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'''Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC''' is a Public Company with a Share Capital, company number 01046274. The Company was incorporated under its original name of Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) Limited on 15 March 1972. It was re-registered as a Public Limited Company (PLC) on 15 March 1982.<ref>Companies House</ref> The Company is commonly referred to within the SVR as "the Holding Company" or "Holdings", and in writing is often abbreviated to '''SVR(H)'''. A Severn Valley Railway shareholder owns a share of this Company and is entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting. Issued share capital exceeds £10,400700,000.
SVR(H) owns the SVR's infrastructure such as lines and stations. It also owns three [[Steam Locomotives | steam locomotives]], four operational [[Diesel Locomotives | diesel locomotives]] and a number of [[Carriages | carriages]], and enters into running agreements with operators of other locomotives and rolling stock to be based on the line. It employs the SVR's paid staff, operates the trains, is responsible for safety, and provides contract engineering services. It also operates the line's shops, pubs and refreshment rooms at [[Bridgnorth]], [[The Engine House]], [[Bewdley]] and [[Kidderminster]].
==Share offers==
[[File:Shareholder letter 1972.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Letter to shareholders from Gerald Nabarro dated 20th October 1972]]
The SVR Board retains the authority to allot shares when approached from time to time by people interested in subscribing for shares.<ref>[http://www.svr.co.uk/ShareOffer1.aspx SVR Website]</ref> Since 2007 such ad hoc allotments have averaged approximately £145,000 per year.<ref>Share capital per Companies House at December 2007 and November 2017 net of two public share offers</ref> In addition, SVR(H) periodically makes public share offers for particular projects:
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As the [[2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic]] unfolded the SVR launched its 'Fight Back Fund' appeal for both donations and shares. {{As of|During 2020|12|04}} around a further 395400,947 000 shares have been were issued during 2020.
==Notable shareholdings==
|[[ Diesel Traction Group |DTG Trading Limited]] ||15,000||
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| [[Great Western (SVR) Assoc.Association]] ||1,026||
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|[[Hampton Loade Station Fund]] ||85||
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*Note 1. Two shareholdings are listed. The figure shown is the aggregated figure.
*Note 2. The [[Severn Valley Railway Association]] merged with [[Severn Valley Railway Company Limited]] from 4 October 2015, although winding up of the SVRA was still outstanding in 2021 over an issue with its SVRH shareholding. <ref>Guarantee Company Annual Reports ending 31 December 2019 and 31 December 2020, p. 5</ref>
*Note 3. The former SVRA Branches are now branches of [[Severn Valley Railway Company Limited]].
==Shareholder benefits==
Benefits are renewed annually and amended from time to time. In August 2021 the Company announced that Shareholder benefits will would be changing in 2022and again in 2023.<ref>"Your Share", SVR Shareholders Newsletter for the year ending 3 January 2021</ref>The then chairman Nick Paul subsequently announced at the SVR(H) annual general meeting that there would be a moratorium on the decision to make changes to shareholder benefits until the board had the opportunity to reflect and review the decisions. Since then, the SVRH board has discussed further and agreed the proposed increases for 2022 should go ahead. However, in response to the concerns raised, it also agreed that no further changes will be considered until after a shareholders’ focus group has reported back to them. The levels proposed for implementation in 2023 will not be brought in<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/shareholders SVR Live]</ref>.
===Benefits from 2022===
{| Class="wikitable"
! Shareholding at 31 December 2021 for benefits in 2022!! Shareholding at 31 December 2022 for benefits in 2023 (suspended) !! Annual benefits
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|125-264 ||150-299 ||1 x third class “freedom of the line” ticket
|1,600-2,399 ||2,000-2,999 ||a non-transferable silver pass giving unlimited third class travel on the SVR for the holder and up to three guests.
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|2,400-3,999 ||13,000-14,999 ||a non-transferable silver pass giving unlimited first class travel (when available) on the SVR for the holder and up to three guests
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|4,000-6,999 ||5,000-7,999 ||a non-transferable gold pass giving unlimited first class travel (when available) on the SVR for the holder and up to three guests.
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*'''Note''': free travel, silver, gold and platinum passes "are valid for train services in the annual SVR timetable" and are not transferrable, the shareholder must travel. This description changed from the 2021 benefits.Shareholder passes and Shareholders' "freedom of the line" tickets are valid for Galas but not other 'pre-book only' events such as Ghost Trains or Santa services.
===Benefits to 2010-2021===
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*'''Note 2'''. The Directors will review the above entitlements periodically and may from time to time adjust them. The Directors confirmed at the time of the issue of the document on 1 November 2016 that no changes would take place within the next three years. In April 2021, following the [[2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic| COVID-19 pandemic]], new benefits were introduced in conjunction with the online booking system, compartments and excursion trains and continuing restrictions.
*'''Note 3'''. Shareholders of 3,000 or above shares are entitled to free car parking in SVR car parks and receive an annual windscreen parking pass. Where car parks have exit barriers, shareholders may obtain a free exit token on production of a parking-eligible travel pass at Kidderminster and Bridgnorth ticket offices, shops or at [[The Railwayman's Arms]].
===Benefits at 1988 share issue===
25-99 2x3rd class return tickets
100-499 4x3rd class return tickets
500-999 4x1st class return tickets
1000+ "A first class non-transferable family gold pass for up to 4 family members for unlimited travel on the railway"
*'''Note'''. For years after 1989 the directors will review annually the free travel entitlement<ref>[https://forum.svr-online.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1560&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=255, Binnersley, P., SVR Forum] (Retrieved 12 November 2021)</ref>.
===Usage and booking===
*In October 2019 a new Shareholder Travel Pass came into use for the 1,800 eligible passholders, a photo-bearing credit card-sized pass to replace during 2020 the previous version and medallion that were open to abuse.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/blnov19 SVR Live, Branch Lines November 2019] (Retrieved 9 November 2019)</ref><ref>SVR(H) letter to passholders November 2019</ref> It contains a bar code to monitor usage levels.
*From 2021 all shareholder travel must now be booked online and to receive the Company must be in receipt of a shareholder's email address.
==Legal Charges==
