West Somerset Railway General Discussion

That's why I differentiate the phases. The initial approach struck me then, as it still does, as basically reasonable. There were, with hindsight, indications of problems (4110 in particular) about how things were being handled, but the logic of the approach seemed sound. It is how things have subsequently evolved that causes me the real concern, for the reasons I've outlined in my other posts today. That is reinforced by the difficulty I have in believing that the railway was borderline insolvent in late 2018, made a £300k profit in the 2019 financial year, and is now desperately short of cash can all be true - I suspect (as has been debated ad nauseam on here) the black arts of accountancy on both the insolvency and the "profit", but that the cash shortfall is genuine and serious.

 

>>>What passenger data does the WSR hold on the percentage of visitors to the railway who actually travel the length of the line rather than just part of it....

Another related question that I would ask if doing a survey would be why those who travel the whole length of the line actually do so. In the case of those who start from BL, is it because:-

1. They actually want to go to MD as a destination. Beach, shops etc?
2. They want to travel the whole length for the experience - in other words, they do the whole length simply "because it's there" and don't want to miss anything.
3. If 2, then would it bother them if the length of line was shorter?
4. Would there be different results from those who start at the MD end?

 

Remember the man who said this (about climbing Everest) died as a consequence.

 

Key to that would be starting from a point of view where the measure of success is passing the reigns to the next team where all quality targets are met or exceeded. The measure of that quality check is that all aspects of the railway have to be demonstrably improved as agreed by the overwhelming majority of the volunteers, employees and stakeholders. They include financial security, safety, passenger feedback and a great place to work / volunteer.

All talk of "my railway" and "my business" shows that we are light years from that starting point and as each non running day passes, we get further from it.

 

I would absolutely endorse this; the heritage railway movement will lose volunteers because of COVID related shut-downs, people who do not wish to come back as they don't consider it safe enough despite all the risk management and mitigation, people who quite frankly have found "better" things to do in the past 5 months. Railways, including the WSR need to do all they can to retain volunteers and gain new ones. Running a service of some description is one of the best ways to do this.

(Edited for typos as typed quickly at work!)

 

Fair comments. I would say there are two principle issues relating to the line and whether it is too long -

1) the cost of renewal of infrastructure and wear/tear on locos and carriages, and the permanent way.

2) the boredom factor eg will the kids get fed up of a long run

as far as 1) is concerned then if the fare box is subsidised by capital from fundraising then that is less of a problem. Unified efforts are required, it is a shame that when the WSR (as a whole) has received money in the past that efforts have not been unified eg Ex 6 declined to spend on the wider railway. The investment required is still large, which is reflected in the Plc quote of 500k p/a just to catch up.

As far as 2 is concerned, I think I’d be asking the SDRT if they would leave Washford but move to Wiliton and become the centrepiece of a proper railway museum in the Swindon shed along the lines of the Engine House. With a bit of vision it could be the “railway museum of the south west” . Such an attraction would allow a “short” journey of 10 miles with something worthwhile for the kids to do at the end of it.

that would be my own suggestions for a better future I’m sure others would have their own.

regards

Matt

 

Not just the ex6: in recent times, it seems that not until the last couple of years, or so, when Paul Whitehouse was Chair of the WSRA, were reasonable amounts of money given to the PLC. It says much, I believe, when he decided he had 'had enough' and grossly insulted, apparently, left the line. There have, from comments and posts made here on NP, been some very capable people who have left or been ousted from the WSR much to the lines detriment. I am of the firm belief that had most of those people still been active on the WSR the line not only would be operating but in a better financial position and not in 'hock'.

 

And Freudian slip of the day award goes to...

Should that be 'reins'? Oh no, hang on...

 

It's very broad generalisation I know, but my experience suggests that there are two types of preservationist: those who want to knuckle down and get on with the job, and spend the money needed to do so, and those who appreciate that the job will stop unless somebody goes out and raises some cash by whatever means! Unfortunately the latter group are usually very much in the minority, and seem to be very much in the minority among the WSR management. All I've seen so far is evidence of cost cutting and whilst that may have been necessary we've heard nothing of the plan to build on it. Tbh, I'm not convinced that there is one, sadly.

 

Time will sadly tell, either we have all got it wrong, and the WSR will bounce back from the dead, , or next year, will see the sad news that the railway has folded. that's all I will say from now,

 

£10 says it isn't!

 

The problem is, that you are looking at only one set of customers, the passengers. You also need to look at the other set of customers, the donors, those who give their time and money to the railway. How would they be affected by a truncation of the line? Indeed, it could be said that this is the major failing of the current management, to only look at the first set of customers, and take the other for granted. This talk of cutting back smacks of British Rail and it's ever-shrinking network in a vain quest for smaller losses.
I think it has been established that, with a good fundraising strategy, the line would be viable, even at its present length. From what has been posted on here, I would doubt that it is the case that even a shorter line could fund itself entirely from the farebox, given the line's and the company's commitments.

 

Could do with somebody passing the 'rains' across to this bit of the country.. Still 30+ even now. (not)

 

Excessive mileage is just a form of W.I.B.N. Two lines established for very many years have cut back, for the present, the lengths of line offering services as part of the recovery from lockdown. Presumably they will re-extend in due course but it does suggest a realisation that they can get more use from their suitable (i.e. compartment) stock on a moderate run.

 

To be fair, what the Ffestiniog is offering is an example of joined up thinking in response to covid:

1. Shorter more frequent trains. Shorter allows social distancing at stations. More frequent allows for max passengers.
2. Shorter trains means smaller locos.
3. Smaller locos have lower costs. Especially if trains are lighter.
   
4. Slow trip. Time rather than distance gives the effect of a journey.
5. Slow trip means lower fuel costs.
   
6. TyB as a suitable end point for a 60 minute stop. Has space and facilities available. A nice place for your journey to stop.
   
7. The FR/WHR are adopting a flexible approach and are also looking at running services from Caernarfon to Beddgelert depending on govt advice.

Now the FR is at advantage because it has:

• Serious competent management
  
• Suitable stations to run this kind of service
• Suitable rolling stock and enough of it.
  
• Suitable locos

Not every line has all those things. For example station x might be a lovely spot but unsuitable as an end point under Covid because of lack of space. A line might only have TSOs. The 'ideal' locos might be under overhaul etc etc.

You can only play the cards you are dealt, but that said, you can either play them well or badly. The WSR management are doing the latter.

 

I can think of three - Ffestiniog, GCR and NYMR. @Monkey Magic has commented on the Ffestiniog operation. GCR are taking the option of using a station with good parking (Quorn) as the boarding point, and using the time to go Quorn - Loughborough - Quorn for cleaning. NYMR's public statements about the initial operations (Pickering/Levisham and Grosmont/MP18) have been based on what passengers can cope with on limited facilities, but they are now selling tickets for non stop trains from Pickering to Whitby, with fixed return times from Whitby. I don't know about the GCR, but the NYMR are definitely advertising a mixture of open and compartment stock.

 

Absolutely

 

Would not disagree with a word of this, Although I did not intend to mention the F.R. specifically it was one of the places I had in mind.