West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Mr Maunsell,

There is nothing wrong with running a money making exercise. You yourself say that it will raise funds which is the same thing, is it not ? That's a rather puzzling contradiction i.e. making money = bad, raising funds = good. Perhaps we can all duck the hard facts and just refer to it as a "fiscal replenishment opportunity".

You say the railway will be showcased and we will attract a new audience, I totally agree. Is the desired outcome not that passenger numbers and revenues will benefit ? There will be a feel good factor at the end of it but that has to translate into tangible benefits. All preserved railways run on a balance sheet and everything that is consumed has to be paid for. Generating that money is absolutely essential as without it, we would have to stay at home and play at trains in the loft.

"Profits promoteth preservation" as they say on other railways. Paying for a second guest locomotive eats into profits however I have no doubt that wise people will be busy crunching the numbers.

 

I don't think there is much distance between Maunsell and Snifter's positions - mainly different ways of saying it. Snifter is right to say that any additional locomotive should not simply be a drain on the budget, and we are addressing that. For information these are the top four agreed objectives for the planning team:
•Ensure a safe event
•Maximise net revenue
•Make it enjoyable for all concerned
•Ensure good long term publicity for the railway

Frank

 

Pity. She looked great at the WSR in 2001.

 

That was the same info I was given from a local driver.
He also advised that it is best to check with them before travelling, or if unsure on where to get off/on the bus just ask the driver.

They already do! Its quite funny seeing a Taunton bound number 28 travelling towards Minehead!
They are using the cotford roundabout to come back on themselves to be able to go into the village.

Robin F.

 

Noted. I suppose it really comes down to timing. Maybe by March there will be a way for the buses to resume via the station.

 

Its also worth pointing out that taking Flying Scotsman to the WSR allows as many people as possible to see her, which goes far beyond the financial benefits

 

Back to Thomas again. Paul Conibeare has posted an item on the WSR staff website stating that Thomas will not be visiting the WSR in 2017 or for the foreseeable future as the new rights holders, Mattel, have refused to let the WSR have a licence to run the event, their reason being that they dont make enough money out of it, because the platform at MD is not big enough to hold large numbers of people. This in spite of the fact that they gave the WSR the "best organised event" award in 2016. What a sad state of affairs.



Sent from my Lenovo TAB 2 A10-70F using Tapatalk

 

the platform at Minehead is huge, possibly the biggest in preservation!

 

Good Riddance to it.

 

Easy to say, but:

(1) we shall have to work to replace the revenue. 2017 should be boosted by the Flying Scotsman visit but what of 2018 on?

(2) my Railway interest was sparked by Thomas aged 4. Let's hope we don't lose that connection.

Robin

 

Other places have developed replacement events which not only cost (much) less to put on but have come to attract more visitors. You may well end up being grateful for having to give up "Thomas" in terms of net income as well as for the satisfaction of making a rude gesture. Courage ma brave!

Paul H

 

That is also true Mr Wessex however should those people expect to get close to FS for free ? The costs of hiring the loco plus the ancillary costs such as security etc. would probably come as a shock to you.

As for TTTE, it's a great shame. I and many other volunteers had a terrific time talking to parents and children who visited the cab of "89". We also had great fun hamming it up on the turntable which got a few laughs. I know the owner of an alternative franchise and will have a word. It is very early days for his business but I think it will enjoy significant success in the next few years. The characters are not railway related however my friend lives within earshot of the WSR and values what we do.

 

Far better than a greedy corporate body.

 

As a replacement for a cirtain little blue engine the children love, is there any way of the WSR doing an "Ivor the engine" event instead?

 

I wondered when the Ex 6 would get a mention.

 

I'd prefer to see railways live within the income generated as a Preserved line rather than having to continually invent revenue streams to support their aspirations .

 

Without invention, everything will stagnate, and IMHO that includes preserved railways.

TTTE is surely just one of many special events which most lines hold throughout the year, others might be diesel galas, WW2 themed events etc.

Its certainly up for debate as to where a line is drawn, but without these "invented" revenue streams, I suspect many a line would cease to exist.

 

Where is the line drawn? How long-running does an income stream have to be to be allowable? Some preserved lines, after all, have been running family events like that for forty years or more.

 

I was not referring to them and in any case they were not a corporate body.

 

My 6 year old seems to spend a lot of time watching 'Tom Moss The Prank Engine' How about a Tom Moss themed event?