FAMOUS trainspotter Francis Bourgeois has shown his support to the Severn Valley Railway following its urgent landslip appeal.
Francis has been highlighting the plight of the SVR as it faces a substantial repair bill following its devastating incident just over two weeks ago.
Francis visited the site of the landslip, between Hampton Loade and Bridgnorth stations in Shropshire, to see for himself how bad the damage was. In a special film released yesterday (Monday), he explained to his more than 5million followers on TikTok and Instagram what they could do to help.
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Francis said: “This is awful news – I was shocked at the true extent of the damage.
“From a railway enthusiast’s point of view, that section of line is my absolute favourite.
“This brilliant part of the SVR has now been cut off by the landslide.”
On a tour of the site, Francis saw some of the investigation work that taking place, which will help to determine the best course of action for repair.
He also heard how the leading heritage line had received offers of assistance from Network Rail and other mainline companies, as well as financial support from thousands of individuals.
He added: “It highlights how much this railway means to people really,
“It’s amazing to see how this hasn’t just pulled together the heritage community, it’s a railway wide operation now.’
The SVR’s managing director, Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster, showed Francis around the site and said: “Like me, Francis was stunned to see how bad things are here.
“We definitely have a major task on our hands to put this right, and will be looking at a bill of hundreds of thousands of pounds, without doubt.”
