dominated by one place?

Can we stay on track guys?

 

I'm glad that a lot of railways don't spread everything out along the line. They are supposed to be preserved railways and what they are trying to preserve did not involve stations with all the necessary sheds and workshops that are required to keep the line running.

I would rather development was restricted to one or two sites so that the remainder of the line can at least attempt to recreate the past, albeit subject to modern requirements in terms of clean loos etc etc.

The Spa Valley to my mind has the balance right with all development at TW and the other three stations resembling country branch line stations.

 

The WHHR sort of does it, with the workshops at the intermediate station (Gelert's Farm). The SVR has a good mix (with the exception of the Engine House, which I think has damaged what was a beautiful station).*

Nevertheless, they've got the diesel MPD and the carriage works at Kidderminster, the main loco works at Bridgnorth, a smaller steam loco stabling point at Bewdley (along with the wagon works), etc.

*to be fair though, Highley was only really a beautiful station in preservation - it spent most of its life covered in coal dust and with large amounts of wagons trundling in and out - it was perhaps the most industrial station south of Ironbridge.

 

I think there are two separate issues here.

Firstly there is the issue of the inevitable non-prototypical development (in repair, storage and maintenance facilities) that are unprototypical, but essential for a self-contained system to operate. I agree there that, if at all possible, they should be developed in a way that minimises the visual impact on the line.

However, that still leaves the possibility of restoring features that are historically prototypical but which also give a reason to alight at a station rather than just travel through: re-instating goods facilities would fit into that category, both enhancing the historic appearance of a station and providing educational / interpretative opportunities that provide a reason for visitors to stop rather than just pass through the stations in the middle of a line.

Tom

 

Oh I don't disagree, I think the plans for Kingscote goods yard are the right kind of development. Although I think Joe public is more likely to stop there for a decent cup of tea than to visit a goods yard, however protypical or informative.

 

Of course name-calling isn't uncalled for and childish. Touche.

Back to the point... This issue comes back (yet again) to the fact that preserved railways can never be true recreations of the past, just modern interpretations of selective parts of what it more-or-less might have been. Personally I prefer the type of preserved line where much of the 'railway stuff' is at each end and the intermediate stations - in as far as is possible in the 21st century - lead the kind of semi-slumbering existence that they had during their 'real railway' days.

I understand that issues of space and keeping the public interested and happy mean that this, of course, isn't really possible, but I have spent many a happy hour travelling to stations like Weybourne, Northiam, Arley and Blue Anchor, getting off and enjoying the peace and quiet, occasionally interrupted by the mad bustle of trains arriving and departing, before peace descends again. That is probably as close as I can get to the experience of those places in 'real railway' days (albeit with considerably more staff and passengers than they had in the latter stages of their first lives).

I understand, however, that most punters would find that as boring as ...

 

That kind of activity is is right up my street too!

 

The P&D (correctly for some while now the DSR) is very much a normal railway.
It operates a highly successful service for over nine months of the year for tourists and locals alike, it is a major employer - together with the boats and buses, it has never pretended to a line encapsulating a period of time, however flexible that has become for some heritage/tourist railways. It does not rely on handouts from external sources or monies from a supporters group and virtually all its staff are paid professionals. It chooses a local charity annually which it gives its support and, as far as I know, has no financial support from government or local authorities. It also is a line that was never abandoned or had track lifted, except for a few passing loops and sidings which have been re-instated.
Maybe it is an unusual railway but it is normal.

 

Although for the non enthusiast (based on my Wife's and younger Son's reaction) the IOWSR is well laid out - all the attractions and ability to get a cup of tea in the middle and the ability to make two shortish rides in each direction, re-breaking the journey in the middle (for lunch) so it's not a long train ride but still manages to make a decent day out. I agree that for some railways, spreading the attractions around makes sense, but for me, for the IOWSR the current set up makes sense - as does the long term aspiration to get to St Johns Road.

David R

 

A substantial number of visitors to Arley do turn up on foot, presumably having driven to the village, look around the station, and leave without travelling on the train. Some don't even stay to see any trains! And this is at a station which has a minimal amount of visitor interpretation; it's just a quiet country station with a fairly big garden and a fairly small tea hut.

 

of course, they may be visitors to the area, who chance om the station/railway and come back another day for the full experience.

 

Give it a rest. Plenty of Enhusiasts open their wallets. I'm involved in fund raising for 34081 and it's the enthusiasts who are the big spenders on DVDs, books, t-shirts and other railwayman. The general public tend to want "pocket money" items for the kids.

 

Some of us still do John.

 

I must admit for me the destination is more important then the railway assets there. A journey to Swanage is magical as you can walk to the beach, Alresford has a beautiful Georgian town centre, Dunster has it's castle. I'd much rather board a vintage train, and depart at an authentic station to experience a visit to an authentic destination, just as thousands of people did the past, then to look around a S&T museum or some static rolling stock. One of the most magical places on a steam railway I have ever experienced is the quiet and stillness of Staverton on the South Devon Railway.

That all said, I think it's all going to change now I have a little boy. The now seemingly obligatory miniature railway will be the experience of choice at preserved lines in the future

 

That's very true - and equally some are regular visitors who have holiday cottages or caravans in the valley.

Arley station is also on the National Cycle Network, so cyclists stopping off for a break are a frequent sight too.

 

Myself and my brother have taken our current girlfriends (now wife in my brothers case) for picnics at Arley in the summer. Lovely and peaceful until the trains arrive then busy until signals clang and whistles blow, then nice and peaceful again! Arley's a spot for all seasons though, I can imagine the colours from the trees there making the background to some lovely photos for this weekend. Then in about 6/7 weeks time after Christmas I can imagine just as it's getting dark, the lights in the signal box, the whistle of the train approaching from Highley, the lights from the carriages, the steam from the heating drifting into the atmosphere, a few doors slamming, then the train dissapearing into the night. As you say not a lot there, but a wonderful place to go and watch trains and forget all about modern life.

 

Sounds amazing! Perhaps the SVR should market holidays to escape the BREXIT kafuffle/Trump nightmare of the modern world.

 

Pease don't mention Brexit, this thread has been Goldfish free up to now!

 

Bit biased as it's somewhere my parents used to take me from a very young age, so I've always had a soft spot for it. My girlfriends family has connections there too, think it explains a lot!

 

Two very sweeping generalisations here, about enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts. The amount of money spent by each will be dependent on what is for sale. If the shop is enthusiast based (DVDs, books, t-shirts), then you may not get maximum revenue from the general public. They might spend more on the general attraction itself (food, activities etc).
Whatever their difference in spending, you also need to think of the numbers of each group. I would suggest there are far fewer "enthusiasts" than general public, so a few good spenders aren't going to make a big difference to the overall figures.