Project Wareham

I only use them for betting with. Other uses are available, so I've heard from a Bluebell driver, now sadly passed away.

 

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Swanage Railway has been proud to promote the fact that it has operated steam daily from the end of March to the end of October every year (except covid years) with the exception of the diesel gala days in early May.(NB some MF were non operational IIRC in October 2019).

Turn Up and Go by steam has been a very strong selling point and a major factor in the C200,000 passengers per annum carried each year for the past decade plus. If the product offering is changed, it is inevitable that no matter how well the alternative offering is marketed, there will be some disappointed customers. This could have a very serious impact on SR's reputation and future patronage as it may negatively impact turn up and go.

If costs have to be cut then altering the product offering should be the last choice. Whilst I would not wish to reduce the level of service the question has to be asked if the yellow (2 locos in steam) operating days during the may half term holiday and school summer holiday should be changed to 1 steam 1 diesel thus at least retaining steam on all operating days? That would save C56 steaming days.
As an aside could that also mean that one fewer steam loco would be required thus potentially returning one steam loco back off rent?

On the assumption that operating costs (and cashflow) are the issue, which of the projects being undertaken would reduce operating costs immediately ie have quick payback? Is this the water tower project?

If peak capacity is an issue should the 6 car railway project be advanced so that 6 carriages can be operated? This could mean that the number of 2 locos in service days (whether 2 steam or 1 steam 1 diesel) could be reduced again lowering operating costs and potentially reducing staff resource demand.

How much coal does SR burn per year? If the cost of coal doubled what would this mean in financial terms approximately. Would putting an extra £1 on each ticket significantly alter demand and thus gross revenue?

 

Don't know about the SR, but some years ago I worked out that coal cost about £4.50 / mile on the Bluebell; and the coal budget was about 6% of the annual operating cost. Since then, coal has not quite doubled in price. Clearly in an organisation in which margins each year are tight, if coal went from say 6% of costs to 10% that would be very significant, but it is important to realise that it is not the major cost on the railway - or, put another way, there are other places where savings could be made. (On a railway that has a significant dining operation, the annual food bill is probably higher than the annual coal bill - food for thought, pun not intended).

The problems at the moment are really three fold:

1. Coal is going up, which you could absorb on its own - but it is happening against a backdrop of rising prices of most utilities and supplies. Electric bills are eye-watering, and unlike domestic customers, not capped.
2. Coal supply chain is disrupted. It seems to be that factor, more than just price, which is causing railways to start rationing steam: You can at least budget for a rise from £200 to £300 per ton, but much harder to plan if you don't know whether you can even get supply at all. If you have cash you can stockpile longer ahead than normal, but that requires cashflow and ties up financial capital.
3. The impact of price rises on willingness of customers to travel is unknown. Some people will tighten their belts; but for others, maybe "belt tightening" means a week at home rather than a week abroad - who knows?

Tom

 

I do not know what the railway knows from ticket sales by my casual observations say that most people buy a ticket to have a "ride on a steam train". Diesel loads always look far lower and I have often seen people wander back into the town and wait the 45 minutes for a steam service. Would those that use the park and ride just drive the extra 5.5 mile into Swanage and pay £8 to park for the day rather than I think £3.50 (maybe increased this year and a £17 return ticket (or more if you increase it). Steam is the USP for most Heritage Lines and especially for non enthusiasts, so not sure myself of the answer. To the uninitiated what is the difference between a modern diesel (loco or DMU) and an old one?
Other railways do function not operating everyday so I assume it does work and even Swanage has times when trains do not operate on a Friday and Monday.

 

Yes steam is the USP.

The choices that present themselves are:

1) operate fewer steam days
2) operate less steam (and / or more diesel) on some days
3) carry on as normal but possibly increase fares

The question is at what point are any op cost savings outweighed by a loss of revenue. The challenge is often that a loss of revenue doesnt immediately manifest itself. An example of that is a family who turn up, discover it is diesel, decide to still travel "because we have come all this way" but the following year decide to go elsewhere because of the negative experience the previous year. Thus the loss of revenue is in year 2 and not in year 1.

As I said in my earlier post reducing or cutting steam must be the last resort because it is the USP that drives patronage. yes there are some who come for diesel and enjoy the diesel experience but they are very much the minority.

