North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

Interesting PoV from the coalface. Could this be indicative of another's of those generational faultlines we're seeing so many of across the board these days?

 

I'm sure that you'll still be wanted as a volunteer, just as I think/hope that I'll be wanted. However, there are plenty of paid staff who look upon volunteers as a nuisance to be tolerated. It's not that long ago that I was being asked to significantly reduce the number of cleaners on a weekend because having to supervise them prevented the duty fitter from doing his designated tasks and it was not really part of his job to supervise volunteers. A proposal to roster cleaners on non-operating days also met with a negative response because they took too much looking after and the only volunteers wanted in the workshops were those that came in regularly a couple of times each week 'because they knew what they were doing and could be left to get on with things.' Fortunately, there has been a change of management and that attitude no longer prevails. More recently, it has been suggested that driving the 350 shunters should be restricted to paid staff, but one that we have resisted. Indeed, we have put forward a counter argument that driving the 350's should only be done by volunteers thus releasing paid employees to get on with what they should be doing.
You are probably right that it is the older serving volunteers that grumble but that will be because they have known other and possibly better times; new volunteers only have their recent experience to draw on. Where things are perceived to have improved there won't be any grumbles. That's the same the world over, not just on heritage railways.

 

I'm glad things are changing, a proposal stemmming from recent year's sucesses with winter MIC classes is that a member of shed staff will be available to not only attend the class but to then open the shed afterwards. This worked well on the few days we tried last year and provided more incentive for volunteers to attend the classroom in person as it made a day of it. It made for a good atmosphere as there were normally 10+ attendees who stayed on to do bits around the shed.

 

I agree with MrDibbs and support Lineisclear: there is a balance between volunteer and employed staff and do think that the NYMR have it about right. The employed staff are there about 5 days a week with little or no holiday during the operating season whilst the volunteer can pick his or her shifts; from a minimum ( ideally) of two days a month upwards. I’m retired and can volunteer about 3 or 4 days days a week but I can pick and choose what days I work (or not), but I certainly wouldn’t want to be employed where I would be told to work which of 5 out of 7 days a week; that’s why I retired, not to work under such conditions.

re chartitable status, I totally get where the NYMR is coming from. It needs to be a charity in order to bid for multi-million pound grants and which it has so far proved adeptly successful; by demonstrating the educational and other outcomes (eg social, environment etc) of a bid, enabled by operating and maintaining a heritage railway. Charitable status also allows gift aide, but I’d suggest that that is an additional bonus than the raison d'être. I also get recent changes to the Trust’s Board to better fit the expectations of both the ORR and Charity Commission.

re some one’s job title I couldn’t care less what there job title is as long as they can do their job, but equally recognise that sometimes they have to “fit” within compliant nature of operating a railway and for grant application purposes etc. EG a GM makes the suggestion that the NYMR is just a heritage railway, but today it has to be more than that.

 

Just a point - the NYMR was already a charity, already had quite broad charitable objects, and had previously been successful in bidding for large grants.

 

I see the NYMR is getting some much needed rain. Whether it will make a difference to the firecon status is debatable although 76079 was on todays roster. On a slightly different subject can anybody explain the open truck at the North end of the diner?

 

Generator power for the Diner I believe.

 

Firecon 3 (all diesel) is not due to be reviewed until the beginning of August. 76079 was in use on Whitby shuttles today due to the non-availability of 37403 but was not allowed to go south of Grosmont.
The open wagon has a generator on it to provide a suitable power supply for vent fans in the kitchen. and stop the staff from evaporating.

 

Thank you for the info, I did wonder whether the load was a generator.

 

Was this 76079's first outing for a while?

 

Since the beginning of July, I think. Not sure of the exact date.

 

It ran Monday 4th July as we were there that day.

 

Thank you. I know it had extended winter work so wasn't sure if this was its first outing.

 

76709 ran regularly throughout April too I believe.

Notice it mentioned elsewhere that 31128 is returning tomorrow - presume this is to give extra Whitby cover and to help the small diesel fleet that is probably fairly stretched during the current fire risk running.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/servic ... 8/detailed

 

That'll be 3 hired-in diesels this year alongside 37264 (due to the 25 being broken). Last year they had to hire in the pair of Cl 20s. Perhaps do the NYMR need to look at expanding their home fleet of diesels?

 

Sorry to be pedantic but it was already 3 diesels hired in as 31128 started the season at NYMR before the 37 came down from Scotland. However, it's only due to the firecon status that the diesels are seeing so much use, if it wasn't for that I believe there would've only been around 24 turns for a non-whitby diesel in the timetables - so not much work for diesels usually and 47077/37264 should've been enough cover for that - can't see many owners sending there loco there if theres no guarantee of turns/work for it?

Not sure how far off it is but the NYMR do have the 24 currently under overhaul and I presume Sybilla is being worked on too - so could soon have those back? (Both available for Whitby too, I believe?)

 

No idea about Sybilla, but the 24 has been in works for years.


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Or not breaking them quite as often!

 

I think Helen Turner is still a way off from what I’ve heard.

Plus, I think extended steam bans in early summer is going to be the new norm to be honest - seems to happen at least 2 years in every 3.

 

Good to see the Q6 on the diner(token taken), can only presume firecon state has improved. Unless diesel pilot coming on at Goathland.