North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

55002 can work to Whitby

 

Would a Merchant Navy be able to cope with the curves between Ruswarp and Whitby?

 

Depends how well it bends!

 

As 47 406 has said, Gala fares apply when most Special Events are staged due to the costs of staging them. Diesel enthusiasts are willing to pay the premium to get their "fix" of their thing, but Diesel Gala is probably the hardest for those who have no specific interest in Diesels to understand the higher fares. As long as a Railway wants to serve the diesel enthusiast market, this problem remains and there is no right or wrong to it. Diesel Galas do tend to have quite a high cost of staging, although, unlike steam, it is a more "fixed" cost regardless of the number of guest locos (you have bring in a convoy of several locos for the same price, which wouldn't be the case even for all mainline steam visitors.

Unfortunately, we haven't really yet worked out the best way to use the extra capacity to Whitby at Galas yet without not doing the Battersby runs, which are popular. Sundays, as Steve has already said, don't really have that extra capacity because the Northern service is more intensive, running the 4 trains over a shorter period and using more than 1 set.

Steven

 

Almost smiling Steve! We were basically looking for a 10% increase in fares takings due to the extra service in year 1 - i.e. over and above the forecast yield from fare increases and other changes to days operated etc. (about 5%).

We monitor the main Booking Office takings daily and in the second half of August, from when the enhanced service started, these were but by over 20%. In September so far, excluding the Diesel gala (when, as noted above, the extra trains didn't run), we are over 28% up - so it does seem to be going very well!

Steven

 

We will know before too long, I think - as I understand it, the Merchant Navies share the same chassis as the light pacifics but have a larger boiler. As 34101 should be running before too long and is expected to be Whitby engine, if it can run there so should a Merchant Navy (with the caveat that axle loading may be an issue).

 

Good grief: budgeted increase 10%, actual increase 28% but he's still only "almost" smiling.

What does it actually take to make an accountant smile?? (answers on an invoice please, with payment in 28 days).

Richard

 

"Remittance attached", please!

I am actually known by some as a hopeless optimist, so try not to be seen smiling in public too often!

Steven

 

He's not actually smiling because 61624 and others (including me) are busy plotting on how we might spend it and our plans are ambitious. We haven't told him about the Whitby - Loftus scheme, yet ( although he's known to have mentioned it favourably himself.)

 

Question is, which is the most useful accoutrement to a brake van:

1) A guard
2) A smiling accountant
3) A scowling accountant
4) A disused railway sleeper

Answers on a postcard please...

Tom

 

Thruuuuuuuuup

 

Just remember there are three types of accountant : those that can add up and the rest of us.

 

I don't think that is true - the coupled wheelbase on a MN is 7'6" + 7'6" and on a BB/WC it is 7'6" + 7'3". There is also an extra foot in length between trailing coupled axle and trailing bogie on a MN. The bogie wheelbase and bogie to first driving axle dimensions are the same, but in total, the wheelbase of a MN is 18" longer (36'9" vs 35'3").

Tom

 

minimum radius from BR drawing for WC/BB is 5.33 chains without gauge widening.A MN might be more.

 

Fair enough. It stands to reason, thinking about it, that a bigger boiler and firebox would require a longer chassis. It's probably a bit of an academic issue, though, I'm not sure what main line registered MN is likely to make it to Whitby!

 

We have now confirmed that we will be staying in Whitby on the 21st and 22nd of October and will be riding on the Moors on Wednesday the 22nd of October. To be determined is if we do the whole line to Pickering, or only as far as Goathland. Have to talk to my wife about how much time she is willing to spend on the train and spend some time looking at the schedule to make sure we maximize the use of our time.

Stephen

 

Why not take the 10:00 out of Whitby and visit both Pickering and Goathland during your day (and Grosmont, for the Sheds, of course!) - you could take that right through to Pickering (11:40), then use 12:00, 13:00 or 15:00 to travel back to sample Goathland and/or Grosmont before making sure you are on the train that leaves Grosmont at 17:15 (16:10 off Pickering) to get back to Whitby.

Steven

 

Another update from the Civil Engineer.
Including a bit of a look ahead.
http://www.nymr.co.uk/2014/09/civil-engineering-diary-part-13/

 

I found the article in Heritage Railway about the boost to traffic from the new Whitby platform a very interesting read but I'm not sure I really understood the problem with the Teak Set and why its been split up at the moment.

Is the issue basically that in order to make the new timetable work then all carriage sets on the NYMR (other than the diner) have to be able to run through to Whitby? And therefore that since the Teaks can't (currently) do so then logistically the NYMR has to keep them to one side until they can?

What sort of alterations need to be made (or can be made) to allow the set to run to Whitby? (I must say I like the idea of the B1 on a Teak set at Whitby, maybe even with one of those Fish Vans as well).