West Somerset Railway General Discussion

With Cornwall in Tier 1 it seems strange that they have not run any services. Others have found it worthwhile.

 

Seems that someone is ignoring me, no great loss

 

I think there will be a relatively high number of locos available to hire next year, and there are several lines hungry for ex-BR steam to enhance their offerings, but will they wish to risk taking on the cost?

 

I have no idea but my guess is that many people who visit Bodmin come from areas which are tier 2/3. Unlike say MHR, Bluebell, SVR that have large populations near by?

Maybe if your travellers normally come from a long way then they would be less likely to travel than if they live near by?

I don't think you are missing any great insights.

 

Is that not part of the collective reason why they are in tier one? You not only have to be willing to operate but you have to have volunteers willing to operate. I can say that both railways I am involved with have found that to be a significant constraint.

 

Who knows? I understand the West of England had a surprisingly brisk season once lockdown was lifted and the Dartmouth line has been operating. A cafe proprietor in the Isle of Wight said to me that post lockdown, business had been brisk and continued into the Autumn longer than normal which compensated for the shutdown to a degree. The I.O.W. has the lowest Covid 19 rate in England and its tourist railway has been in "full steam" apart from a couple of days during the second lockdown.

 

Yes, but for the wrong reasons, so you can't take any credit for foresight.

 

I'd have loved to have spent some time doing some volunteer work, the issue for me is being self employed, I'm not earning if I'm not working- so during the lockdown(s) everything has had to be economised, travel and vehicle use included so whilst I had time to spare I have had to try to be as frugal as possible.

Chris

 

5199 loaded up and ready to leave when I passed the yard at Llangolllen at 15.10

One of the owning group asked for it to be coaled- so we've sent a lump with the loco.

Bob.

 

What wrong reasons? Railways will not be wanting a full roster of locomotives next year. Galas won't be happening, dining trains not running etc. Plenty of locos to go around. Engines bowing out of traffic and, due to lockdown, their planned replacements not being available.

 

I don't think there are many locos sat around idle that only get fired up for galas...

I wouldn't be so sure about that, Bluebell have proved it's possible, I'd be surprised if others didn't follow, certainly towards the latter half of next year when hopefully things will be looking a bit brighter. Remember, even if you're carrying fewer passengers to aid social distancing, you might still be running the same number of trains, requiring the same number of locos. e.g. If you decide you can run a dining train 2/3rds full and be compliant with social distancing and still make a profit, you can't hire out the 1/3rd of a loco you're not using.

 

Well, yeah, in hindsight...

 

Whilst not being as many as they’d ideally like, presumably 35 is more than they thought they would get at Llangollen in 2021?

 

A bit unwise to assume that things will be reverting to the "good" old pre Covid days, particularly in relation to galas. The much missed @ Beancounter was highly doubtful if these made any money.

 

As you say Paul, @Bean-counter is much missed, but a simple search of "gala" posted by member "bean-counter" will show he has never said that. Steven expressed doubts over whether mega-galas (which the WSR to an extent pioneered) ever made much money. Not "all galas". Let's try and keep it factual please, especially when quoting members who aren't here any more to correct misquotes. It is easily demonstrated that most galas do make money, or at the very worst, don't make a loss, because those that make a loss don't carry on running year after year.

 

I corresponded with him privately. It is much more critical now post pandemic that loss making events are avoided, Some of the results posted by major organisations are jaw dropping.

 

I suspect lines that offer them will be looking to run a higher proportion of dining trains, not lower, because if you have to reduce passenger loading but can’t reduce haulage costs in proportion (the direct cost of running a train is the same whether it is empty, half full or rammed) a dining train offers a higher per seat income.

Tom