jnc's Recent Activity
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jnc replied to the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
Good point. I know, though, that the NYMR has more paid staff than most heritage lines; I don't know in exactly which roles, though (other than marketing ;-). Are many of them in steam-specific slots, ones which wouldn't exist under diesel?...
Aug 2, 2026 at 10:57 PM -
jnc liked Gladiator 5076's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
You don't pay for all the drivers, firemen and cleaners and some workshop staff on an HR.
Aug 2, 2026 at 9:57 PM -
jnc replied to the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
I reckon it has lost its way in general, not just in the commercial subset. Noel
Aug 2, 2026 at 9:38 PM -
jnc liked Jamessquared's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
If you think of a whole-railway cost and imagine running, say, a six coach train with either a steam loco or diesel hauling it, almost all the costs are identical. P/way, C&W, signalling, the basic business costs - everything is the same. Only...
Aug 2, 2026 at 9:34 PM -
jnc liked Jamessquared's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
Didn't use to be a problem is the key. Lots of things have changed in the last 20+ years. Worse roads, more deer, brighter headlights, wider cars while roads have stayed the same width; (whisper it quietly) probably a less strict attitude to...
Aug 2, 2026 at 9:32 PM -
jnc liked jonathonag's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
That's a very loose comparison to both a policy decision 60 years ago, but also in that the business workings of British Railways and Heritage Railways are like equivalating chalk and cheese. British Railways would have seen diesels as more...
Aug 2, 2026 at 9:31 PM -
jnc liked 60044's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
I think you are quite right to be suspicious and even cynical, but run like this for a month or two and the railway saves quite a lot of money, but long term word gets round and the numbers visiting fall off - and so does the income.
Aug 2, 2026 at 8:46 PM -
jnc liked Sulzerman's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
As we are now into August, it has been some weeks into the full timetable with predominantly diesel haulage. I know diesel traction is cheaper to run and this led me to reflect on the money being saved by having so few steam engines rostered....
Aug 2, 2026 at 8:44 PM -
jnc liked 5944's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
And it's not just diners. There's the staff to consider as well. You may get back to Grosmont at 10pm, but catering staff won't be booking off until gone 11, and rail staff even later.
Aug 2, 2026 at 8:43 PM -
jnc liked SECR 65's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
Two points I want to pick up on: Evening diners - it has been found at the Bluebell that these struggle to sell compared to luncheon trips. Steam vs diesel. The other day I was volunteering in a passenger-facing role for day 1 of fire risk...
Aug 2, 2026 at 8:42 PM -
jnc liked Jamessquared's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
I’m not surprised that they have reduced the number of evening diners. That has also been our experience - we still run some, but not as many. I get the “dress up to go to dinner” thing. But the NYMR is quite remote, so to do that, you either...
Aug 2, 2026 at 8:41 PM -
jnc liked Trevor Beglin's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
They do want to travel behind a steam locomotive but the lack of flexibility in the 60163 only fares, a return trip that doesn't amount to a full day out or offer Whitby as an option or a hefty premium close to a full line rover they'd have to...
Aug 2, 2026 at 8:35 PM -
jnc liked 60044's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
The full diesel-hauled train was leaving Pickering earlier, and running through to Whitby. The 60163 train was later and only going as far as Grosmont. That may well be the difference! It isn't the whole story, though. If the NYMR abandoned...
Aug 2, 2026 at 8:35 PM -
jnc liked Sulzerman's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
I think when they book they hope for steam. They also want Whitby. They're putting up with diesel for the sake of the journey.
Aug 2, 2026 at 8:31 PM -
jnc liked 5944's post in the thread Oswestry Update.
Hmmm... not sure the CHR's latest qualified pacer driver (as seen in the newsletter) should be deliberately avoiding them! ;)
Aug 2, 2026 at 8:22 PM
