WSR Late Change Own Goal

WSR must be flushed with money these days so that they do not need to seek added spin off event opportunities.

Was going to make a rare visit to Somerset to see the Western on the Mainline and travel behind the one on the WSR which was advertised as being out. When I found out it was replaced with the Orange all Steam timetable I stayed in the South East. I know several others were doing likewise.

So all this added potential extra income from folks was lost and I doubt if any extra people turned up just because it was all steam. Late change own goal.

Ah but punters will not buy tickets/travel behind diesels/we will loose income will be the cry. Well your punters must be different to ours in the South East, over here they are quite happy to have a diesel/steam mix day, its the reception to them by staff, condition of the vehicle they travelling in and the stations they see that give the long lasting impression. As long as dad gets his view of a steam engine all are happy.

It my own view that the WSR management seem to have come off the boil and are too inflexible these days.

Anyway every personal cloud has a silver lining, went to my own railway instead and had an unexpected bonus day polishing up and running 33063 as well as driving my class 10 on 5Mk1s and a QM brake van.

Why don't the WSR do Brake Van rides by the way on normal service, punters love them, yes it takes another authorised TTI to ride with and monitor the van but the bonus in extra income and goodwill and feeling about the railway generated far outweighs this.

Brian

 

bah, humbug!

 

I don't think the WSR itself advertised the Western being in action on 17 Sep.

However. The DEPG did have it listed in their blurb and website, and because of that, I added it to the loco roster page on the unofficial www.wsr.org.uk but removed it when I became aware it was not running (and I also put out a tweet). The WSR only supply me with steam loco roster info and I glean the diesel stuff from the DEPG. I am sorry if your plans were made and then thwarted by information on www.wsr.org.uk

As far as I can tell, the WSR has always had that day as an "Orange" all steam timetable so hardly an "own goal". I understand there was a possibility of a through train on that day and thus the timetable most likely would have been amended but the through train was cancelled so I guess the WSR reverted to the advertised timetable.

Brake van rides on regular passenger service trains is an interesting suggestion. Are the vans on every train and are they always full on your railway? How many people are permitted per trip?

Steve

 

I'm not sure the photters would be impressed if you stick a random brake van on the end - might it not look a bit odd? Personally, I think brake van rides ought to be saved for galas when freight trains are running, as an extra attraction, rather than just being an ordinary thing.

 

My plans changed but heyho that's life - it did not cost me money, inconvenience or really upset me. More to the point the WSR did not get any fare revenue and discretionary spend from me or indeed others who might have been added passengers on the day. One could say its an own goal for not spotting this opportunity in the first place.

Regarding Brake Van rides we try to offer these as many times as we can and it is always popular. Staffing is an issue of course but for example yesterday when it was not advertised as soon people were told on the platform about it, it filled up, granted yesterday was a fine day of course. Being a QM brake helps as it is practically an open sided bogie carriage but given its popularity and the similar success in Europe of wagons fitted out with seats I am surprised more UK railways have not experimented with this idea further. Do not the Welsh NG lines run them? I suppose its a more in the elements version of the observation coach. Its surprising not more of these have been created to tap into a further supplementary income revenue stream.

As for the photo snappers raised by Flying Scotsman - well have they paid a fare I wonder.
Brian

Brian

 

It just feels like doing something purely for commercial reasons with no basis in reality - at what point do you end up with just a train of brakevans which is even more ridiculous. Do you at least see where I'm coming from?

 

Those with long memories will recall that in the earlier days of railway preservation trains of brake vans, full of enthusiasts, were not uncommon on the embryo heritage lines.

 

I always make a beeline for an open coach such as the WHR have, even in the rain, so I imagine there is a market for open balcony brake vans....just don't put them on passenger rakes, demonstration goods trains only in my view.

 

And on many a freight line tour in the past.

 

Still do such things on the WSR!


Pic by Martin Southwood
http://www.wsr.org.uk/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?h=Snapshot&p=2015/04/192

Steve

 

Completely agree!

 

On most heritage railways, the paying public walk away if they are told that their train is a diesel

 

Do they? Do you have any proof of that? Even at the recent NNR steam gala (the one time I would prefer not to see a diesel loco, I feel the same about steam at the diesel gala) the class 37 that was substituting for Ring Haw was getting a lot of attention, kids wanting to look in the cabs, people taking pics etc.

 

They certainly do on the NYMR and, believe me, the Railway has had a lot of experience of this in recent times. Times now, hopefully, behind them.
As for kids, etc wanting to look in cabs, I regularly invite those looking at the loco, steam or diesel, to come in and have a closer look. As part of the conversation, I invariably ask if they are travelling on this train. Invariably the response is 'not today'. I only hope our friendliness tempts them back on another day.

 

My own commercial experience of the effect of a diesel substitution on a railway serving a similar 'seaside' market (albeit a few years ago) was that the substitution of a diesel for steam would result in a revenue hit of up to 30% over the expected income (depending on the time of year and weather), with this increasing to at least 50% if there was no steam provision. This effect was minimised if it was a diesel substitution later in the day (due to loco failure or similar), most people having bought their tickets. Needless to say, diesel substitutions in peak summer were something to avoid - given that more than 25% of the annual income might arise over the peak period.

 

i'm not averse to diesels but even I am a little disappointed not to have the expected steam loco. NYMR this year a good example....both services diesel hauled where the timetable showed one as steam. Big disappointment after a 200 mile drive but the day was saved by a driver experience loco working (and a USA on D Day at that!)

 

This coming Saturday, 24 September, D1010 will be replacing D7017 on the WSR diesel diagram due to a cylinder head issue on the Hymek. Info from the Unofficial Diesel and Electric Group Facebook page.

Is this another late change own goal for anyone?

 

Devastated!

 

Replacing advertised steam with diesel is just as bad as replacing diesel with steam and will lead to disappointment as you say. People make plans according to what they read on electronic or paper media so its not surprising customers get miffed if what is on offer is not as expected. Old machinery is not perfect however, and will break down so the best mitigation for ruffled feathers is clear honest detailed explanation of the problem and why it could not be fixed. Anything less is not accepted in todays world ( Just as true for modern attractions as well as the brand new BA eyesore in Brighton found out to their embarrassment last week )
If this happens on a too frequent basis then management should find out, understand why and make changes accordingly.

Always was and always will be a struggle to run a railway and fund it from customer fare income alone so to turn the thread full circle we are back to running advertised trains at shoulder times as diesels and trying to squeeze as much revenue from each customer without making it apparent you are doing so. The railway that has less overall customers but earns more per customer after direct costs is always in a better position than one that has more customers but higher operational cost.

 

From my viewpoint as a guard - when we ran we ran a 37-hauled service in addition to the normal steam service, many families with young children chose to travel behind both steam and diesel to compare the experience!