Buxton spa express

Is this Sundays tour cancelled

 

Yes, due to low level of bookings.

 

Thats a bit worrying, the last cotton mill was canceled as well ?

 

Hmmm

Interesting that it's the repeat itinerary tours going down - rather suggests that money is being concentrated on "special" workings and that run of the mill days out are being sidelined.

First signs of retrenchment in the market?

 

Sounds like the opposite of what you'd expect when times are tough, we are constantly being told the one off tours are a dying breed.

 

Maybe it's the enthusiasts says "been there, done that", or not having the cash to do it again, and Joe Public either being un-aware of the tour or again not having the brass?

 

It may be a bit of both..

same engine, same route, same time etc etc,.. novelty is bound to slip a bit in a recession.
And the public's attitude for a day out may also change, when the ELR is 50% or more cheaper than the Cotton Mill.. in a recession it's the Cotton Mill that gets it and people may opt for a day at Bury.

But then also.. those that goto the ELR every week may also cut back to say every 2 weeks and opt to stay at home with a video.

Basically a downwards shift for everyone.

 

Yes, but that one trip on 30 November 2008 was ruined for travellers by the presence of a diesel on the back. There were complaints to the steward in my coach about this and he told them we wouldn't get there without a diesel! What sort of an advert is that for people to book again and furthermore what is the point of advertising "steam against the grade" tours only to have a diesel on the back pushing. It defeats the object and enjoyment of the trip and people do not forget these things. If they have paid for steam but believe they are being pushed by a diesel then they won't come back. I also believe it is significant that since the diesel appeared on the back of 13 December 2008 " Cotton Mill" which had never happened previously and loadings had never been an issue until then, bookings for that popular train have dried up with two of three "Cotton Mills" since then cancellled due to poor loadings. I believe these facts speak for themselves.

 

If i remember correctly, the 13/12/08 (with 76079) Cottonmill ran with the 47 to help with heating, due to the stock having a few leaks. I appreciate that most dont want to see assistance, but a certain times of year it makes sense, surely out-ways the potential damage and cost of having a train stuck somewhere holding up other trains :-k
When the Cotton mill started there was a media frenzy in the local rags, i've seen nothing about the Buxton trips apart from railway publications and this site, nothing aimed at "Joe" :-k

Matt.

 

is this not making a fuss over nothing, with the amount of tours scheduled this year its hardly suprising that some will be cancelled, also with the amount of fantastic trips on offer this year with more steam mileage, manchester to buxton is well down on my list of must do railtours so prehaps people are saving for the summer tours.

 

Time consuming maybe, but the timings did allow for this, just as those for next Sunday would have done.

(I expect we'll be banished to the "diesel on steam tours" thread any time now - if stepney60 was still a moderator it would probably already have happened)

 

There are a lot of factors which could of lead to the lack of bookings of this tour. Motive Power, destination, publicity, time of year as well as other trips which appeal more certain people and that’s not even including the current economic climate! Currently it is hard for tour operators to run large volumes of tours and for all to sell well, like Past Time Rail, and of course some tours are going to be cancelled because of low bookings. Currently with 2 of the Manchester based tours been caped, it may be a case of extending the supply of tours beyond the necessary demand to fill them. Certainly in my case as a regular steam follower on the mainline these tours don’t appeal. I travelled on 2 'Cotton Mills' last year the latter being because of the rare steam track, and I certainly don’t plan on travelling on them in the near future.

 

We are still only in March, most of the repeat Intineries are seasonal operations, the CME is not, perhaps this is where things are going wrong - aiming for a market that doesn't exist during the cold, dark months ?.

 

Is the CME purely an out and back operation or do the punters get a chance to get off the train and spend
some time somewhere as with the Scarboroughs and Shakespeares?
If it is only out and back maybe this is part of the reason they aren't selling well.
I should think that the general public like to combine a steam train ride with a bit of time to visit somewhere,
especially if it is a family with kids.

 

Not quite true. Diesels have assisted in the shunt movement before, but they've been sent to Buxton light engine (e.g. from Park Forest) rather than being on the back of the train all day.

 

Both Buxton Spa and Cotton Mills are required steam mileage for me so I will be looking to book on one of each of the remaining Sunday trips. I live way out of area so they appeal to me but as far as local enthusiast support is concerned is it a case of familiarity breeds contempt?