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The [http://www.svr-association.org.uk/ '''Severn Valley Railway Association ''' (SVRA) website] now carries the simple message
:16 October 1971
:to
:04 October 2015
==SVRA History==
In May 1971 [[Sir Gerald Nabarro]] proposed to establish a public company to finance the purchase of the southern section of the line. He also proposed to wind up the original [[Severn Valley Railway Company Limited | Severn Valley Railway Company]] (the Guarantee Company) in which the individual members had a direct interest.
There was a growing overlap in the roles of the two organisations, and around 2014 proposals were put in hand to merge them. These proposals were agreed at the respective AGMs in 2015, following which the merger formally took place in October 2015.
==SVRA branches==
The SVR formed local branches from the early days of the railway which provide support to the SVR through their activities. The first five branches (Birmingham, Chester, Kidderminster, Warrington and Wolverhampton) pre-dated the SVRA, becoming a part of it from its establishment in 1971.<ref>SVR News 21</ref> A number of other branches were subsequently formed. The SVRA and its branches were merged into the Guarantee Company in October 2015.
*Extant branches are:
**[[SVR Wolverhampton Branch| '''Wolverhampton''']] (formed in January 1967<ref>SVR News 123 “Wolverhampton Branch – a Thirty Year History”</ref>)
**'''Kidderminster''' (formed by 1970<ref>SVR News 16</ref>)
**'''Stourbridge''' (formed in late 1971 as "Wordsley and Stourbridge"<ref>SVR News 21,23</ref>)
**'''Macclesfield''' (formed in December 1980<ref>SVR News 65</ref>)
*Other branches included:
**'''London''' (began as the South Eastern Branch in 1971<ref>SVR News 50</ref> and originally based at Tonbridge.<ref>SVR News 21, 27, 28</ref> First London meeting was held in late 1974.<ref>SVR News 34</ref> Still active in 2014<ref>Express Points Web Round Up September 2014</ref>)
**'''Bristol''' (formed January 1978,<ref>SVR News 46</ref> not active by 2009<ref name=SVR168>SVR News 168</ref>)
**'''Bridgnorth''' (formed early 1990s, still active in 2009<ref name=SVR168/>)
**'''Birmingham''' (formed by 1969,<ref>SVR News 12</ref> closed in 1992.<ref>SVR News 102 et seq</ref>)
**'''Chester''' (formed by 1971<ref>SVR News 19</ref>, merger with Merseyside proposed in February 1974<ref>SVR News 30,31</ref>)
**'''Merseyside''' (formed November 1973 and based at Birkenhead.<ref>SVR News 29,30</ref> By Summer 1975 "the only surviving branch in the North West".<ref>SVR News 36</ref> Closed circa 1976?)
**'''North West''' (originally Warrington Branch, formed in January 1971,<ref>SVR News 18</ref>, meetings suspended in 1974 due to poor attendance and closed in January 1975<ref>SVR News 32,35</ref>)
==SVRA raffles==
The SVRA organised regular raffles to raise funds for projects on the railway. The proceeds from the first two raffles in 1972 were used to buy shares in the newly-launched [[SVR(H)]], in order to ensure SVRA members had adequate representation in the new organisation.<ref>SVR News 23, 26</ref> Thereafter normal practice was to hold two raffles per year, usually with one organised by the Association's Committee and the other by one of its Branches (see below).<ref>SVA reports in SVR News 70 (1983), SVR News 137 (2001) etc.</ref>
An incomplete list of raffles organised by the SVRA is shown on the [[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries | SVR fundraising lotteries page]].
==See also==
