North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

9F was on the back of the 8.45 FS departure to Levisham, rather than banking just to Goathland, then returned on the back of the FS train from Levisham back to Grosmont. I assume this was done given the potential for FS slipping whilst running tender first through Newtondale on the climb back to Goathland in rather damp conditions this morning.

Ps the 9.10 Pickering departure tomorrow should be with 806 through to Whitby.

PPs to ease parking issues tomorrow at Grosmont, diners on the Moorlander have been advised to park at and join it at Goathland (I think it will leave Grosmont at 12 noon, then wait at Goathland for its normal WTT departure of 12.50 from there).

 

When the Flying Scotsman was at the Strathspey railway the contract with the NRM stated that it could only haul 8 carriages on a heritage railway. This is why when it was to haul the Royal Scotsman, which is 10 carriages a diesel had to be put on the back, leading to the well known events that happened.

 

I would love to know who at the NRM would have the operating knowledge to put such a limit on the loco. The contract would have been drawn up on the advise of the then operator and undersigned by the NRM, that is all.

Peter

 

That's all very well, but I don't see any mention of light engine mileage being prohibited, so the loco could have been housed at Grosmont with trains starting from Pickering! Even if that was impossible, though, how long in advance of the event was it confirmed that the visit was on, and how long should the staff at Pickering have had to work out what to do about the parking problems? I think that many people will have already concluded that this was an entirely predictable f***up but with no consideration given to it, a SNAFU for the NYMR nowadays.

 

90733 banking when I saw it

 

Standing room only on the first train from Pickering this morning according to family who are having a day out on the railway whilst on holiday.

 

I wonder what that set length is, it didn't look like 7 yesterday?

 

I think it was 5 yesterday. The FS first run was so behind yesterday that the 1140 second run was an hour late. Today there's a diner in the mix.

 

Its a 5 coach set today.

 

Odd choice, given how busy things are!

 

12 o'clock departure on Tuesday
Load 8 and 9F banking

 

8 behind 60103, 5 on normal service, 3 on Ghost Train Sunday night, so 16 vehicles in total. Things still that tight after the Pickering shunt?

 

At the AGM it was stated the FS visit would bring in £750,000 (revenue, I imagine). That's £50,000 per day over 15 days. Why is the railway closed Thursday and Friday of half-term week, when there's up to £100,000 of revenue to be had?

 

Because the number of steaming days were limited.

From a distance, it's clear that NYMR haven't done as good a job as they should have with organising the FS visit. But if it's been subject to a non-negotiable contract in the way described by @Lineisclear, and the total days are limited, then they can only deal with the hand they are dealt.

All of which means, IMHO, that dropped balls like parking and timetabling are even less defensible.

 

Re parking issues, I’m sure there would equally have been parking issues at Pickering as at Grosmont. Today I counted 150 spare parking spaces between the NYMR and Trout Farm car parks, ie 150 spaces to accommodate all the passengers on two full trains (400 passengers per train, assume 2.5 car occupancy = 320 cars = excess of 170 cars to park. Yes they could park in the Eastgate car park (10+ minutes walk) but how many would try that first. They would try probably have tried for the Trout Farm and NYMR car parks first, causing an almighty grid lock on Park Street and beyond.

 

I'm afraid the argument that because Pickering parking is poor (agreed wholeheartedly), Grosmont's even less adequate parking is viable, just doesn't wash. More to the point, it's the way the whole thing was put together that needs revisiting - the combination of limited parking, a timetable that creates a major spike in demand, and not using the "normal" timetable to create people moving capacity all come together.

 

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Actually rostered on the 15.20 ex Pickering through to Whitby; it just received its certification the other day, so now joins Eric and Repton as the current steam locos passed for the branch to Whitby

 

Even without FS I bet at least one more, if not both days would have been profitable this week if the railway was open on the days closed.

Sawdust.

 

I'm struggling a bit with this parking issue. Of course Flying Scotsman is popular, but ultimately it is a train full of passengers - and it surely hardly unprecedented for the NYMR to have to deal with trains of 300 - 400 people at a time (say 150 - 200 cars?) On my last couple of visits to the NYMR, I don't recall having any particular issues parking when I was starting my day at Pickering.

Or is the issue that the flow is Grosmont - Pickering and return, whereas Pickering - Grosmont and return would be logistically easier?

Ultimately visitor attractions need the ancillary facilities to deal with the visitor numbers they require to be viable - whether that is car parking spaces, toilets or even ability to make cups of tea and coffee! Being a "big" railway, the NYMR must assume that it probably will average over 1,000 people per operational day, and on some busy days might get upwards of double that - and therefore needs the logistics to cope with that demand.

Tom