Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening Gala

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Thanks for your kind comments Frank, certainly some beautiful countryside around the area. Some good videos appearing so far with many more to come

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Most certainly is!! Lovely bark!

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

I think Saturday night should be

8624 and 44767 double headed

With 5199 banking

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Thanks for posting that Austin, some great locations on there and thanks to everyone else who has posted up their vids and photos so far :thumb:

My Nat Pres beer train vid is a bit dark but the sound has come out ok. I shall post later when I have finished editing.

One quick question, could somone post who was on the footplates of both locos for the beer train please? It is for the titles on the vid.

Thanks to all involved in this weekends events from the CVR and MCR and cheers to the catering crew who fed and watered us for the weekend.

Neil.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Lovely sound! Doesn't matter that you can't see a thing!

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

That was the idea,we had plenty of lamps to light the path back to the main road so we went for the mad shots,as usual!

 

Re: Moorlands and City Railway

Whilst echoing many of TBird's comments may I add that whilst farmers were surprised and co-operative on Saturday that was because photographers took the time to explain the situation re parking - especially when on private land. In my case the farmer at Ipstones agreed because "I had asked him" and the owner of the stables by Winkhill agreed because I had parked off the single track. My concern is for the future when persons fail to speak to landowners and cause offence by interfering with the rhythm of what is - basically - a farming community which has its own long-standing rhythms.
In terms of the weekend few seem to be aware that there was a serious water shortage causing problems for locos needing water to handle the Cauldon Lowe section and the fact that services were maintained - albeit with diesel assistance - should not detract from what appears to be a successful start.

To be sure the railway was overwhelmed with visitors on weekend 1 of a 3 weekend event but let's acknowledge that the volunteers are on a steep learning curve and will have learned much from the weekend. Problems are only to be expected but it is the way in which you handle and solve them which will mark out whether the venture is a success. For my own part I would suggest a meeting with local landowners in order to arrange access to locations and parking locations ( with perhaps an agreed parking fee on gala days ? ) and involve them in planning for both normal and gala events. I'm sure that there is much co-operation that could be undertaken by both parties to allow accesses with benefits to both parties and retain goodwill for the railway - but that is obviously something for the future.

In the meantime with praise for the weekend efforts and best wishes for a successful further 2 weeks as lessons are learned and put into practice.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Steam - 5197 + 6046!

Diesel - 37075 + 37109!

;-)

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Post removed.

 

Re: Moorlands and City Railway

I think some people also failed to realise that the people in that booking office we're volunteers and doing that job as part of their hobby, the abuse and anger thrown at them was as some points not fair in any way shape or form.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

I'm coming next Saturday so it has to definitely be something noisy, 44767, 8624 or 5199. 71000 at a push but definitely not 34028. Diesel wise, it's got to be the 37 or 25.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Pic of 34028 eddystone heading up to ipstones yesterday. Thanks to everyone for organising a great day yesterday.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oli_g_15/5179857794/

Cheers

 

Re: Moorlands and City Railway

Glyn

The customers who were upset see only a face representing CVR/MCR as in any business transaction. Your status is of no interest to them - you are a representative of the company asking them for a multiple of £25 admission fees when they may only want a cuppa, to visit the shop , or just one ride. Its "No Deal" and revenue lost

To us enthusiasts, £25 for the whole day is a reasonable Rover fare. To Joe Public - who just wants one ride and to go home, and is given a "take it or leave it attitude" as to fare levels, no matter how politely delivered, especially if they have spent half an hour looking for parking, it is fair game for adverse comment or worse.

I really do hope that CVR / MCR will take the one trip fare option seriously - Tornado was a sell out on weekend one at Bury - but the weekdays and following weekend were much lower profile. I would expect that to be the case here and people turning away in the days to come would not be good business or good publicity.

Like Fred said - this is learning curve time.

 

Re: Moorlands and City Railway

That said the Tornado effect lasted through half term week; when I visited on the Wednesday the crowds of passengers arriving at Ramsbottom were all asking the same question - "which is the Tornado train ? That's the one we want to travel on". According to the ELR blurb 10,000 people did just that during Tornado's visit hence the importance of stating the message loud and clear ( which IMHO the organisers did ) and hope that staff and volunteers keep supporting the echoes to maintain interest over the next 2 weekends.

The Moorlands team has put a lot of time and money into this event and one would like to think that it won't be dissipated by poor communications and disinterested / impolite staff although one appreciates that there will always be some customers looking for more than the organisers are able to provide. It's how the staff deal with this group of malcontents which will determine the reputation given to the general public.

 

Re: Moorlands and City Railway

But again, it wasnt a surprise.. the fares were advertised in advance.

I agree that keeping the stalls and beer tent "inside" was a miss, the traveling on the train should really have been kept one way or the other..and maybe a "gate ticket" should be offered at Froghall, but not to the platform.. once inside the unscrupulous can & will travel at will.

In reality there was no policing of passengers on the train... there was too many passengers, no one checked my ticket all day, after I entered the gates at Froghall.
At Cheddleton I entered and left the station at will without being checked. Even the "beerex.." no one checked my ticket. Admittedly there was no excuse for not checking tickets on the DMU at least !

At a gala such as this I dont think it would be possible without limiting who can travel on which train... which results in lost revenue (though everyone has a seat).. someone came on this forum recently admitting they fare jumped the SVR gala with a platform ticket every chance they get.

In future events, when it's "just a gala" rather than the opening day, return fares should be offered, crowds may well be less and staff more able to check tickets, but on this occasion I do believe a day ticket was the only way for an event this big in a space so small... however I am not sure this was by mistake or by design.

in my own opinion.. I paid £25 with the intention of 1 round trip and take a lot of pictures. My reality was realising the entire round trip time, plus the need to feed, diminishing light I just decieded to Go for it.. again, and again.. something I wouldnt have done If I'd paid £10 for a return.. and is both the gain of MCR in revenue and satisfaction in seeing scenes like this...

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

The first part of my video shot during the evening beer train...no nice Staffordshire moorland scenery, just the roar of an 8F working hard....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJTIzg1vtEA

I'm not sure whether anyone else is having problems with Youtube being on a go slow, 4hours to upload and around 3 to process. I will put up part 2 tomorrow.

Neil.

 

Re: Moorlands and City Railway

Manning the buffet on the DMU on Sunday, I can say I observed the tickets being checked many times that day. I can't speak for Saturday however.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

So moving onto this coming weekend, below is the present list of events I have

If the Beer train is up for discussion, then 44767 and 8624 DH with 5199 banking has to be first choice.
Second would be 44767 banked by 25059, but with 34028 already being advertised I'm guessing you'd want to keep her on the train.

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Awwww I thought it was going to be a Nat Pres embarrassment vid

And - see - all 8Fs are black in the dark - but what about those rockets?!

I hope that was your thumb in the picture now and then!

 

Re: Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening G

Sorry Frank, I didn't have enough power left in the battery for that, I stupidly left it running earlier in the day so no in train stuff!

One of my fingers actually, trying to keep the rain out of the lens.. :thumb: