What do you expect from a gala?

How about having an early breakfast train departing before the main timetabled gala event starts? And you have to have a breakfast as its the whole idea of the train. Call the cost of the breakfast as the "supplement". Just an idea/thought

 

This has been done for a number of years now at the SVR ASG. The Severn Valley Venturer does two sittings of "walk on" breakfast service on the saturday and sunday mornings, with an added supplement (about a fiver i think). It generally leaves kidder about half 8, and does a return working from bridgnorth around 10.30 ish. A very good service that is invariably filled. IMO the supplement is worth it just to sit in the LMS 1st open 7511...pure luxury!

 

My attention kept firmly within the operations of the railway, so that I don't just leave for the nearest pub and/or road home when things get tedious. For example: Crews that enjoy driving/firing an engine and make it heard, not people drawn from the morgue for each gala who then plod around at half-reg all day.

 

Was beginning to think I was the only one! :lol:

 

Absolutely agree

 

Perhaps not directly answering the original question, but I'd like to have some faith in the original plans actually coming to fruition.

I'm self-employed and usually work Saturdays. Sundays are strictly reserved for family so if I fancy a gala I have to plan ahead and blank a Saturday out of my diary.

A certain railway in the North West has improved in recent years but went through a Rumplestiltskin phase of promising an awful lot and failing to deliver.

 

Actually its not acceptable to have dirty loo's. If it was just a few railway nutters who didnt care then its ok but to Jo Public having disgusting loo's could easily put them off attending again through the rest of the year. Railways (how ever much we want them as our own play sets) are tourist attractions and as such should have decent basic facility's

 

well for a different view what i expect is visitors that are respectfull of the effort put in to organising the event and also not selfish, ignorant or unreasonably demanding.
any request can be dealt with if it is reasonable and politely asked for. petulant demands get little in the way of co-operation.
Just because it is a Gala does not mean the people organising and delivering it put themselves up for less than reasonable attitudes or behavior.
It is still their hobby after all.
your opportunity to share in it should be appreciated and savored.

The Melter

 

Bluebell did that at one or two galas a two or three years ago; however not recently. Not sure why they stopped; whether it was unremunerative, or whether it was trying to keep days shorter.

For me, my top tips would be:

1) Visits to areas normally out of bounds or difficult to access - e.g. guided trips round loco works, carriage works, into signal boxes etc. Have had some memorable behind the scenes trips - e.g. to Lywood Tunnel (near Ardingly, via the trackbed) and Imberhorne viaduct before EG opened at the Bluebell; a fun hour or so in Corfe Castle signal box on a Swanage members day; around the field of grounded bodies at the Isle of Wight. Add a knowledgeable guide and it not only serves of interest to the visitor, but also I think benefits the railway in showing what sorts of things still remain to be done, as well as making the volunteers seem a bit more human.

2) Proper coaches - by which I mean not scrappy old Mark 1s. I like Bluebell galas where on high days and holidays, there are opportunities to ride stuff more often hidden away, especially the pre-grouping stock. I'm less bothered about authentic combinations, simply because I tend to ride trains, not photograph them; and once you are in a carriage, it doesn't really matter what other carriages are in the set. Not so long ago, the Bluebell put an LBSCR 4 wheel first, LCDR 4 wheel brake, SECR 4 wheel disabled saloon 3rd, the 4 Metropolitan carriages and the LSWR brake 3rd in one train, behind LBSC E4 in SR livery. No doubt such a combination had never previously been seen together, but for me I could have ridden all day just swapping from one coach to another.

Not all railways have such luxury of available stock, but there is no excuse for poorly presented, dirty carriages. I went to one gala (on a major line with a mainline connection) where a rake of Mk 1s had come in on a charter and were then used throughout the gala. They had filthy windows, ripped seats, out of use toilets and didn't look like they had had any attention since coming out of BR service, still with post steam details such as arrows of indecision logos on mirrors, horrible blue moquette etc. Any semblance of period atmosphere was gone in an instant.

