Platform tickets on the Bluebell

Placement of the reatil outlets can not always be done as you suggest, most stations had few doors on the non-platform side so the entrance to areas such as shops need to be on to the platform. If you assume that the entrance has to go on to the platform there is not really much option except to use platform tickets or divide the platform, which would be horrible. Putting in extra doors on the front of the station would change the characterstics of the station and if it is listed may not be allowed.

£2 to go on to the station and round other areas sounds reasonable to me, if it only gave access to the shop I would agree it was to much.

 

I disagree. If your workmate was allowed on the platform without a ticket it would lead the way for other people to do the same and they might not be going to spend £40-£50 in the shop. Also, £1 or £2 pounds (dependant on railway) is not a rip off at all, infact, it is probably nothing to most who visit railways but it may amount to a vital cause for the railway and therefore it is worth paying

 

£2 is not a rip off for a morning, afternoon or even a whole day viewing and photographing steam engines arriving and departing, and even access to the engine shed, what more could you want? for the price? also a day when there is no gala with hordes of people getting in your way for photography I would readily pay a couple of quid for that!!! to say that if they did'nt have to pay to get in they would have spent £30-40 in the shop is nonsense, most just go in look around and buy nothing, or perhaps a cup of coffee in the buffet.

 

Looks like a typical British way to welcome the tourist is surfacing.

Never forget - the customer has a choice!

 

Platform Tickets at Sheffield Park

I believe all the platform staff at Sheffield Park are very reasonable and if there are any staff on during the week at the moment and you only wanted to pop into the shop, I am sure they would let you continue.Unfortunately there are some members of the public that do spoil it for everyone and take advantage.
Once the Exhibition block is built, that is going to be another facility that will be well worth paying a small admission fee to see if not travelling and only looking around together with the engine shed.
Regards,Tim Ashton.

 

Of course there is nothing to stop the visitor to Sheffield Park from walking through the shop exit doors and asking the counter staff (right by the exit) whether it is ok to come in and browse / buy without going on the platform...

Regards,

Dan

 

The pack with Stepney in black (which I'm sure you'll be a fan of!) has been specially produced for the Bluebell and everything has been paid for up front. It really is a true one off!
I believe that as a BRPS member you'll also get your discount (though please do check!).

I think that it's one of the most worthy of the Bluebell 50 products - just remember what we're celebrating!


And of course it's the only place that you'll get Stepney in black!

Oh and here's the link to it:
http://www.bluebell-shop.co.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/BlueBellRailwayShop/AN014/71293



Anyone back to the original question. When I was on the station, staff used their best judgement when people just wanted to "visit the shop" would be kept an eye on, but where's the harm in a couple of quid and then being able to have a good wander round too!

 

Yes you can tell a family from your average crank, but why should they be treated different, is that not discrimination ?.

Some of you seem to be assuming that everyone wanting to get in will be a crank taking a lot of pics, the "stopping freeloaders" idea would have limited benefit as they would just go down to the next overbridge.

Putting it another way what would you prefer:

A) someone paying 2 quid now for a platform ticket

B) them returning next week with their family and spending 50 pounds plus on a ride and in the shop

No brainer IMO.

It's common knowledge we need to be attracting more than just enthusiasts to survive, so why is everyone treated as an enthusiast ?.

Im not having a go at anyone at the Blubell, morely playing devils advocate and suggesting maybe the policy is working against greater taking than in favour of them ?.

 

I have seen other railways selling platform tickets, often for a nominal amount and it seems that they are more of a souvenier for kids etc rather than a way of making money as whilst signs say no entry without a ticket it basically is not really/meant enforced.

I think that is the best way to go away from gala weekends as whilst I have no idea how much is collected on various railways from platform tickets, it probably is not much and I doubt if that many people who spend much time around a railway do so without spending something or other even if only a quid ofr a coffee.

 

We shouldn't obsess so much about freeloaders. If you allow free entry but have a donations box in a conspicuous place with a notice saying the money will help keep the railway going, you'll probably get just as much as if you solemnly collect the money off casual visitors, who may feel it is a little petty. Most people who go to visit steam railways are decent, often generous, folk.

On Big Brother's barrier controlled stations, you can't get onto the platform at all unless you're travelling - not even for £2!

 

The £2 entrance fee at the Bluebell raised in the first quarter (winter) of this year the sum of £15,512.

Not a sum to be sneezed at.

 

Not long ago it was the norrn to have to purchase a platform ticket to go on any platform, seem to remember paying a pound at some BR stations toward the end, with todays police state many gricers would be happy to pay for one to enable them to access a platform, the tickets were quite collectable once upon a time I have a whole wedge of them.

 

In the 1980's a regular work journey needed me to go past the door of one of our preserved railways.

At this stage their bookshop and gift shop could be visited without buying a platform ticket.

I therefore ordered all my monthly magazines and railway books from this shop.

Even 25 plus years ago my monthly spend was between £10 and £15 .

Bear in mind that my visits were on weekdays and every month of the year thus on most days of my visit there were no trains running and the loco. shed at this railway was not at this station so there was nothing to look around.

After a couple of years the railway changed the rules and required a platform ticket to visit the bookshop. I spoke to their General Manager about this, who was quite rude and suggested that the loss of my business was of no consequence if I chose not to pay this charge, nor was he interested in allowing me to to collect the items from the booking office (in the same building). I thus discontinued buying my books & mags. there and, in fact, have not visited this railway since.

I question the economics of ever denying the public free access to shop, cafes etc. I feel that it looses revenue for the railway, not gains it,. It cannot be beyond the organisational ability of the railway concerned to offer a refund of a platform ticket if more than, say, £5 is spent in the shop or cafe.

 

How many members of the general public turn up at a heritage railway simply to visit the shop? Quite a small percentage I should imagine. Surely they've come for a ride, in which case they'll be buying travel tickets, or they've come for a good look around, in which case a small admission fee in the form of a platform ticket is not unreasonable.
Any gricers baulking at paying for a platform ticket are complete cheapskates IMHO.

 

I can imagine that a refundable ticket would actually benefit the railway (assuming they control the income from the restaurant and shop, that is). When we lived in the area, we would go to the NT garden as well as the Bluebell, and preferred to eat at the former. If you lost 8 quid on our family of four, but gained, say, £24+ on meals or models via a £6 minimum spend to get a refund, surely you'd be satisfied. AND you'd know that we had left happy at getting our refund, and would be more likely to give you repeat business.

Actually, the very fact of giving the customer the option to save money, i.e. to choose whether or not to spend a certain amount at what is in effect a discount, is clever strategy. Not everyone will take advantage of it, but they know they could, and that alone makes them feel good about you.

Worth thinking about, surely. I guess it depends whether the Bluebell is already more than satisfied with capacity utilisation and turnover at their outlets, or whether they need to increase that.

 

You can imagine rocking up at alton towers demanding to be let in for free because you want to go to the shop?

 

Rather different proposition, both Alton Towers and National Trust property.

Our preserved railways are very much dependant upon Shop and catering income to balance the books. Study any preserved lines accounts and you will see that these activities generate much more income than running trains!

 

I'm sure that may be the case for some, but certainly not all...

 

I was at Sheffield Park today and there were no platform staff on, so members of the public were free to enter the shop or the restaurant and even visit the engine shed completley free. Most of the general public visiting were however riding in the wonderful 1913 Observation Car pulled by Fenchurch 1872 then having lunch and visiting the shop afterwards. The Autumn Tints are wonderful this time of the year.
Regards,Tim Ashton.