Talyllyn Finances

I see Adam-Box still features in the Santa Brochure

http://www.talyllyn.co.uk/santa

Pity I didn't put his fleece on - the picture was taken in June

 

Yes it is, you can join online top right from the timetable page.

 

Interesting. I have the 2016 leaflet here (picked it up in St. Albans... not much wrong with the reach of their publicity!) so I can quickly compare this with what's on their website for 2017:
Green timetable was 3 round trips, now 4 (the 3.10 is new, the 2.00 is retimed so its refreshment stop is on the way back not on the way up). Blue timetable was 4 trips, now 5 (the 2.35 & 4.20 replacing the previous 3.45) and pink timetable was 6 trips, now 7 (the 3.10 & 4.20 replacing the previous 3.45).
Digging a bit deeper, they run for a week in February (half term I presume) and for 2016 ran 2 round trips, for 2017 that becomes 4. March running has been cut back to just a couple of weekend (in 2016 midweek running started on the 21st), I haven't checked when Easter is/was as that may be a factor. 2016 service has 2 trips for most of May, then 3 or 4 depending on which day through June and into July. For 2017 these are all 4-trip days. The same is true of September.
It looks rather as if the way they are trying to fix the finances is to run even more trains and keep that loss-making cafe open for longer, which seems to suggest that they don't see much wrong with the formula... not what people on this thread seem to be suggesting!

 

done that....guaranteed my visit(s) next year!

hope it helps.

 

Huh! A sort of timetable W.I.B.N. Huh!

PH

 

It's more of a return to the 2015 timetable actually, with some adjustments on timings. Maybe it's not what you would do, but I believe it's been carefully considered and has the support of staff involved. Perhaps worth seeing whether it helps. rather than dismissing it offhand.

 

The T.R. has been shedding traffic since about 1970. Realism not blind optimism is what is really required. Yes I am dismissive (and disappointed}

PH

 

Try 1866, with a slight blip from the 1960s to the mid 1970s.

 

In the 1960's and 70's these caravan parks catered for families coming for a weeks holiday - pretty much all of whom travelled on the TR - there wasn't much else to do. That market disappeared with the growth of package holidays which offered a cheaper and better holiday in Spain with no rain.

These days, they are holiday homes owned by families who visit them for weekends - they go to Florida or The Maldives etc for longer holidays. They travel on the railway maybe once every 3 or 5 years.