3) A frequent service with everything stopping everywhere, so that if you don't want to, you don't have to plan the day - just get out at a place of interest, look round then know you haven't too long to wait for something else to catch.

Pet peeves:

1) Apart from scrappy old stock (and that applies at any time, not just on galas), it is probably non-stopping trains. We once got out at Washford on the WSR, had a look round the S&D museum, heard a train coming up the hill so went back to catch it just to find it was a non-stop. Result: another 30 mins or so to wait to catch another train.

2) Incoming /outgoing mainline charters. It's really frustrating when a gala timetable gets hijacked because an incoming charter is an hour or so late, but has to come in, so all other traffic has to be held for it. Fine for a charter to come before a gala so a particular engine can be used in a cost-effective way. But if I had paid an enhanced price for a gala, I don't want the day mucked up to accommodate a train I can't even go on.

3) Non-resilient timetables. I don't mind a bit of late running. But some timetables just seem to fall apart at the scenes. If you are running pretty much to maximum capacity (e.g. trains crossing at every crossing station all through the day), then slow down a bit so there is some recovery time at each end and each crossing point. At the very least, even if things do run late, I think things should cross where advertised, as an aid to those who like to pre-plan their days. Better that you catch the train you wanted even if 20 minutes late, than that you miss it as it took an earlier path.

Tom

 

Theres a lot of work that goes into galas, its all done months in advance sometimes things dont work out
What do i expect to get from a gala, unusial workings, freight or engineering trains, engines working formations they normally wouldnt,
for me the best two things i have witnessed that for me worked was seeing two terriers in 1950s black doubleheading on 4 mk 1s last year,We had only finished painting No 3 the day before , and going back several decades an end of steam gala at my old railway, it showed it wharts and all 76017 being hauled dead rods off by a crompton, engines looking like they were back in 67, 30506 with chalked messages such as "play up pompy", very very sad memories to those who were there, but a gala that invoked a lot of memories

 

This of course also addresses the "state of the loos" question to a degree. Remember that gala days take a LOT of manpower to run, which probably means some volunteers travelling long distances in order to assist. As someone who lives 120 miles from "my" railway, I'm always happy to do whatever jobs are needed, and yes that may include checking the loos are presentable, but I do NOT want to spend an entire gala weekend with my head down the pan cleaning up after other people. A little respect, courtesy and consideration from visitors and that need not be necessary, no matter how busy it gets.
At most railways well over 90% of the "staff" operating the gala are volunteers, and that usually means "enthusiasts"; bear in mind that they too would love to see the visiting A4 or whatever as well!
On the main topic, if I visit a gala I hope that there will be good information, not only about what is planned (so that I don't miss anything) but also, very importantly, what's going on when things don't go to plan. At those times railway management may have to think on their feet and come up with alternative schedules etc at very short notice; but once a decision's been made, or information is available, then LET PEOPLE KNOW! (Your own staff PLUS visitors!)
For me, what makes a gala "successful" is an authentic "feel"; that MIGHT be filthy locos or impeccably turned-out ones, but (for instance) if it's a steam gala, I want to be able to take a picture without a dozen people in hi-viz vests in the way. (And yes, I have worn a hi-viz at a steam gala myself, but only when operationally necessary and only in a rather "obscure" location!) Most important of all though is a friendly, welcoming atmosphere where staff, volunteers and visitors respect one another and enjoy the event.

 

So you think that those who pay good money to allow you to indulge your hobby should be respectful - grow up and get real - no-one is forced to visit and spend money to allow you to play with your toys

 

If people didn't volunteer their time and skills, or "play", there would be nothing to pay "good money" to see and ride behind.

 

When you put it that way then ok but surely respect is mutual. If a volunteer is treated like something that has been trod in then surely they may think, stuff this then. I'll just jack it in and do something else. Where would the heritage movement be then. As is often said "volunteers are the lifeblood of the line". Courtesy, politeness and respect cost nothing.

