North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

That does seem a bit of an odd page, neither quite one thing nor the other. For example it doesn't quote the child fares for one or two stops so a family can't readily work out what ticket it wants. And surely there ought to be a Pickering to Grosmont return which is less than the day pass?

Looking at the website, to me what is lacking is a menu of things to do using the railway as a base. You know the sort of thing, ride the steam train from Whitby to Goathland, walk the historic trail to Grosmont and catch the train back (two adults and two kids £60 or whatever). Take a walk in the forest out from Pickering to Newtondale at xxxx return at yyyy , two adults and two kids £40. Promote the railway as an access route to great things to do. Sorry if this has already been crawled over in the previous hundred pages.

 

Newtondale Halt was conspicuously absent from that page. That speaks volumes to how audiences are being targeted, and where marginal opportunities are being missed

 

Over the years me and the wife have done exactly that, i.e. use the railway as a means of exploring. We can’t be the only ones.

 

If you look back over my posts, this is (in part, at least), exactly what I have been advocating - to the usual lack of response from the usual source (though perhaps that's because there's no company or consumer law, requiring "interpretation" involved?). I still think the NYMR really needs to boost the attractions at each of its stations with appropriate additions, but making the most of what it can already offer would be a good start.

 

From the website:

Shorter Journey Fares: Our 5 stations are: Pickering, Levisham (Newtondale Halt), Goathland, Grosmont and Whitby.

Our Shorter Journey Tickets offer day return travel between neighbouring stations. To travel 1 Station (e.g. Pickering – Levisham) £15.00 per adult (16+) and to travel 2 Stations (e.g. Whitby – Goathland) £25.00 per adult (16+). Children (4-15) reduced fares available and baby & toddlers (0-3) travel free. A single one-stop ticket is also available for £12.00 per adult (16+) or £5.20 per child (4-15).

These tickets are only available from the Booking Office or a Travelling Ticket Inspector and do not include a 15% Thank You Voucher.“

 

That's not user friendly presentation, and the "only on the day" conditions really underline the sense of "we're not interested"

 

Deleted until I’ve had chance to speak to someone in authority rather than rely on what I’ve been told.

 

Interesting interpretation as not long ago many were complaining about the post Covid world not having walk up fares any more. Not sure I see the inability to book in advance as an issue at all. Maybe that is just the luddite in me coming to the fore.

 

The point is the existence of a separate restriction. Plenty (I may have been in their number a bit) complained about the loss of walk up fares post Covid; that doesn't mean that the increased ability to pre-book isn't a good thing. And that's about the two of us having different approaches - where any sensible business ought to be appealing to us both.

 

I'm not a great lover of pre-booking, especially with regard to heritage railways, as that means I have to both plan ahead and commit whereas it's quite likely that the phone will ring or something else will happen to change my plans. I'd quite like to go to the NYMR one day this week but SWMBO and family won't decide what they want to do and I'd be in trouble doing railway stuff instead of family.

 

As pointed out on wnxxforum.co.uk -

NYMR annual pass - £180
HRA annual pass - £180

https://www.hra.uk.com/membership/friends-of-the-hra

Neither valid on gala days or special events, but as the latter also includes either free or discounted travel on pretty much every other preserved railway in the country, which is the better value?

 

And, if I have understood the website correctly, HRA membership gets you TWO free tickets per visit as well.

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A person has to join the HRA as a supporter, as well. Not expensive, though at £25/year

 

Not quite, it's one or the other. Either £25 friend or £180 friend including pass. Though as @Platform 3 has pointed out, it's actually valid for two people, so it's only £90 each.

 

Are you sure about that? My reading of the HRA website is that it’s £25 to become a friend aand that gets you access to a HRA pass at £180.

 

Be a working member of a heritage railway and get a pass for two for £42!

 

I agree, it doesn't make it particularly clear, but the payment page does...

 

Very true.

 

Has Dr Cock-up come to call?

 

That does surprise me but it does appear to be the case looking at that.
Not that long ago a pass supplied for a friend was only valid for one person.