North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

I wonder if @Lineisclear could help us, from his experience as a Trustee, by listing some of the items that are included in the large Administrative pot. I think it could help diffuse some comments.

 

I would find this counsel much more convincing if I observed signs that attempting to at least close the gap on trading returns were proving successful. While I'm sceptical about many of the ideas making more than a slight dent in the position, I recognise them for what they are.

Right now, what I observe is a desire to go for the premium market, not backed up by delivery of a premium product, and where the volume market is not being effectively nurtured. The result is a deepening budgetary hole and a growing sense of throwing ideas at the wall ("rockstars") in the hope that at least one of them will make a difference. I don't see a strategy and vision informing those choices, while I see the cash constraints actively undermining the ability to turn things round.

If I were the sort of donor with the money to make a dent in things (sadly, I'm not!), I'd be very cautious about whether my donation would help, or just temporarily plug a gap.

 

I think you should perhaps try to remember that this is a discussion forum, we're not a management lobby group (however much we would like to be!) so the chances are that the present management will not take a blind bit of notice of what we might write! I do hope, though, that with an incoming new Trust Board Chairman attitudes will gradually start to change and the merits of some of the ideas might be recognised and used. That's my thinking, at least.

 

There is a lot that is correct in what you have written, but some of it I would disagree with. The reality, though, is that the railway has to both improve its trading performance and cut its administration costs, neither of which you seem to have any useful thoughts on, but it will take success in both those areas to encourage significant external investment. Those issues need to be addressed as a matter of urgency, whether you like it or not; worse still, the CEO and her SMT do not either.

 

Especially as they now list 19 staff, up from 17 last year, under "marketing and administration".

 

While we wait for the AGM and some actual news, here is some music (on topic), to help pass the time.

Male vocal:

https://on.soundcloud.com/pjfSzjWcwcGqY4cDnJ

Female vocal:

https://on.soundcloud.com/BDk7rDq8z0CatB8KHQ

Sawdust.