West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Most are not, but many are. Especially, in my personal experience, those persuaded to accompany someone to a railway despite other holiday preferences!


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But, assuming no other more urgent priorities, would such investment deliver the best return for the railway?

I’m always very wary of the argument that because I would like something, doing something about it would be a good decision.


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The key question I suppose is what is the catering for - to generate profit, in which case low key/low staff can give greater profit, or a passenger service which is hoped to make some profit but which is considered necessary enough for a small loss to be tolerated. If the latter, can the West Somerset afford this at the moment, and is the 'split risk' of two operators perhaps a good idea ?

Steven

 

It has worked well or years and it profitable. Given the usual 1020,departure for most it is too late for breakfast. By the arrival at Minehead lunches are available. Given the space available providing cooked breakfasts at BL is not practical. Other lines may have more space available.

 

I'm sorry, but all this talk of catering is head in the sand stuff. The real concern should be that the WSR's passenger figures are static or declining at a time when many other railways are showing an increase. I do not for one second believe that this is down to the level of catering on offer! The WSR needs to find ways of attracting more visitors to the railway, if that can be achieved secondary spend will follow!

 

The SVR had a rather nice inland resort called Arley-on-sea a few years ago, rather delightful it was according to those who visited it too!

 

Consulting various magazines, as well as WSR's own announcements, it seems that a peak number travelled during 2009 amounting to 226,737.
Unfortunately, it appears to have experienced declining numbers of passengers each successive year. Apart from 2017 when it had a small rise of around 1.5% to 189,365. This was helped when circa 11,800 travelled during Flying Scotsman's visit.
2018's figures were reported as 181,142 passengers.

 

It might be interesting to see whether there is any correlation with the number of holiday makers coming to Minehead over the same period - a decade of austerity??

 

With Brexit nearing there may be many more people spending their holidays in good old Blighty …..but more importantly to the WSR, the south west. <BJ>

 

I'm under the impression that the rise in traffic for some lines in recent years has been down to the "Staycation" effect. This might well increase once Brexit finally happens, but the signs are that the WSR has missed out till now. Reversing that trend somehow without dramatically increasing spending has to be their priority.

 

If Post 16908 (missspentyouth) has validity then as far as Post 16909 (freetogrice) is concerned then that should already have happened. It seems it has not.

 

Just a thought, the 'staycation' effect is perfectly veiwed passing Butlins.

But, big big but, people are lazy, more so than ever. Probably too lazy to walk to the station.

What if a halt was created at Butlins?

 

For the last 2 (?3) years, the WSR has offered a ticket sold only in Butlins giving a below-normal price on a day return to Watchet, valid Wednesdays and Sundays only, travelling out on the 1015 MD, returning on any train. I think it has been fairly successful, but most people staying in Butlins are there for the free entertainment provided all day long within their own walls, and have no desire to stray outside!

 

I am sure this is correct. Also much of the business attracted to Butlins is of a 'conference' nature. Usually most conference attendees stay at the venue and go home a soon as the conference is over.

 

Who knows what will happen post Lemming Friday - all we can predict will be a period of instability and living in a tourist area (The Lake District) such scenarios are very rarely good for Buisiness. You may for example if the pound falls gain more foreign tourists (not sure if you will have the same effect in Somerset?), but that may easily be offset by a fall in UK visitors if a recession results. Whatever happens now is a good time to get your house in order and get your costs under tight control, and I hope the new broom is successful in these areas but to hope for a upturn on the back of Brexit is a tad foolhardy, it may arrive but what if it has the opposite effect?


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FfWHR do that quite happily and the loco side runs at 96% volunteer availability. Which isn't bad considering there were 2600 turns to be filled last year. On a High Summer Thursday it requires 10 sets of locomotive crews to run a service.

FR1 - Works 08:40 (05:45 Start / 13:30 Finish)
FR2 - Works 10:05 / 13:35 (07:15 Start / 18:15 Finish)
FR3 - Works 10:40 / 14:30 (07:30 Start / 18:30 Finish)
FR4 - Works 11:55 / 16:00 (08:30 Start / 19:45 Finish)
FR5 - Works 18:05 (15:00 Start / 22:00 Finish)
FR6 - Works 19:15 Music Night Special (18:00 Start / 00:30 Finish)
WHR1 - Works 09:40 ex Porthmadog to Rhyd Ddu and back (06:45 Start / 12:30 Finish)
WHR2 - Works 10:00 ex Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu and back (06:30 Start / 12:15 Finish)
WHR3 - Works 12:55 ex Porthmadog to Caernarfon and back (12:00 Start / 19:30 Finish)
WHR4 - Works 13:00 ex Caernarfon to Porthmadog and back (11:30 Start / 19:30 Finish)

 

How many tourist railways do you find in Third World countries?

 

That's true - but you have presumably needed that level of staffing for a few years now. If you were to suddenly go from 1,300 turns to 2,600, it would be a bit of a step change!

 

OK, time to take up residence in one of the lineside pillboxes and put the safety helmet on ……
Perhaps one factor affecting visitor numbers is the preponderance of Swindon outline locomotives. Look at the variety to be seen at NYMR, SVR, Bluebell, GCR, ELR and others.
A huge amount of effort went into restoring Odney Manor with superb workmanship and a dazzling result but at the end of the day we finished up with the third Manor to work on the line in 2018. How many people are going to travel miles for that?
Swindon locomotives are undoubtedly good but they are very obviously from the same family to both the initiated and the uninitiated and now we have disposed of three that looked different and appear to be adding another family member.

 

Now I'm not one to say that members of the public think all steam locos look the same, but I really, really, don't buy that as a reason passenger numbers on the WSR are declining. IMO that can legitimately be used as a reason to excuse poor attendance at a gala where the proportion of enthusiasts and people interested in specific locos is higher, but no more.