Short-term future of Severn Valley Railway secured following appeal

The heritage railway said the money raised from the appeal was enough to keep it going on a ‘care and maintenance’ basis.

Nick Paul CBE, Chairman of Severn Valley Railway said: “We are deeply grateful to every single person who has come to the rescue, to take away the immediate threat to the Railway’s future. It has emerged that any hope for a May or June re-opening for the SVR is unrealistic. And, remember that when the coronavirus emergency hit us, we were already reeling from a 75% drop in passenger numbers because of the February floods.

“What has become clear is that we face a longer-term and more serious threat than we could have envisaged. The devastating loss of income to the SVR while it remains closed during our peak running season means we won’t be able to make our crucial annual investment into the Railway.  This amounts to £4.5million, and funds essential restorations to our infrastructure and rolling stock, along with apprentice training and a desperately needed overhaul of our IT infrastructure which is creaking at the seams.

“Even when we are eventually able to re-open, it is likely that we will have fewer passengers, with people reluctant to take part in social activities. It may be that we won’t see a return to sustainable levels of passenger revenue until well into next year.

“The future for the SVR seems bleak indeed. But we are not going to give up the fight. Instead, with our ‘Fight Back Fund’, we will continue to fundraise for the SVR’s recovery both during the current crisis and in the tough months that will follow the lifting of restrictions. We are actively seeking further donations to this fund because fighting back is what we’re known for. Our pioneering preservationists did it when they brought the line back from ruin in the late 1960s; we managed it following the devastation of the storms in 2007; and with your help now, we’ll do it again.”

To make a donation to Severn Valley Railway’s appeal click here.