Steve's Recent Activity
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Steve replied to the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
It looks like the good ol' days are back:) Well, almost. Tomorrow, it's planned to be 100% steam between Pickering and Grosmont with only Pebbles making two round trips between Whitby and Grosmont to spoil things. 926, 2392 & 92134 are doing...
Sep 20, 2026 at 6:45 PM -
Steve liked torgormaig's post in the thread Bluebell Railway General Discussion.
Are you by any chance in caHOOTS with our friend @The Gricing Owl?:) Peter
Sep 19, 2026 at 10:38 PM -
Steve liked 21B's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
I would start by ensuring that decisions and plans are explained, and that volunteers feel they are being listened to. Can I also point out that engagement means you have to generate a sense of shared ownership or common purpose if you prefer. IF...
Sep 19, 2026 at 10:36 PM -
Steve replied to the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
I’ve been involved in the heritage railway volunteering game for over 60 years and I learnt many years ago that the average volunteer will not step up to fill a vacancy. After all, why should you? Unless you have a particular desire to do so you...
Sep 19, 2026 at 6:20 PM -
Steve liked Jamessquared's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
The point is though that those on the ground - whether volunteer or paid - will already know that volunteers are scarce and there may be some key gaps: they just have to look around. So by the course of action you suggest, you aren't running the...
Sep 19, 2026 at 4:36 PM -
Steve liked Jark91's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
Why the rigid thinking? If the vacancies info you have out there isn't getting the people in, you need alternative recruitment methods. That might look like a targeted ad campaign. Or as @Jamessquared said recruiting somebody with specialist...
Sep 19, 2026 at 4:34 PM -
Steve liked 60044's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
If you were perhaps referring to me, I can say categorically that you are 100% wrong! I do not wish the railway to fail, or even to look as though it is going to and I absolutely do not want to run it - but I, and I think many others, feel that...
Sep 19, 2026 at 4:31 PM -
Steve liked Jamessquared's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
Just on that specific point - it seems an odd point of view. No-one doubts that it is hard to find volunteers, but it doesn't magically get easier if you don't even try! If the railway is struggling to find volunteers, you aren't going to make...
Sep 19, 2026 at 3:29 PM -
Steve liked jnc's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
What the current management needs to take on board, in a big way, is that most of the 'carping' that seems to upset them is actually coming from people who deeply care for the railway! If they didn't care about the line, they'd just be quiet,...
Sep 19, 2026 at 3:27 PM -
Steve liked Pete Thornhill's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
Ironically, this is another classic example of a post that tells us someone is listening to stories but doesn’t give any insight whatsoever. From my reading this is one of the main issues - a lack of transparency. It’s really not hard to see...
Sep 19, 2026 at 3:26 PM -
Steve liked 60044's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
The problem seems to be that, like Moors Line, the weekly volunteer update is about "spin", which is why some of us at least, barely bother to glance at the magazine and have cancelled our membership, until the time when it reverts to being even...
Sep 19, 2026 at 12:30 PM -
Steve liked Jark91's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
Repton, Sir Nigel Gresley and the 9F out today, with all but two Grosmont departures steam hauled. That's more like it.
Sep 19, 2026 at 12:29 PM -
Steve replied to the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
John, what volunteers (and others) want is the truth and not just spin. I quoted two instances in the Thomas event and Br 42. Simply saying Thomas covered it’s costs is being economical with the truth. By how much did it cover its costs. 50p or...
Sep 19, 2026 at 12:10 PM -
Steve replied to the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
And the tin lies the crux of the problem. The senior management don’t engage with the volunteers, whether by ignorance or design. In recent months they have produced a weekly newsletter but it has been generally full of spin with such things as...
Sep 18, 2026 at 10:41 PM -
Steve liked 21B's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
And most importantly in my opinion (and because of their structure - although other structures can provide similar results) they retain the engagement and support of their volunteers and members. THAT as I have said before, will be the defining...
Sep 18, 2026 at 10:21 PM
