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*On 26 November the government announced that the restrictions reverted to an enhanced, three-tier system from 2 December, with a fourth tier added later in the month. Both Worcestershire and Shropshire in Tier 2.
*On 8 December the first person was inoculated.
*Despite some recovery from May onwards, the UK economy in October remained 8% below the pre-pandemic levels.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/dec/10/uk-economy-almost-at-a-standstill-before-new-covid-restrictions-hit-ons-says Elliott, L., 'UK economy almost at a standstill before new Covid COVID restrictions hit, ONS says', The Guardian, 10 December 2020] (Retrieved 10 December 2020)</ref>
*Both Shropshire and Worcestershire moved to 'tier 3' on 31 December as infection rates rose. A third English national lockdown followed from 5 January to 29 March 2021.
*A 'two jab' vaccination programme started from 8 December 2020.<ref>[https://www.england.nhs.uk/2020/12/landmark-moment-as-first-nhs-patient-receives-covid-19-vaccination/ NHS.gov.uk] (Retrieved 11 July 2021)</ref> By July 2021 over half the population had received the second jab and were deemed fully vaccinated.
*In February 2021 the government published proposals for the conditional lifting of restrictions in England in stages between March and June. The latter date was extended to 19 July, with some restrictions continuing until 26 August.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52530518 BBC News 10 July 2021]</ref> Concurrently the spread of the delta variant saw a 'third wave' of infections with numbers of infections rising exponentially from early May and peaking in mid-July. *With numbers of continuing third wave infections, hospitalisations and deaths remaining stable but high, concerns over the Omicron variant led to the reimposition of mask wearing on public transport and in shops from November, just as [[Christmas services]] were starting.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59445124 'Covid: Face masks re-introduced as UK Omicron cases found', BBC News 27 November 2021]</ref> 'Plan B' restrictions followed from 10 December.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52530518 'What are the new measures for England?', BBC News, 9 December 2021]</ref> The Office for National Statistics said the economy was still 0.5% below pre-pandemic levels at the end of October<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59605111 'Economic growth stutters before impact of Omicron', BBC 10 December 2021]</ref>.
===Timeline of events on the SVR===
*In early June it confirmed there would be no train services in July and Steam on the Road, Classic Car Day and On The Buses events were cancelled. Services for August were provisionally advertised to run on 1, 8, 9, 15, 22, 29, 30 and 31 August.
*On 11 June it announced the railway would gradually bring back its 1,800 volunteers, along with paid staff, 95% of whom were currently on furlough. Gradually works recommenced, with relaying at Foley Park restarting from 15 June. It was planned to reopen pubs on 4 July and recommence passenger services at the beginning of August.<ref>[https://www.shropshirelive.com/news/2020/06/12/severn-valley-railway-looks-to-an-august-reopening/ Shropshire Live 11 June 2020] (Retrieved 21 June 2020)</ref>
*On 23 June it announced that the King and Castle Pub at Kidderminster would reopen on 4 July.<ref>[https://www.svr.co.uk/NewsItem.aspx?a=927 SVR website]</ref> Three days later it announced that the Railwayman's Arms at Bridgnorth would also open on 4 July.<ref>[https://www.svr.co.uk/NewsItem.aspx?a=928 SVR website]</ref>
*On 2 July the services were announced for trains from August: travel on set services at specific times from Kidderminster or Bridgnorth; tickets only for compartments purchased in advance (no tickets on the day), and travel in pre-booked compartments accommodating a maximum of six people, reserved for the visitor's exclusive use all day.
*From 3 July subscribers to the SVR’s [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoaT_geZ6GwRscQgOlchh_w YouTube channel] were treated to a series of 'SVR Comeback' behind the scenes videos showing the build up to the reopening to passengers.
*On 9 October the SVR was awarded £906,000 from the Culture Recovery Fund.<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/news/445-heritage-organisations-saved-by-103-million-investment-from-government Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport] (Retrieved 9 October 2020)</ref>
*2 November: it postponed train services for a month, including the start of [[Christmas services]].
*26 November: The Railway confirmed that Christmas services would operate as planned from 3 December, the published statement being "''The Railway is in an area that has been designated as Tier 2 in the new post-national lockdown restrictions. This means that we’re able to open December 3rd and Christmas events will go ahead as planned. If you have bought event tickets, or are interested in buying event tickets, but you live in a Tier 3 area we strongly recommend that you read the Government guidelines before you travel out of your Tier 3 area''".<ref>[https://www.svr.co.uk/NewsItem.aspx?a=948 SVR Website] (retrieved 30 November 2020)</ref>
*31 December: As a result of both Shropshire and Worcestershire moving to 'tier 3', all public services were suspended until further notice, although only 4 days running remained.
