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The SVR, operated by the Guarantee Company, began services in May 1970. However the next stages of development, including purchase of the southern end of the line to [[Foley Park]] and ultimately [[Kidderminster]], required substantial investment. A Public Company with a Share Capital was considered a more suitable vehicle for this, leading to the formation of [[Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC | Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) Ltd.]] ("SVR(H)") in March 1972.
When SVR(H) was formed, it was envisaged that the Guarantee Company would no longer be required, leading to the creation of another organisation, the [[Severn Valley Railway Association]] (SVRA). However it transpired that the existing LRO could not be transferred to SVR(H) at that time, so the Guarantee Company remained in existence. The activities of the SVRA were eventually merged into the Guarantee Company from October 2015, although winding up of the SVRA was still outstanding in 2020 over an issue with its SVRH shareholding.<ref>Guarantee Company Annual Report ending 31 December 2019, p. 5</ref>
In due course SVR(H) assumed responsibility for the ownership of the infrastructure and operation of the SVR.
==Present day==
Although it no longer owns the line, the Guarantee Company is still an active part of the Severn Valley Railway. It remains as the SVR’s membership arm and provides volunteer staff to operate the railway (all volunteers must be members). The SVR has around 1310,000 800 members <ref>SVR News 215, Autumn 2021</ref> and membership is by subscription. Members receive preferential rates of travel.
It has the largest shareholding in SVR(H): in 2020 2021 it was 17.825% of issued capital (1,807838,679 272 shares).<ref>SVR(H) Financial Statements for the year ended 5 3 January 20202021</ref> It nominates three directors to the SVR(H) board.<ref>SVRLive</ref> , increased from two in 2015 when it merged with the SVRA.
It also publishes [[Severn Valley Railway News]], a quarterly magazine, free to members.
Following the merger with the SVRA it took over [[The 200 Club]] and the [http://www.svr-vlo.org.uk/ Volunteer Liaison Office].
It also ran the [[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries| SVR fundraising lotteries]] until by 2021 these were organised by [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd|SVR Charitable Trust]].
The VLO organises a Volunteer Reward Scheme, a monthly draw using the database of working volunteers, funded by the Guarantee Board. Winners receive a small value of vouchers to spend on the SVR.
==See also==
*[[The Severn Valley Railway in preservation#Current Organisation | The SVR Organisation]]
*[[The Severn Valley Railway Company (19th Century)]]
*[[The Severn Valley Railway in preservation#General_Manager|Guarantee Company chairmen and SVR General Managers]]
*[[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries| SVR fundraising lotteries]]
==References==
<references/>
==Links==
*[http://www.svr-vlo.org.uk/ Volunteer Liaison Office web site]
*[https://www.svrlive.com/working-members Volunteer Reward Scheme on SVRLive]
*[https://www.svr.co.uk/Become-A-Member.aspx Become a member webpage, SVR website]
*[https://www.svrlive.com/svr-guarantee-board SVR Guarantee board, SVRLive]
