Severn Valley Railway wins toSevern Valley Railway wins top honour for its ‘re-investment’p honour for its ‘re-investment’
THE SEVERN Valley Railway’s ongoing investment in its own future, highlighted by the new £650,000 extension to Kidderminster station, the £375,000 repair of Victoria Bridge, Arley, and the installation of a new £80,000 carriage washing plant, has been saluted by the Heritage Railway Association in its Annual Awards.
The 16-mile Kidderminster- Bridgnorth steam line emerged as ‘top dog’ among the UK’s 109 steam ‘tourist’ railways, for its foresight and diligence in re-investing more than £1½ million of ticket revenue into infrastructure improvements and renewals over the past three years.
SVR plc Chairman Michael York described the award as “heartening recognition of the fact that the SVR is not just a railway for the here and now, but for tomorrow."
"It would be a betrayal of all the good work done by those who helped to build the SVR up, if we didn’t take steps to ensure the railway is still here, in good condition and an attractive prospect in the years to come,” he said.
“We have all seen how a lack of investment left the national railway network in a dreadfully run-down state. We never want the Severn Valley Railway to be in that position, so keeping on top of renewals is vitally important to us.”
The railway had spent well over £1.5 million over the last three years on capital projects, and renewals to its track, signalling, viaducts and bridges, he revealed.
The Heritage Railway Association is hoping that other railways will follow the SVR’s example. Said HRA spokesman Ian Smith: “It would be wonderful to think that all the steam railways in the UK are ahead of the game in this way, but actually many of them aren’t, and they’re storing up trouble for the future. We’d want to encourage them to follow the SVR lead.”
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