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Steam Dreams 2013 & 2014 Archive

Discussie in 'What's Going On' gestart door free2grice, 10 aug 2013.

Pagina 16 van 33
  1. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    I take the, perhaps rather simplistic view, that each promoter knows his market and how he wants it to develop and then charges accordingly.

    If that fills the seats sufficiently to keep the business solvent in the medium term, then leaving some people behind due to pricing variances with other promoters is all part of business life.

    IMHO.
     
    KentYeti, 20 feb 2014
    #301
    Big Al vindt dit leuk.
  2. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Absolutely right. Whatever else we may have to say about any operator and their pricing structure, I would have thought that there were easier options for running a business. It's hard to think of many other situations where two of the critical factors - i.e. the motive power and the route/timings - are almost out of your hands and definitely unpredictable. (Sorry but we can't run our local bus service today because we don't know whether the single decker will be available to get under the low bridge and, anyway, the road is temporarily closed to all vehicles over 1 ton). It's worth remembering that the RTC had its overseas business before the UK market and has not ND said on this Forum that foreign trips are a good relatively hassle free earner? By contrast, for SD the UK market IS the business so I would have thought that they work particularly hard to research the market and get it right for their business model. But IMHO they do remember the enthusiast. For example, I've been on their Explorer more than once where Standard is an option - not the case with the RTC.
     
    Big Al, 20 feb 2014
    #302
  3. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    A Black 5 is now confirmed by SD for this trip rather than Tangmere.
     
    Big Al, 20 feb 2014
    #303
  4. gricerdon

    gricerdon Guest

    Next two trips now discounted by 10% in standard. Still wont get me to book though. A 60 mph trundle with DL in the back on 1st March? No thanks. Do they know their market? I think not.

    Don
     
    gricerdon, 20 feb 2014
    #304
    green five vindt dit leuk.
  5. leander

    leander Member

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    The price of table cloths have gone up
     
    leander, 20 feb 2014
    #305
    green five vindt dit leuk.
  6. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    I travelled on this tour back in 2009. A great day out with 70013 on it's own & the Green Train.
    Not a box to be seen.
    The only slight "mishap" was that the train terminated at Newport instead of Cardiff due to engineering works. Coaches were laid on for people wishing to go to Cardiff though.
     
    buseng, 20 feb 2014
    #306
  7. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    "I travelled on this tour back in 2009. A great day out with 70013 on it's own & the Green Train.
    Not a box to be seen.
    The only slight "mishap" was that the train terminated at Newport instead of Cardiff due to engineering works. Coaches were laid on for people wishing to go to Cardiff though."

    I was on that trip too. Fantastic run with 70013 with Ray Churchill on the Regulator on the outward run. Here are some reminders of a brilliant day:






    What was particularly memorable was standing next to 70013 as she lifted her train out of Reading on the return run in some style as seen in the third video. Oh happy days!!
     
    green five, 20 feb 2014
    #307
  8. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    It was a cracking trip. Beer in Newport was good too. :)
     
    Spamcan81, 20 feb 2014
    #308
  9. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    It feels like this is an attempt to keep it running - and that is to their credit - after the March 1st trip has started to fold about them. First of all they have to go out of Victoria rather than from Waterloo down the main. That adds 45 minutes to the day at either end. Next, Tangmere isn't available and they have to substitute a Black 5. Finally a diesel is needed to assist. It just illustrates my point in #302. There must be easier ways to make money.....if indeed that is the case for this trip.
     
    Big Al, 20 feb 2014
    #309
  10. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    I was on that trip agree that it was a good day out.. The trip with 6024 in 2012 was also a good trip.
     
    Paul42, 20 feb 2014
    #310
  11. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    I also rushed over to platform 8 (as was) at Reading to witness the departure, well worth it.
    All in the past I'm afraid, like Reading Station itself.
     
    buseng, 20 feb 2014
    #311
  12. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    They generally know there market very well The problem it is is too long a day ( via Staines and Salisbury), short hours of daylight, and most people who have wanted to go to Cardiff have been before, and know there is not much to do there.A lot will not be bothered what's on front, the speed of the run or notice the diesel pushing. I would go to Cardiff again but it would have to be out of Paddington and have a Castle on the front.
     
    Paul42, 20 feb 2014
    #312
  13. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    I was on board and yes, the Reading departure was something special.
     
    Spamcan81, 20 feb 2014
    #313
  14. Panniertank

    Panniertank New Member

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    A more appropriate locomotive for the Great Eastern
     
    Panniertank, 22 feb 2014
    #314
  15. spicer21

    spicer21 Guest

    Agree with you up to a point, but that kind of strategy can come back to bite you as a business if trade falls off and you've seen as "greedy" in the good times !
     
    spicer21, 23 feb 2014
    #315
  16. spicer21

    spicer21 Guest

    Good incisive, thought provoking post as ever Al. I just remain surprised how often this topic comes up with the same points made. For a group of people that usually enjoy going forwards, in a "relatively" straight line, we spend an awful lot of time on here going round in circles I've noticed, :)
     
    spicer21, 23 feb 2014
    #316
    Big Al vindt dit leuk.
  17. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Agreed. Once said, it doesn't need to be repeated. Sadly, there is a short term memory issue with many things in society and so we seem to have to go around the circuit more than once. Watch out for the next Waterloo platform 19 discussion!
     
    Big Al, 23 feb 2014
    #317
  18. spicer21

    spicer21 Guest

    Blimey, don't think I've seen that one !

    Wouldn't be quite so bad if it was different, or new members making the same points, but it's all too often the "Usual Suspects" !
     
    spicer21, 23 feb 2014
    #318
  19. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Just wondering when Steam Dreams is going to rename this year's Cathedrals Explorer to The Black Fives Explorer.
     
    Big Al, 3 mrt 2014
    #319
    Drysdale vindt dit leuk.
  20. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    Aye.. 11th May looks good… Inverness to Kyle and Sheffield/Penistone in the same day.
     
    ADB968008, 4 mrt 2014
    #320
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