*January 2021: February half-term services were cancelled, with the next intended services being Easter from 2 April 2021. Staff were again furloughed and non-essential voluntary work deferred. The first special event of the year was announced, the Spring Steam Up replacing the Spring Steam Gala in April, with continuing restrictions on travel such as pre-booked compartments and tables only. The Fight Back Fund total had reached £930,000. The Trust submitted a further application to round 2 of the Culture Recovery Fund.
*February 2021: The railway announced it planned to restart its public services with regular excursion services from 12 April and other facilities opening when permitted, with previous COVID-19 safe measures continuing.
*In March 2021 the SVR's bid for a second Culture Recovery Grant failed.
*On 2 April 2021 Arts Council England awarded [[Kidderminster Railway Museum]] £19,025 through Government's Culture Recovery Fund<ref>[https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/publication/culture-recovery-fund-data Arts Council England] (retrieved 2 April 2021)</ref>.
*2021 events restarted, but with restricted numbers and fixed bookable itineraries.
*On 15 August the SVR hosted its first observation saloon experience since before the beginning of the pandemic. Footplate Experiences restarted the following month.<ref name=blsep21>[https://www.svrlive.com/blsep21 Branch Lines, September 2021]</ref>
*Local 'hop on hop off' services were announced on 12 August, initially to restart midweek only in place of excursion trains from 7 September.<ref name=blaug21>[https://www.svrlive.com/blaug21 Branch Lines, August 2021]</ref> This soon changed with the announcement on 17 August that from 7 September all regular services and the Autumn Galas would revert to a more traditional operation, either with full-day freedom-of-the-line tickets or on journeys between selected stations with passengers able to choose their itineraries, rather than travelling on designated trains. The Railway would*In December 2021 the SVR announced that it had been awarded £1, however012, continue to offer a small number 900 as part of private bookable compartments, where passengers are guaranteed exclusive use the latest round of a compartment on a single trainthe Culture Recovery Fund, throughout paying for salaries and running costs for the dayperiod between 1 October 2021 and 31 January 2022<ref>[https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2021/12/culture-recovery-fund-severn-valley-railway-awarded-1-million-in-latest-round.html?mc_cid=c5ab8cec52&mc_eid=1655d51c43 Rail Advent]</ref>.
==Effects on the SVR==
With the intervention rate for furlough payments dropping from 1 August 2020 the SVR made up to 40 roles redundant among salaried and zero hours staff who were unable to return to their previous roles, and for whom the Railway was unable to find alternative employment.<ref name="blaug20"/>
In mitigation, it successfully applied to HSBC for a £1.5 million loan under the CBILS scheme, which alongside its existing overdraft facility would mean £2.5 million available. The SVR Charitable Trust won a [[:Category:Lottery funding|National Lottery Heritage Fund]] grant to support the reopening of the Railway.<ref name="blaug20">[https://www.svrlive.com/blaug20 Branch Lines, August 2020]</ref> Wyre Forest District Council awarded the Railway £50,000 under its discretionary business grant scheme. It received £555,484 in furlough payments during 2020 and > It was awarded £906,000 and £1,012,900 from the Culture Recovery Fundphases 1 and 3 in 2020 and 2021 respectively.<ref name="report20"/><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-59690403 'Covid-19: Severn Valley Railway gets £1m recovery grant, BBC, 17 December 2021] (Retrieved 17 December 2021)</ref>
2020 [[SVR Passenger numbers|passenger numbers]] dropped significantly from 239,723 to 59.950. Sales income reduced by £5.25m and, even after donations and grants, it lost £460,559 in that financial year. Its debt was nearly £2,000,000.<ref name=report20>SVR(H) annual report and financial statements for the period ended 3 January 2021</ref>
In 2021 its February half-term, Easter and services to early April were all lost, with later reopenings for its museums and pubs. It had restricted passenger numbers until 7 September. Its expected loss in 2021 was projected to exceed that of 2020, and it was applying for further Cultural Recovery Fund monies.<ref name=blsep21/> Repayment of the CBILS loan is due to start started in October 2021 at £28,000 per month<ref name="report20"/>. The financial position contributed to increases in shares thresholds for [[Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC#Benefits_from_2022|shareholder travel benefits]].
==See also==
[[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2020-2029]]
==References==
<references />
==Links==
[[Category:Lottery funding]]