 

I am often surprised how many people have no idea we're volunteers. Let's be honest, servants of the public in any line of employment are treated like excrement every day. It isn't nice, it isn't right, but it is, and it isn't going to go away. If you can't grow a thick enough skin to laugh about the dregs of humanity who get a kick out of finding a member of staff to belittle, perhaps...?

My favourite insult ever was when I was signalling a crossing move at Hampton Loade. One train was nine coaches long, too long for the loop, so I was obliged to let the other one in first - no other option. Unfortunately this blocked a shot by a lot of photographers. I explained and most were disappointed but understanding - one however looked like he was about to have apoplexy, called me a jobsworth, a liar and a bully (insert several expletives to get the full gist of the tirade) and stomped off! I had a good chuckle once I'd closed the window...

I'm going to go out on a limb here - I think that the customer service of a lot of volunteers needs to improve significantly. Some treat the public like idiots - it never occurs to them that the public aren't enthusiasts and aren't going to know the answer to a question everyone on here would know. Others are gruff, short and sometimes downright rude. It's behaviour like that that loses us passengers, far more than say a dirty loo or tepid tea - both of which can be resolved with a smile and an apology, which is not always forthcoming!

 

A railway showcasing what it can really do. Thats about it for what I look for.

 

Well, call me old-fashioned, but it's my belief that all human beings should treat each other with respect. Going off at a tangent, the hoo-ha about NHS staff not using certain language, or ignoring patients, will not be resolved by banning that language. It's a symptom of the lack of respect generally within society.
The thread was asking about galas, and it's the case that galas attract - deliberately - a higher proportion of "enthusiasts" than a normal running day. Those enthusiasts are exactly the people who are far more likely to understand the hard work that goes into putting these events on, and to understand the motivation behind volunteers' efforts. It's not like the volunteers personally are making a profit from the day - far from it. In my case it costs me £50 in petrol, usually some time off work, and a weekend away from the family in order to come and work a couple of 12-hour days volunteering at a gala or other event. But I still do it, and willingly, and so do (thankfully) hundreds of others across the country. If all I get are complaints (about things I - nor in many cases anyone - have control over), rudeness, lack of respect or consideration then in time I may choose to withdraw that support.

And yes, of course Guard Jamie is absolutely right - it goes both ways!

 

The customer is always right. Next time a passenger raises an issue, try "We're all volunteers. If people didn't volunteer their time and skills, or "play", there would be nothing to pay "good money" to see and ride behind" as a response, and see if they return! This is one of the most serious issues surrounding preserved lines from the passenger's point of view - absolutely volunteers should be treated with respect, BUT why should your average punter consider it any different from visiting Alton Towers or their local cinema? They've paid their money, they expect a service. "I'm not being paid for this, you know" isn't going to satisfy them.

 

In all fairness, i don't consider folks that are members of nat pres as average punters, enthusiasts are a minority when it comes to passenger figures, so it irritates me when those that are supposedly in the same boat as those of us that are volunteering (we're all enthusiasts too first and foremost) are so disrespectful. I was an enthusiast for many years (most of my childhood) before volunteering and it was the friendly attitudes of vols that made me want to get involved hands on, even more so than the chance to get covered in oil, grime, coal and ash (if you'll believe it!), so i'd like to think that I display a similar attitude to passengers at the railway.

After spending a few years in a job where dealing with the public was paramount I'd like to think i understand the importance of giving the right impression. I'm always happy to be summoned over to the platform from bridgnorth yard to answer any questions (I'll be the one wearing glasses that is inexplicably several times dirtier than anyone else). A friendly face and an explanation of a question can do wonders for someone's experience of a day, enthusiast or no. There is a difference between having a conversation and having abuse hurled at you though. Thankfully I'm yet to have to deal with any real vitriol from actual customers, but when I do I'd like to think my responses will be polite and fair.

Just think though, the next time something goes wrong at a gala or any service day, you're likely to get so much more information if you ask nicely. I've seen volunteers leave and never come back because of horrible exchanges before. Thats not a trend our hobby/industry call it what you like, can afford.

Sorry for the essay folks.

 

I think the important point to remember is that while the customer may not always be right he is always the customer.