions, some of which have seen me stop volunteering and allowing my membership to lapse, I welcome the outline plans announced by the acting MD as a signal of a welcome change in both understanding and direction.
The SVR is a wonderful heritage monument reflecting the efforts, dedication and vision of many people. The SVR is far too important to be lost because we could not match the accomplishments of many of those who went before.

 

Agree and have contributed to the appeal for much the same reason. Clearly big mistakes have been made in the recent past especially it seems in relation to the covid recovery pot and relations with the volunteer and enthusiast cohorts. These all need to be addressed and it seems the new management recognise this and is acting accordingly. The whole movement will be undermined if the SVR fails and we can’t afford for that to happen.

 

Nail on Head Simon. Having put Thousands of Pounds into the valley over the last 50 years or so my wallet remains firmly shut for the time being but I am
prepared to reconsider. However, and without going over old ground, other than to say that's its disingenuous to blame it all on Covid, Brexit, Ukraine
and Cost of Living etc. It goes back a long, long way before any of that. What I want to know is what is the £1.5m for?? Does it include the 500k appeal
for the Bridgnorth shed yard or is that extra. Is it to cover last years losses or further forecast losses for this year. I want a lot more information including
the 2022 annual accounts and I will probably await the AGM before making up my mind. The Valley may well be saving c750k in wages but that still
leaves a bill in excess of £2m. Whilst I welcome the departure of the previous MD, and I welcome Mr Dunster , a change in direction is needed starting
with the timetable. So lets see what the next couple of months brings. As a shareholder I would also like to see the 2023 forecasts or is that commercially
sensitive. One other thing before I finish. The CIBL debt is a millstone. Have the directors considered asset sales to reduce or clear this debt. The company owns, I believe, 10 Mk1
coaches. If the Llangollen is anything to go by they may fetch between 40k & 50k each.
The SVR has more than enough vehicles and is struggling to maintain them all as it is.
And what about 45110. Been in store for years. The company will never be able to afford to overhaul it. This is what the Bluebell is doing. Looking at its assets.

 

The CIBL debt is also £1.5m....

 

But have not most railways, at least early season produced timetables that do exactly that.
Swanage 1 train steam service ( I except Wareham complicates things). Bluebell many days just two trains all day. WSR 4 trains a day.
My question is does it actually make it less attractive to non enthusiasts? Those that want a trip out and back get what they want, so do the coach companies, although I accept this is now post Covid, a smaller market. It is really I suspect the likes of us who think there should be more trains.
If 50 people go elsewhere because the wait is too long that is probably far less "missed profit" than the cost of steaming a second loco or running an extra diesel.
Maybe the days of everyday running for the larger lines is something that needs to be seriously analysed.

 

May be the falling passenger numbers are due to people falling out of love with heritage railways young people in particular are very switched on to green issues and steam railways are not perceived to be green .

 

definitely potential - although reports were of *very* heavy loading, as in standing room only, last weekend on the Valley.

 

How much demand is there for such assets when there is a general decline in passenger demand and most (all?) potential purchasers are struggling with their own financial problems?