The Challenges of the 2022 Heritage Season

I have spoken with one (diesel) owner who has said the same about not bothering to undertake his next overhaul as he's "not sure diesel has a future".

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If they have any business sense they will replace such events with a 1940's weekend. Period dress and vehicles, a Glen Miller tribute band doesn't have to involve anything to do with war. Having German troops 'capturing trains' etc was always a bit ridiculous anyway.

 

Quite so. I have always felt that for most participants and visitors the perceived (even if not necessarily authentic) sense of camaraderie of the period was the attraction. Of course many people were in uniform at the time, but for most of the time they weren't fighting, just going about day to day life in the armed forces.

 

The big "ReSet" for the HR movement is coming and it could turn out to be a positive era if cooperation can become the key!

 

As in packed linesides and no passengers?

 

Interesting piece from Richard Murphy

https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog...he-next-year-if-he-doesnt-provide-it-were-in/

Basically the way things are going there will be little or no discretionary spending

 

It may be too early in the year to work things out, especially from an HR perspective. But forecasting and hence planning may be very difficult with no like for like past experience to plan against, which is never a good situation to be in.
Yesterday here for example (Swanage) car parks look very sparse, my dad said trains were quiet and Corfe virtually devoid of people, he was the only customer in his usual cafe there.
Today, also sunny like yesterday and often a quieter day, car park fuller than I have seen it since last summer, four coaches there as well (rare in pre Covid years for a Sunday) so why? No idea what percentage of visitors were using the railway, and a few cars may have been diners as the lunch trains started today, but even that had spaces available I noticed mid week.
Covid seems quite high here at the moment like other areas, and whilst many may carry on regardless, unsure what the impact will be long term especially as testing seems to go out of the window next month.
From various forums and webcams last weekend folks still are planning or attending galas in some numbers but for how long? Unless you are near enough for a day trip there are potentially a fair few add on costs for a gala that are non railway related, probably much the same as a mainline tour unless you live near a pick up point.

 

Not sure if it has already been mentioned, apologies if it has, but an issue for HR's is those volunteer who have to travel any great distance.
Will they be doing less turns, volunteering less etc due to the increased cost in fuel.
If so who picks up the slack?

 

It would not be surprising if galas. were less profitable than ordinary operating days .

 

A bit pessimistic Martin. We had just as big hikes in fuel price in the early 70s and the heritage movement got through it, it’s not just railways that face challenges.

 

I think the difference now is the 24 hour news cycle and the analysis of everything. A war in Ukraine may have been reported in the 70's but there would not have been what it will do to the price of wheat, or fertiliser and how that would affect the whole food supply. Oil was only just beginning to be really used to hold the world hostage, much was only in throws of being nationalised by the "owning nation". People went along in semi ignorance, no maybe they are not so sure about the future.

 

Thx Sidmouth(looking forward to that one!!) for a matter of fact look at the situation. Heritage Railways are about to get a realistic dose of Darwinism but,could they lead the way to a better appreciation of railways in general??We have just witnessed the Okehampton line morph into a great asset which one hopes is appreciated, there are other "Heritage" lines which could flourish with similar treatment.

 

2022 is going to hit different railways differently. We've already seen some railways restricting both steam and diesel operations and others putting up fares and others for booking as a pre-requisite. At the Middleton Railway, although it is a relatively small line, it feels that it is fairly well placed for the medium term, so much so that it has decided to keep fares unchanged for 2022 and carry on as normal. Aware that coal prices were on the up, it purchased sufficient coal to take it through to July 2023 before things got out of hand. The only reason it didn't get more was lack of storage. Similarly, with diesel, they have good stocks to keep them going of most of this year. The passenger base is largely local, travelling less than 20 miles to get to them. It is similar with the loyal band of volunteers so, hopefully, it wont be too badly affected by the increase in petrol costs. Like every railway, Middleton is venturing into the unknown but is optimistic it will be in business for a bit longer than its present 62 years. The only thing it doesn't feel in control of is Covid and where that will take it. Apart from that, the glass is still half full.

 

People are going to have a lot less or no money to spend and with wage and pension rises not keeping up with inflation and some operating costs almost doubling. There are not many option pre booked services only and do not run if there is not profit reducing operating costs are far more difficult you can cut staff or just not replace those who leave. There is a limit to how much of a price increase you can put on the ticket and still get a good number of visitors. The different between now and the 1970s the railway then would have had very few paid staff and the there was less paper work to be completed. The heritage movement as a whole is going to have to adapt and change as there is far more competition for people spare cash then there was.

 

From a bunker half-full perspective we can hope that enough people still have cash reserves from 2 years of lockdowns coupled with a determination to enjoy themselves after the restrictions, that staycation remains in vogue for 2022 and that volunteers can give heritage lines a competitive advantage over other attractions wrestling with wage inflation. While fuel inflation is a huge cost increase, any attraction with a high energy bill is also going to have to increase prices- perhaps a good year to be running a crazy golf course rather than a reptile house.

Bunker half empty- the fuel cost increases, material cost increases, fuel and material shortages, wage increases for paid staff , lack of customer disposable income, people saying they 'did' a heritage railway last year, the return of overseas holidays, volunteers who have found other things to do during covid, volunteers not willing to pay for fuel to drive to the railway quite so often, and the not insignificant matter of a war in Europe.

While hoping the half-full bunker prevails, having had to come terms with the huge changes covid brought about , to face a whole new set of challenges in 2022 is surely enough to drive the decision makers at the railways to distraction, not least for the uncertainty- for example, do you gamble on an expensive visiting engine for an Autumn gala ?

Jon

 

Well, the 40's did continue for another 4 years after 1945. . . Just saying.

 

With regards to the preserved diesels sector, could they possibly use bio diesel?

I know loads of bus & coach companies use it, yes there's the costs of making it which aren't cheap but however on the plus side we'll always have plenty of cooking oil from restaurants & takeaways etc available.

Supposedly from what I've read on it bio diesel puts emissions down a good chunk & is apparent a fair bit cheaper.