East Lancs Railway Freight Train Ride

We at the ELR are looking for a bit of feedback.

We intend to start running monthly full line freight trains for people to ride on, on selected Sundays from April. However we want to sell them at a reasonable price.

So we are asking you, the potential customers how much you would pay for a FULL LINE round trip in a Toad or Queen Mary.

Factors to consider are that our full line return ticket is £14.50 which includes access to Bury Transport Museum. The Freight Train ticket would also travel on a service train later in the day and access to BTM.

So, thoughts please.

Many thanks, Rich

 

£25?

 

The GWSR did a similar thing this year.

"You will shortly be able to book either a footplate ride for just £100 or a brake van ride for £30 - including a full rover ticket for the day, a hot drink at the Coffee Pot Café at Winchcome and a discounted rover ticket for a friend for just £10."

Full story at ....
http://www.gwsr.com/news/2014/july/...–-on-the-footplate-or-in-the-brake-van!-.aspx

Hope that's of some help.

 

Steam or diesel hauled?

 

For the first instance it would be steam hauled but if there is demand then diesel could be facilitated.

 

Chuck in a tour of Buckley Wells.. it'd appeal to the same crowd... even if the tour was conducted during a Brake Van shunt.... indeed maybe have the tour finish in the BV afterwards in BTM yard too... it'd start to feel a bit like an SLS railtour then.

 

What's the break even revenue?

 

If the freight is booked to run as timetabled as a demo, then there is no break even, so any monies garnered are a bonus!

 

I'd assumed loco costs would be incurred.

 

There would be, but if its booked to run anyway, then its a "take it on the chin" cost - so whatever you get from those riding in the BV is a bonus........ lets say the freight is booked to do 2x returns in the timetable. cost of coal & water circa £200 for the loco......... the BV is a BR Brake, and can accommodate 20 - assuming both trips are a sell out, and just charging for riding in the Brake ie a supplement to the main fare - charge each pax £10. the first trip breaks even, the second makes a profit = worth doing............. and to me a tenner a head is a reasonable sum to ask......... if you included it in the day rover people would baulk at the price, but charge it separately, then foe some psychological reason, paying ten quid for being bounced about in a Brake has an enduring appeal to Joe Public..........

 

Would it require another service loco?
If so what is the total cost of that? "£200 coal and water" plus daily hire fee?

 

It would be operated on Sunday's when there is a dining train out. Urilising the diner locomotive. So the locomotive would be steamed anyway. The extra coal and water plus a fraction of the steaming fee I would imagine.

 

Thank you for your feedback guys. We will be making an announcement soon.

 

I'd definitely be up for this, would there be just one freight trip per day or two - all I'm thinking is that riding a brake van would be thirsty work (especially going through those tunnels) so a stopover at Rawtenstall for a few refreshing and nutritious beverages would be nice.

 

And ofc on the return trip - the 4 loos per breakvan can be utilised

 

From reading elsewhere on here, I'm glad you've decided to use the QMB........ 20 in a BR Brake is rather cozy, on a QMB, at least you'll be able to breath, and the most important person on there, the guard, can at least get to the vac handle & the brake wheel should the need arise!

Hope the rides prove popular at the gala.

BTW, once you've run the gala - can we have the QMB please?....... the only Rly in the South that doesn't have one, needs one...... ............... just stick it on the low loader that brings the 9F's tender back down South!

 

Who wants to ride on a freight train the full length of our line? Now you can... Click below for details.

http://www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/packages-experiences/freight-train-experience.aspx

 

Nice idea, could appeal to those without the kind of budget for a firing course and a nice family present for "grandad the enthusiast"..

Small thing but, the ELR has 3 tunnels, not two , unless Bolton st tunnel became a bridge

 

I appreciate this is a bit late, but the footplate ride for £100 was a sell out and the brake van rides were sparsely populated IIRC...