North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

I agree.That's why Goathland is a better bet, although even then for the price sensitive you can't possibly compete with the 840. But then again there are buses from Minehead to Watchet every half hour and some people choose train.

What you have got in Whitby is quite a lot of people looking for something to do on their holiday. Make sure a day out on the NYMR is on the list, in people's minds as a possibility.

 

The 1235 from Whitby stands at Grosmont for 30 minutes. It leaves at 1330, that's 55 minutes after it left Whitby, 6 miles away.

 

Appreciate rising food costs, but £17.50 makes for a very expensive treat bag which you still need to pick up from the cafe.

The orange juice resembles the stuff you get from a travelodge vending machine too. Would love to know how many of these are sold!

 

The last time I did this was during a 3 day break nr Teesside with an old mate from our days at the Poly there.
We got Gt Ayton - Whitby returns, jump off at Grosmont, did a round walk to Goathland and back, just in time for a train onwards to Whitby. Night out around the town, back on the last M/boro bound train.

There were no suitable services on the NYMR that we could utilise.

In fairness, another of my favourite lines, the WHR, has gone down a similar route and there aren’t many hop on, hop off options there now either. We’ve had to use buses on recent visits.

 

"Ba-da-bing", as they say.

Perhaps more importantly, at that point, will anyone/anything be able to save the line?

You're very probably correct - but what can someone who i) cares deeply about the line, and ii) thinks it is headed for the buffer stop, if things keep going the way they are, do, to avoid that potential outcome?

I cheerfully admit I don't have much knowledge of the line, other than what I read here, but that prognosis is shared by quite a few people who do have a deeper knowledge, including that legator (not many people plan to leave a six-figure legacy to something unless they are deeply knowledgeable about it).

Noel

 

[deleted]

 

Even disregarding the lack of a suitable NYMR service how many folks who do not have an interest in railways would even understand that a BOJ was allowed on your ticket to allow them to do that?

 

From £2.50 with a railcard and advance purchase on Northern !

 

Well I wasn’t sure, so I checked with the guard before we bailed out.

 

The only loco that straddles the gala is 60007 SNG

 

I wonder if more could be done to encourage journey breaks and station exploration at heritage railways. It's sad how many people I see walk straight out the door the second the first train has got back in from a return trip (this experience is not at the nymr, but I suspect it is probably widespread). Maybe people just don't realise that day rover tickets are valid all day, and that there is so much to see and do at intermediate stations. I reckon this is why the 'experience' buisness model proves effective and makes money, because many people just do the one trip anyway.

In my experience, lots of people request help interpreting the timetable, and understanding that there are two sets going back and forth, and then working out which stations to do in which order and how long they'll have there etc. Could there be an easier way to market or publicise the ability to break journeys to get off and have an explore? When talking to passengers I always do my best to encourage them to spend time at other stations.

 

The typical non enthusiast family is going to drive to Goathland in their car that they have arrived on holiday in and visit another attraction which is not served by public transport.
According to the ORR Whitby Station achieved 150,000 entries and exits last year. The 840 bus only serves Whitby (and Goathland) 4 times a day according to bustimes. org The whole non enthusiast market arriving by Public Transport must be tiny.

 

You're assuming that they will visit Goathland anyway, and the train is chosen as the mode of transport. My experience of staying in the area when the children were younger was that the trip and the destination were part of a package, with both destination and railway benefitting from the trip

 

Look back earlier (probably a lot earlier!) in this thread! I have put forward exactly the same point and suggested ways to try to revive the concept of the railway and its surroundings as a destination in its own right, rather than as being a park and ride for Whitby. It means going back to marketing the NYMR as a heritage railway! The surrounding countryside is rich in possibilities for that. I do mot wish the railway to fail, despite what some may think! I want it to succeed and be appreciated for what it is - and to become an ever-better heritage railway. However - and it is a very big "however" - I do not think that the current management has it within them to deliver that for they simply do not understand the concept of running a heritage railway. There is a growing groundswell of disappointment and, regrettably, I believe there may be an uncomfortable period of reckoning to follow for some of them.