Swanage Railway General Discussion

I cant speak for anyone else but if my experience is anything to go by many of us, especially with children will have spent out holiday funds by now, and if both my two oldest want to go that's £90

 

Seems to be wrong way round, surely Norden to Swanage and return would be more popular. I should imagine getting to Swanage and parking there is a bit if a turn off.

 

It is only an extra 6 miles and street parking is now mainly free as it is "winter" now.

 

Does the ticket (like the Flying Scotsman) include a ride on the normal Norden to Swanage trains?
I notice the Fish and Chip train on the same day from Norden.

 

Post #8997 says no.

 

I cnat believe the negativity towards an absolutely remarkabke event. Are we enthusiasts or wot?

 

Yes. I'm an enthusiast contemplating a 450 mile round trip, and how I agree time and cost with my wife given all else that is going on in our lives.

 

It's not negativity, it's disbelief in what they're charging. Of course we're all enthusiasts on here, but most people want value for money. Scotsman was £49 including a day rover. The T3 is £30 + £25 for a day rover, 6 quid more. That's not good value, especially when next year it'll be on normal services anyway.

All railways are crying out for money at the moment, and running 31 premium-priced trains is ambitious. The number of tickets sold so far over the 10 days won't even cover the cost of the coal for the loco. I think the railway have got it horribly and expensively wrong.

 

Quite. It would be more bearable (but still dear) if the rover were being sold at a discount for holders of T3 tickets - comparing to Scotsman, I'd have thought £10-£15 for the rover on top of the 563 ticket would be proportionate.

 

I thought Scotsman trains were much more; on the face of it, £6 is not much difference but I think it's the fact it hasn't been made clear tickets don't allow secondary travel that's ruffling feathers.
It's a catch 52 - it doesn't have the fame of the A3 to lure the mass of Joe Public to travel, so is more an enthusiast event and would thus need a higher fare to reflect that. Unfortunately, enthusiasts are a much more picky audience and if, as is known, it will be on public trains anyway in the future, does a combined £55 pose enough value to attract them purely on the basis it is the 'first running days'?

Equally, it has galas at Mid Hants and the Great Central to contend with for which on the door adult fares are £39 and £36 respectively - more than sufficient competition?

I do hope it covers costs and that people will buy 'on the door' to support it; I expect there will be many out linesiding and I hope that such people do the morally right thing and support the Swanage with some 'secondary spending' - I know I certainly shall!

 

Isn’t the return of 563 into revenue earning traffic for the first time in 78 years enough of an excitement?


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Given the apparent sales, no...

 

Indeed. Some sort of mini gala event over a weekend to celebrate its launch into service, might have been more successful than a series of expensive trips behind it spread over several weeks.

But maybe I’m wrong and the bookings will start filling up soon.

 

i am travelling on Sunday but will also be down on Saturday it seems to me that the only steam engine that can attract a premium price is Flying Scotsman which joe public seem obsessed with pre grouping engines and liveries do not seem to be popular with enthusiasts as much as the BR era also being a gala weekend at the Nearby Mid Hants has probaly not helped ticket sales

 

There is, over the half term weekend later in the month

 

Yes I agree. I have already said subject to rail strikes we will go and willingly pay for both tickets. We stayed in Corfe for three nights last week and had our usual round trip to Swanage plus I got a lot of shots of the T3 crew training. I owe it to the railway to support them but will have to go by train and bus as my second driver won’t be with me and I shouldn’t drive long distance by myself for health reasons.

 

Personally, I would pay far more than that to travel behind the T3 rather than the A3. Unfortunately, much as I'd love to get to Swanage to see this graceful loco in action, I'm going to be way north of the border this weekend with, guess what?........the A3. Life's tough at times.

Peter

 

Ah, but will you be travelling behind the A3, or will it still be getting poked and prodded by Ian Riley's guys trying to see if any bits have fallen off?

 

I suspect he’ll be on it. The footplate , that is.

 

Alas not Steve - I'll be at the back with a flag in my hand. Much as I love steam on the Highland main line I'll still be thinking of the miracle of the T3 and pondering when I can get down to see it in action.

Peter