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SVR Loco Newsy News / discussions

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by acorb, Jul 26, 2009.

  1. Kje7812

    Kje7812 Part of the furniture

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    This reminds me, a notice I saw yesterday said that due to operational difficulties the dmu shuttle to the carriage shed at kiddy was cancelled and instead an escort would be provided for those wishing to visit the carriage shed. ps I would advise sensible footwear.
     
  2. 46118

    46118 Part of the furniture

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    Thanks for that info.

    On reflection if I have to travel up the Valley by diesel, I would rather do it the DMU for the superior view!

    ..Here's hoping.... well sort of...! I still hope for steam on the 10-35.

    Edit: News elsewhere is that 43106 might have failed today. I really hope not.
     
  3. Reformed Sniper

    Reformed Sniper New Member

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    You may be right about repeat business but I find myself thinking back to when my family were staying in a b&b near Kidderminster about 20 years ago. We decided to go for a ride on the severn valley but had the bad luck to turn up on a diesel gala weekend with the result that 5 of us turned around and got back in the car. It wasn't a problem for me personally as I'm a fan of diesels but the others had no interest so we left. I find myself wondering how many have done the same during the current steam shortage.
     
  4. Ruston906

    Ruston906 Member

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    257 squadron now in herston works as i understand swanage will on take two light pacifics from SLL this would be 2013/2014
     
  5. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    7812 was on some charter on Saturday while 3 diesels were out. Don't think the SVR were looking after their core customer.
     
  6. Andy2857

    Andy2857 Member

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    Not a charter Neil, Steam School. Intermediate in the morning and advanced in the afternoon, bringing in a significant sum of money.
     
  7. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    Oh right, and a trainload of punters doesn't?
     
  8. Andy2857

    Andy2857 Member

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    Of course it does, but the point I made earlier in the thread is that the Steam Schools are GUARANTEED revenue, booked months in advance. All the advanced courses in 2012 have sold out. If it had tipped it down with rain yesterday and the trains were running with only half or quarter loads I think it would be hard to argue that running the FE doesnt make financial sense.
    I understand people's feelings. I would have been a bit miffed if I had been travelling this weekend, but I can also understand why management decided against cancelling the FE, and I agree with their decision.
     
  9. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    That's nonsense. If they've sold out then they can re-arrange/re-sell it for another date. Measure that against the people who won't come back.
     
  10. Andy2857

    Andy2857 Member

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    It's impossible to measure what we have lost from people who may or may not come back or who turned around though. Whereas you know exactly how much we would not have made this weekend if the FE was cancelled. £3,170. I also wonder how much additional custom we might have gained from the mini diesel gala which was on show.
     
  11. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    You ignore your core customer at your peril.
     
  12. Andy2857

    Andy2857 Member

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    I don't want to ignore anyone Neil. Nobody complained to me whilst i was tending to 2857's frames next to platform 2 at BH. If they had of done, I would have done my best to explain the situation as I see it. Hopefully next weekend we won't be in this situation and nobody will feel ignored.
     
  13. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    Without wanting to be rude Andy but I don't think you were an obvious person to complain to. I wonder how the SVR guards and station staff got on this weekend.

    I too hope that the situation improves soon.
     
  14. Ruston906

    Ruston906 Member

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    Your core customer is the one on the driver experiance and when he come back he spends a large amount off money. Assume you cancelled the course at short notice days and they have booked accomodation as well whats the chance of them ever coming back i would suggest none.
     
  15. Andy2857

    Andy2857 Member

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    Yeah fair point. I certainly expect the guards, TTI's and platform staff will have got the brunt of any negative feeling.

    With regard to things getting better, this week will see various components being returned to 4566, 42968, 1501 and 2857, whilst Sir Keith will begin running in trials in earnest. So we can but hope.
     
  16. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    That's good to hear. I'm sure everyone is working hard at Bridgnorth.
     
  17. Kje7812

    Kje7812 Part of the furniture

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    Personally no one said anything to me, but I did see a few unhappy faces and people waiting round. A colleague did say he'd had to explain a few times. I think as long as people are told why we are running diesels they generally understand, there will always be one or two who don't but that's life.
     
  18. D1039

    D1039 Guest

  19. lostlogin

    lostlogin Member

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    I think the most important part is ensuring the PR is done when people turn up and book. I was annoyed when I had my experience at the Mid Hants because they did not do that. There were additional extenuating circumstances in that they also had a "Thomas" in steam which was attached as a banker on the diesel hauled service and you did wonder why "Thomas" could not have been on the driver experience and the larger loco hauled the service trains.

    I would not liked to have to make the decision the SVR had to but ultimatly it probably was the right call. Not becuase of the financial implications as I think that should have been secondary to passenger requirements but this way nothing got cancelled all be it some would have been disappointed that the train was not steam hauled Handle the PR well at the initial point of contact and you might well have many passengers feeling grateful that you are actually running a train rather than grumpy it is not steam hauled
     
  20. 21B

    21B Part of the furniture

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    I wouldn't be too hard on the Management and Board. It isn't that long since the floods which washed away a huge section of the railway. The expense of that made the sort of dent in the finances from which it is hard recover quickly, we could have been lamenting the loss of the SVR altogether.
     

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