Survival appeal fund for Severn Valley Railway reaches £280k
A survival appeal for one of the county's major heritage attractions has reached £280,000.
The Severn Valley Railway launched the appeal last month, with the aim of raising a total of £1.5m.
It came after a "double whammy" of "escalating costs and lower revenue" prompted urgent action.
Bosses said that the railway has been profoundly affected by changes in the financial climate over the past three years, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, post-Brexit supply chain issues and the cost of living crisis.
Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster, managing director of SVR, said they had been overwhelmed at the reaction to the survival fund.
He said: “We are delighted by the response to our appeal. It’s clear that many people understand the bigger picture of why the SVR is in financial difficulties, and very importantly why an injection of cash over the coming months will help us get beyond this, so we can concentrate on ensuring the long-term future of the SVR’s heritage.
“We’ve received thousands of donations already, and these are coming both from people we know well, and some who are digging deep and supporting the railway for the very first time. Some of the stories behind why people want to help us are extremely heart-warming and show what an incredibly special place this railway holds for so many individuals.
“When we launched the appeal in mid-April, we knew two things; one was that we might get some kick-back from people who perhaps don’t fully understand the enormous difficulties facing the heritage railway movement in general and the SVR in particular, after three years of financial battering.
"The second was that making this appeal was absolutely the right thing to do, and this was the right time to do it. This brave initiative is going to make all the difference to our long-term survival.
“Of course, our Survival Fund appeal is not the whole solution. Alongside this, we have implemented every single cost-saving measure we could.
"These have included a significant reduction in paid staff along with renegotiating supplier contracts, especially for utilities which have rocketed in price. We’ve also devised a timetable of reduced running days and services for the early part of our season in order to save on costs, although we will be adding an extra steam-hauled service on selected dates from late May.
“Attracting large numbers of visitors is key this year.
"We have an enviable programme for 2023, from our enthusiast galas through to events that will appeal to a wider audience, such as Step Back to the 1940s, vintage transport, model railway weekends and a real ale and music festival.
"Our Spring Steam Gala in April surpassed our budget expectations, and we’re hoping for a similar response to our forthcoming Spring Diesel Festival which starts tomorrow, and which celebrates 50 years of diesel preservation.”
For information or to make a donation visit svr.co.uk/survival.