Yes Swanage has cut MF running in October in a couple of years but even so SR has operated one of the most intensive steam services of any HR. Arguably this does give some scope for reduction but what effect this has both +financially and -customer experience remains to be seen. SR visitors perhaps do not have the mindset of say NYMR visitors who check the train times in advance because of the significant headway between services.

 

But the Wareham shuttle service was to boost rides on the steam railway, the seaside, Corfe castle, hiking, cycle hire etc by promoting getting there by mainline train, rather than car.
Also to reduce congestion.
Let's hope there is no recession or more bad COVID variants, and the SR (and SWR) have a good year so the Wareham shuttle service (and other projects) can start 2023.

2023 will also be the Waterloo anniversary so with 563, the Wareham service could boost visits to the steam railway.

 

I'M not very good with Abbreviations. USP ?

 

Unique Selling Point

 

Thanks for that.
I must say that I have never ever heard of it before.

 

I hope I’m not coming across as disparaging towards the SR’s current model. From where I stand, I marvel, (in a good way!), at the way heritage railways are run in your country with regards to timetables. I think the reason you are able to do that is due to economies of scale. The tighter the discretionary spend situation becomes,the more you may loose the economies of scale advantage. I did like @Jamessquared point about people perhaps spending more money on home turf rather than abroad - certainly something similar happened here in Queensland when there was a travel ban due to Covid. Local tourism got a huge boost.

Hopefully the current adverse conditions can be managed successfully and services are not disrupted to any great extent because that would be a shame. No one knows where this will end regarding coal/operating costs/revenue but it is worth noting that if you want to ride on a steam train in Australia, then pre-booking is essential. You will also find that those services pretty much only run on weekends and holidays. It does work.

Hopefully the world sorts it sh** out and we can all get back to business as usual sooner rather than later.

 

Dorset CC Car Parks going up to 10gbp. No doubt by the time I get to the Jurassic Coast Morebus fares will have risen again but this postponement does now mean that I can ride the bus from Wareham to Swanage with a clear conscience! Those railways that inherited operational Pacers must be having a quiet smile! Come on PhotoShoppers show us a Pacer in Southern Green!!

 

Balham. Gateway to the South! apologies to The unforgettable Peter! A light hearted look at SR problems!
Dining at the El Morocco formerly the Birds Nest
Project Wareham... sorry luv Wareham's Off!
I'll have a water tank..sorry luv its off too!
Can we have a turntable then..off sorry!
How about a carriage shed....Off luv but we might be getting some in for Christmas!
A sidings dish of Perenco. Off luv but ask your local MP; the government might make some available

 

...but the T3 should be running next year. buy a bag of coal is coming!!

 

To save thread drift, a separate thread has been created relating to anniversaries down South: https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/2023-southern-railway-region-anniversaries.1420852/

 

The car park at Dorset Council's Purbeck Park site at Norden is going up from £3.50 to £4.00 per day - not to £10.00 as you state.
Incidentally, Dorset County Council ceased to exist on 31st March 2019 and unitary authority Dorset Council started from 1st April 2019.
DC controls the remainder of the old county of Dorset not included in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council areas which merged to form a separate unitary authority.
Also, operational Pacers are not currently permitted on lines serving Wareham and a lot of engineering paperwork, etc would be required to see if consent might be granted - just in case you thought Pacers would be an 'easy' solution.

 

We all hope that but may well be wishful thinking. At 1 in 20 Covid does not look to good, every time I get close to renewing my season ticket it all goes the wrong way. Economic conditions going forward are all very unclear at the moment, especially if people have the same concerns as me.

 

As well as not being permitted in the sectional appendix (something that could probably have be rectified in the past), at least 15 years ago it was HMRI/ORR advice that they would, in all likelihood, be treated with the same degree of 'welcome' (or indeed less of one) as was received regarding regular use of MkI slam-door stock:

That said, riding the mile or so to Worgret would probably be the best passenger experience on a Pacer before heading of down the jointed track of the branch! I can't see them as being good for the business model, even if they were approved to run on the mainline!

 

You really are a moron.

 

Please leave it with the over use of exclamation marks!!
You sound like a tweet from Donny!
Chill Oliver! Chill!