WSR Autumn Steam Gala 27-30 September 2018

The psychology of paying for rosters seems all wrong to me. People have already paid a considerable amount for tickets, and then you charge extra for something that for many people will be necessary to maximise their enjoyment. At which point, the production lead times make it quite likely it is out of date and thereby more or less useless by time it is needed - it's a system almost custom designed to lead to discontent. If you visited a stately home, you might expect to pay for a glossy souvenir guide book, but a basic map of the house and gardens will be given "free"(*) as part of the entry price. So why charge for the basics of timetable and loco diagrams, when they are the equivalent of a map at a stately home - something necessary to help you get the most out of your day?

I understand the need to cover costs. But silently adding, say, 50p to every ticket is far less likely to generate discontent than a cheaper ticket but where the programme then comes as a costly extra.

(*) "Free" as in free at point of receipt - you have of course paid for it within the overall admission price.

Tom

 

Totally agree with you. It's up to each railway to decide what their policy should be but let's look at some other railways:

1) Bluebell and Swanage publish the working timetable online.
2) Great Central give the souvenir booklet including working timetable away FREE to everyone who buys a ticket or produces a pre-bought ticket.
3) Mid Hants give the souvenir booklet away FREE - the working timetable is usually included as a loose sheet inside. Loco roster also published online.
4) I think the GWSR do something similar to the Mid Hants

I think the Mid Hants have got the best solution - it allows for last minute changes to the loco roster rather than giving out a timetable that has been superceded. I remember a couple of years ago a visiting loco (53809 I think) failed on the Friday of the gala. They burned the midnight oil reworking the timetable for the rest of the weekend and had accurate new rosters to hand out to everyone on Saturday - great job!

The only other railway I know that charges for a working timetable is the Severn Valley - and they are inconsistent in that they charge £5 for the Autumn Steam Gala but seem happy to give away the WTT online for the Spring Gala which is almost as complex an operation but without the overnight trains.

If I go to the WSR this weekend I'm not sure I want to pay £4 for a booklet that contains little useful information and an out of date timetable!

Basically I don't care about souvenir guides and I don't need a huge document for a WTT like the Severn Valley produce. All I ask is a simple sheet of paper with the timetable including loco allocations included in the ticket price. If the railways don't want the cost of producing that just publish it online.

 

You are correct only WSR and SVR charge for loco rosters. NYMR used to but now do not.

 

Completely agree, a piece of paper or a pdf on my phone is all I want.

The Ffestiniog also charges for rosters btw.

 

As usual I have bought the souvenir programme. It makes nice reading and even has one of my photos in, albeit credited to someone else. However, all I want from it is which loco is on which train. I need to know which to photograph and which I don't need to.

 

Thanks Steve. The WSR official website has been updated to show 80072 as guest loco and USA 6046 removed from the roster. <BJ>

 

'Mickey Mouse' alone on the Moors...



...well, almost alone

First Up train tomorrow will be 41312 with a three coach 'local', say the Gala team.

Steve

 

Hi, Steve.
Sounds good.
Which coaches?

 

Does that mean that the goods has been canned?

 

Too many trees for a moor I think! Well Dartmoor, apart from the few plantations, has few trees other than scrub but the approaches are quite wooded. It is the same for Bodmin Moor.

 

According to the gala programme, the first up passenger train on all four days of the gala is 41312 with a three coach local (and that's also the consist of the last down train except for Sunday). Meanwhile, from BL, the first train each day varies in motive power, being double headed on three of the four days, and also including the QB breakfast service on the same three days. Slight imbalance, perhaps? At least for this gala, the first up train on Sunday doesn't depart an hour later than the first down as happened last year!!

 

Disappointing. Presumably the MHD - NF goods has been cancelled and its loco replacing 80072 on the first train from BL - MHD. <BJ>

 

Anything more concrete yet, Steve?

 

6046 has been shunted into the naughty corner at Minehead and the information office provided me with all the roster amendments.
Just done a trip from Minehead to Crowcombe in the DMU, first time I've ridden in the front of a DMU for many years. Now returning to Minehead in the company of a pint of Quantock Gold. What better way to prepare for the gala.

 

Photo of 80072 ready to be winched onto Reid's low loader at 17.00 today.

Bob.

 

As at 1720 the 3 coach set for the 0900 local service in the bay at Minehead with the freight stock ahead of it.
53808 and 41312 on shed in that order ready for the morning so assume 53808 on the freight and 41312 on the local.

Hope that helps
DH

 

Errrmm. This is what I had last night, kindly provided by WSR Loco. I haven't had time to re-work it and I hope it makes sense:

Thurs 27th
BL
09.05BL – 73082
09.55BL – 34052 ( Solo )
14.10 NF - 73082
15.45 BL -Diesel (33)
MD
09.55MD - 7822 ( Solo)
10.55MD - 6960
13.45MD – 7820
15.40MD – 7822 ( Solo)

Fri 28th
BL
13.10NF- 7820
14.10NF – 7822 ( Solo)
15.45BL – Diesel (33)
MD
10.55MD – 7820
11.55 7822 ( Solo)

Sat 29th
BL
12.05NF – Diesel - Hymek
MD
09.55MD – Diesel - Hymek

Sun 30th
BL
13.10 NF – 7820
14.10 NF – 7822
15.45 BL – Diesel - Hymek
MD
10.55MD – 7820
11.55MD – 7822
16.40MD – 7820/6960


Steve

 

Could a kind soul let me know what services inc the QB coaches. I gather there is no wheelchair access on that set during the Gala. I'd like to let folks know via wsr.org.uk etc. It might be quicker to ask here than wait for an answer from the busy people at the railway.

Steve

 

For 80104 read 80072!

 

They usually put the BG with 3 TSOs on the QB