Severn Valley Railway launches new appeal for funds
Having featured in numerous Miss Marple episodes, among many other TV shows and films, the Severn Valley Railway is in danger of becoming a victim if it cannot urgently raise enough money to keep the trains running and, quite literally, the lights on.
Only last April, the railway launched a survival appeal, in a bid to raise £1.5M, but it was revealed this week that this had failed to reach even half of its target, with just £500,000 being received in donations. This follows the sale of flagship steam locomotive 45110 “Biggin Hill”, sold for a rumoured £1.5M, with a warning that other assets could go the same way if finances don't improve.
A new 'resilience' fund has been launched by the SVR Company Ltd, with great emphasis being placed on that it is a volunteer led organisation, unlike the Severn Valley Railway Holdings company. According to Diane Malyon, chair of the SVR Company Ltd, “we’ll be able to pass on to SVR (Holdings) every penny possible to support the railway”. Quite what state the railway will be in for next year's 60th anniversary celebrations is open to conjecture, but what's not uncertain that it's now a case of fight or die, although there was quite enough fighting of the wrong kind at Bridgnorth last weekend!
The huge rise in coal costs, now sees a round trip on the 16 mile line costing the railway £500, the daly heating and lighting costs for Bridgnorth station is £250 and the annual antifreeze bill for the diesels comes in at £3,700 – figures that many passengers are unaware of.
The Severn Valley Railway is far from being alone in facing a challenging financial climate – the Nene Valley Railway putting out an urgent appeal for £300,00 only a couple of weeks ago. So, where does the heritage rail sector go from here? Railways with huge amounts of expensive infrastructure to maintain (the SVR has Falling Sands Viaduct, Victoria Bridge and Foley Park Tunnel, just for starters) will always be on a ‘hamster wheel’ of repair and spend, but there comes a time when something has to give. The worse case scenario, but a perfectly possible one, is that the Beeching axe comes full circle and that the SVR closes for exactly the same reason as it did in the 960s – namely lack of passengers and increasing operational costs. It’s even being whispered in some quarters that steam railways are becoming increasing irrelevant to society as a whole and that families are more than happy to have a two mile ride behind an industrial, as they are to have a ten mile ride behind a Black 5. While enthusiasts can get hung up on everything being historically accurate, the general public just want something that whistles and goes puff-puff and have no interest if it’s in the correct livery etc. Will the SVR close? Well, it’s possible but not probable – this time. However, only a fool would not see this as the canary in the coal mine – there’s no magic wand or secret potion to this problem, only thinking outside the box and aiming the product squarely at the public.
May is the anniversary of the sinking of Greyhound, Hood and Atlantic Conveyor – all three having names carried by SVR locomotives. Could a ship themed event be held in the run up to next year’s diesel gala, using all three locomotives? This would certainly generate interest from the mainstream media and other non-rail media for relatively little outlay – maybe involving the local sea cadets or local MP. The rededication of 50031 “Hood” in 2016 generated a huge amount of publicity.
Another option could be to run a shuttle service, using a small steam locomotive, between Kidderminster and Bewdley during traditionally quiet periods (pic here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/190687851@N02/53446500009/in/photolist-2pqTLkE-2pqThpt). One has to put this in the context that some lines are only approximately this length, yet still attract large numbers of families. The Northampton & Lamport Railway (pic here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/190687851@N02/53677836031/in/photolist-2pvGnfZ-2pMjWx4-2pqGbhc-2pMftmz-2pMjWxz-2psmeDf-2pvEdAe-2pvFL4W) and the Chasewater Railway (pic here https://www.flickr.com/photos/190687851@N02/53390592088/in/photolist-2pkWJVN-2pAjKxF) being two such examples. It would have the benefit of significantly reducing the daily coal bill. It’s also worth noting that both those lines rely on industrial steam.
Didcot Railway Centre is doing its own thing, very successfully too by all accounts, by using a Hunslet that was to have been “Thomas” and naming it “King George”. Not only has the bright blue locomotive proved very popular with families last time I spoke with Didcot it had plans to publish a number of ‘George the Engine’ books. Purists may shudder in horror, but heritage railways need to adapt or die. Is there a small, bright locomotive on the SVR that could be the subject of a series of books?
I’ll finish this blog entry with a quote from a marketing manager at a big heritage railway: “The biggest mistake that heritage railways make, is believing that they are in competition with each other when in reality they are in competition with amusement parks and shopping centres.”
Chime Whistle Publishing railway books: https://www.chimewhistle.co.uk/shop