Swanage Railway General Discussion

To me (and I've only seen the photos) that just erodes the atmosphere that you visit a heritage railway to experience. If I want to travel on a train and look at an electronic screen to find out whether it is on time or not, I can do that perfectly well on the national network. Part of the beauty of being on a heritage railway is that gradual anticipation of an arrival, which is detectable by signals moving, bells heard in signal boxes, increased activity by staff and so on.

As a movement, we need to remember we are selling theatre, not travel. Anything that detracts from the theatre should be resisted, in my opinion. So it is a big no from my point of view.

Tom

 

Please does anyone know which loco will be working the trains tomorrow (Thursday)? I tried ringing up but was put on hold for so long I gave up. I've also tried e-mailing but thus far haven't had a reply.

Thanks
(PS I did get a reply to my e-mail but it didn't say which loco it will be)

 

28 Problem was operational rather than mechanical.

 

Flipside, if you are travelling with children knowing that the train is 10 minutes away or 5 minutes away is an important information if you have to do something like taking them to the toilet, or whether you do or don't have an exchange of views about going into the shop etc etc.

I'd also suggest that for the family who want a day out with a train may well be used to checking real time train information and there maybe the expectation of that information being available.

You might be sympathetic to the crew that is dealing with leaky tubes, a dodgy injector and bad coal, however, the person who is going to 'Karen' a review on Trip Advisor about how the old man in the ticket office gave no information and how their day/holiday/year/life was ruined by the train being late, probably won't.

For those who want to cosplay at the 1950s the solution is simple. Leave the phone at home

 

You ask the station staff (something heritage railways have that the big railway increasingly doesn't).

If you look at the pictures, this isn't just about having the trains tracked on an app; it is about a large visual display screen in a booking hall.

"Housed in traditional 1950s notice board-style frames, digital screens giving train times – as well as information about the locomotive hauling the train and the facilities in its carriages in an innovative visual ‘Know Your Train’ form – have been installed at Swanage and Corfe Castle stations, with more to follow at Norden and Harman’s Cross stations."

Source: https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/ne...on-for-passengers-in-a-heritage-railway-first​

Tom

 

And that is why the irregular passenger is more likely to expect online information first precisely because they are not used to staffed stations. Likewise, it depends on how busy a station is, how well staffed it is and so on. You are not being very empathetic to the irregular customer.

Anymore out of place in a booking office than POS, modern adverts, TVs, modern catering and toilets or other things?

Reality is that customers who do expect 'modern comforts' are the core audience.

Moreover, everything is a compromise. I mean, you don't refuse to take out an engine because it has the wrong livery for the coaches it is due to haul. No one bats an eyelid at a De Gaulle impersonator at a war on the line weekend as people cosplay their way in mk1s. I really don't see what the issue is or how it compromises the recreation theatre effort.

If it isn't for you then it isn't for you, it is easy enough to ignore. It isn't like heritage carriages are being replaced by Mk4s and locos by 57s and 66s.

 

I feel sorry for anyone called Karen who have found their name hijacked for use as a non-complimentary stereotype.

 

Anybody know why 78018 on has a nameplate only on one side?

 

I'm with Tom, the display in the booking hall is gopping, straight out of the Tussaud's approach to theme park/entertainment. I remember a few years ago having fish and chip lunch at the Magpie in Whitby and they had these godawful great big TVs up everywhere with the menu on… it felt entirely incongruous with the environment, and staggeringly short of common sense in a place where basically everyone knew what they wanted and for those that didn't the staff were great.

Simon

 

BUT,In the 30s the railways had to innovate to compete. I have been a Swanage branch rider since the 1950s on Sunday School outings. IMHO,and I am a long distance away the SR is now the poster boy for reconnecting railways. One would imagine this RT board would be very useful for passengers attempting to connect to the main line. One of the raisons d'etre for early SRP pioneers was to connect the branch again at Wareham. Todays's passengers are not living in aspic,they are living in the "tech"world and SR should be commended for updating RT information in a pretty unobtrusive fashion.

 

This looks like it will be a single screen in the ticket office. Providing the brightness is not set high will almost be like a poster in a frame, but with useful info.
Ideally the station staff will also have access to any delay so they can make an announcement to waiting passengers on the over the tannoy in the old fashioned way.

 

Ordinarily I'd be lining up with Simon and Tom, I'm very much in favour of trying to keep stations looking as uncluttered with modern looking stuff as possible, but I have to admit, I think they've done a fairly nice job of it. I've certainly seen a lot worse in the genre.

 

It’s a really interesting point that you make. Yes a heritage railway is theatre but it’s basically a form of transport and its core customers are families and day trippers. I’m in favour of celebrating the past and it’s nice to enjoy a time warp station but visitor attractions need to evolve and respond to their customers needs, whether it be shops, cafes, playgrounds or what have you. The Swanage seems to have done a nice job here, I agree that it might not suit every location though. I think they deserve credit for piloting an innovative way of communicating with visitors, especially youngsters. Social media feedback is positive about the screen, what more could a heritage railway ask for?!

 

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To be honest, if you don't want to use Realtime trains and ask staff, watch signals and so on...well that option will be forever available to you. If you want to use it, then its available. I honestly don't see the problem.
I for one think it's a good thing.

 

Just visited Railcam and the camera at Corfe station seems to be fine now.

 

It may well a bit "modern" but I guess we have to think about the passenger demographic for each Heritage Railway. Some lines are heavily enthusiast, others less so. I remember someone from the passenger side of the Swanage Railway saying the ideal day was sunny in the morning and then start raining around lunchtime as it gets them off the beach. This then generates passengers and I have, after that conversation, witnessed the effect a number of times. So I could see less regular travellers welcoming such info.
Of course the downside of RTT is displaying to the world your on time performance. Maybe DR will be a step too far.

 

ITV report showing Eddystone (with a 33 on tow just in case of problems?) and asking for volunteers
https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2021-05-26/swanage-railway-looks-for-new-volunteers
No summer timetable?
Is the Devon Belle coach coming back soon from it's under cover "holiday" at Margate?

 

That was the first loaded test run. I was standing next to the guy who was filming it.