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34046 Braunton

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by 92143, Oct 18, 2011.

  1. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    The thought does occur perhaps there are too many Loco's requiring attention and not enough workshops for them ?, Seems Bury & Crewe in particular have a queue which can't be moved until the "current" project is completed, though you could argue they have a queue because they have a reputation for doing a good job.
     
  2. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    I had a bet with myself as to how this thread would go.

    Fund for build again 31739, 35001, a complete set of Night Ferry stock plus clearance work and pathways from Victoria to Dover and back now gone from £10 and passed the £100 mark. Oops, almost put £100m. Probably about what all that would cost!

    Right, 34046. Anyone know when I, a customer, can start booking trips to get runs behind this loco?

    WIKIPEDIA..."A customer (also known as a client, buyer, or purchaser) is the recipient of a good, service, product, or idea, obtained from a seller, vendor, or supplier for a monetary or other valuable consideration."

    Cheers,

    Bryan
     
  3. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    I think someone at Wikipedia needs to add a caveat to that page to the effect, "this completely excludes customers of main line steam railtours who enjoy their own unique definition of customer"

    Any suggestions for said definition ??
     
  4. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    Yetipedia states "Main line steam railtour customers have very high expectations, requiring trains packed with BSWs and hauled by Bulleid pacifics to work only from Waterloo down the main line to Weymouth and/or Salisbury and return on schedules close to those in use in 1964".
     
  5. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check


    How about

    Passenger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
  6. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    I'm really concerned about you Bryan, opting for that hated term used by our 'modern railways',
    'Customer' (a person who buys goods or a service) when we are 'Passengers'. (a person who is travelling in a vehicle but is not driving it, flying it or working on it.)
     
  7. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    If you think about it though, we're customers when we buy our ticket, and we then become passengers when we join our train.

    Either way, the point is we don't always get the service we pay for, whether as customers or passengers.
     
  8. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    Steam Railtour Passenger - Someone who regularly pays not inconsiderable sums of money to travel on trains hauled by steam locomotives with little regard for whether minor details such as the the destination, route travelled or identity of said steam locomotive bears any relation to the product advertised by the promoter, so long as their train is actually hauled by a steam locomotive with no intervention by a diesel locomotive, commonly known as a "box".

    One could add that they are prepared to miss out on what some regard as basic necessities of life such as sleep, heat and lighting in order to achieve their aims.

    That describes some of us quite well I think!
     
  9. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    I must be lucky then. Since 2009, not counting NYMR Whitby services, I have had main line trips behind 9466, 34067, 45231, 46115, 46233, 60163, 62005 and 70013 x 2 over the past three years and each one has run with the advertised motive power, worked more or less to time, not been shoved around by a box and have had no problem with coaching stock. Hoping to maintain this record next month on a Royal Duchy.
     
  10. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    I'd say you'd been very lucky yes, and reading that I'm wondering whether there's a new career in waiting for you as a Spin Doctor !

    I'm not a Mathematician but it'd be interesting to know the odds of one person travelling on all those tours with their varying routes, motive power, operators etc without experiencing any problems at all.
     
  11. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    Could be that the majority are happy with what they get so never make a fuss, but the vociferous minority are, well just that.
     
  12. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    Or Ralph, it could be that there's a few that are happy, a few that aren't and the big majority are those that say nothing and never come back.
     
  13. Oakfield

    Oakfield Guest

    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    I'd go with this model.
     
  14. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    That's how it is in the airline industry...

    Customers buy plane tickets, which get exchanged for passengers with a boarding pass
     
  15. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    Very true !

    Unfortunately, (and I'll probably get myself disliked saying this), there is still a mentality on the railways and among railway people that passengers, customers, call them what you will, are a necessary nuisance that intrude on "their" railway. I think that's why so many are sensitive about the use of the term "customer" rather than "passenger". They probably prefer the term passenger as it implies a meaning of someone that travels on "their trains" because they have to rather than choose to and once on board must follow "railway rules".

    This is one, and I emphasise one of the reasons the railway still gets fun poked at it by an uninformed public and media alike. Happily there is a new generation of railway people emerging who are slowly changing this. Let's hope they're allowed to succeed.
     
  16. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    Back on topic and I've just received the below reply from David Randles who represents the custodians of 34046 I presume ?

    Chose the closest font green I could find to Brunswick in an effort to be appropriate but it's far from perfect I'm afraid.

    The delays in fitting out 34046 Braunton for the main line are
    disappointing, but work is now once again underway on the engine. There are
    as yet no firm dates for main line test runs, and these are still some
    weeks away. But keep watching
    www.34046braunton.co.uk for definitive news.
     
  17. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    I worded that wrong, as a steward on steam and diesel charters I find the majority are always happy to go along with what they get, as long as the circumstances of any changes are explained to them. However there will always be the few who are never going to be happy and on occasions they have been known to stir up this dissent in their coach. But once they are home it's only the original few who bother to put their complaints in writing..
     
  18. guard_jamie

    guard_jamie Part of the furniture

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    If they never come back, how is the steam railtour industry seemingly running more and more each year, with seemingly very few cancelled due to lack of bookings?
     
  19. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    Well you can usually find new lambs willing to queue up to be slaughtered !
     
  20. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    Re: 34046 Braunton - Health check

    Nobody care to comment on this then, given it actually concerns Braunton, the subject of this thread ?
     

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