Heritage Railway Long Term Goals

I would respectfully ask you re-read my posts here. Not once have I said an extension is the only answer to a railways ills. I tried to get the message across that the projects the SVR is undertaking are hardly those that set the world afire for a supposed premier league line (although they would be ambitious and exciting for a lesser line). I then led on to suggest that is a contributory factors to SVR's visitor numbers slide. It is not for me to decide what should be done (that is for the board). What is clear sitting on one's hands for year upon year is not, repeat not Mr Paul, going to increase revenue one iota.

We all would like to see improvements at Bridgnorth although few wanted those originally proposed.

To hint at being uncaring about the style of developments encourages cries of "Heathen" or worse. It may even be taken as support for the Chrome and Glass abominations that formed part of Xanadu.

And finally for now we agree that busy busy toilets, although fresh at the start of day, are rarely that unsmelly at the end if not cleaned at frequent intervals. For now lunch will remain at the George for my future visits.

 

The problem is that not everyone sees the bigger picture, at board level, some making decisions do so with their own agenda in mind, or a totally unrealistic viewpoint, a wish to leave their mark you could say, but simple things can make a difference, buffet facilities that are kept clean and given a fresh coat of paint toilets that get cleaned more than once a day , coaches that are given a brush out or hoovered ,how long does it take to walk through with a bin bag just before the train reaches its termini? there is nothing worse than getting on a train and before you sit down you have to remove the last occupants rubbish, things like a fresh coat of paint to the refreshment rooms can be done in the quite early season, it may be a portacabin, but if its clean and fresh, its not going to put people off. and it does not cost the earth.

 

Very true, but that still does not mean that redaction can not be applied to areas which unintentionally contravene said rules. This course of action would have the benefit of not killing dead the main thrust of a thread, as current policy clearly does. Our political masters have made redaction a well practised and normal part of their daily life, in order to keep from the public gaze those matters they consider contentious or private. My concern is that a thought provoking and sometimes amusing and direct contributor who's only crime, aside from occasional name dropping, appears to be to try and discuss some basic economics with those who show little appreciation, understanding or interest in the subject, is being sent to the naughty step on a regular basis. I guess in the PC world in which we now live, someone having views considered by some as outside the railway norm - and sums are always outside the norm, is always going to find the going tough. What was it Edmund Burke said !

 

It is true that the railways you mention (and the GCR) are having clearouts, but what is being evicted is mostly hovering on the brink of being fit only for scrap. Most of the current generation of railways have been built on the era of cheap ex-BR stock in reasonably good condition but that is now long gone and the only coaching stock now available is either far more expensive or needs a lot of time and money spending on it, adding to the overall uphill struggle.

 

Maybe we need to make carriage sheds the new 'sexy' addition for a heritage railway?

An interesting quote from RVP was the amount of time between coaching stock needing attention increased from 2-3 years to 10 years when the vehicles were kept under cover!

 

And Louis Pole you need to read my postings. Particularly the bit about railways needing to finish things properly before starting something new. Also I did say specifically that I did "care about the style" but the actual style was less important than getting it right and finishing it. I could have added "and even actually starting to provide facilities for the visitor which stood a chance of contributing to net revenue".

P.H.

 

There's no maybe 7about it! No-one doubts the need to keep steam locomotives under cover, but carriages are a very poor distant relative, despite the fact that they are made of far more fragile and sensitive materials. For lines hard pressed to keep pace with carriage overhauls, undercover storage when not in use could make a huge difference.

 

I would say the reinstatement of regular services between Swanage and Wareham is a fairly big thing, even if you only look at the initial trials of 50 days in the first year followed by 90 days in the second year.

This was very much the reason for the formation of the embryonic preservation initiatives in the area in the early 1970's.

 

GFG is certainly thought provoking, and broadly I would agree that his posts are generally constructively "provoking". Alas not all though. Perhaps redaction was suggested and rejected by GFG?

Twenty years ago I thought it would be a good idea if the SVR finished Bridgnorth. I am with PH, I am past caring about the style - except that it should be in keeping with a railway and not a gin palace

 

Surely the long term goal of all heritage railways is to retain its volunteers and gain new volunteers. Once you have cracked this then most railway will continue to grow and prosper. All the above projects will then come to fruition over a period of time.

 

What about starting a new heritage line? See http://www.bramleyline.org.uk/.

This has been a long term plan - including re-opening the line as a commuter feeder line.


Steve
Bramley Line

 

Sustainability, passenger growth, volunteer growth, No major engineering/ infrastructure work sapping the finances. A locomotive fleet that is adequate for the service needs with extra for either hiring out or maintenance work. The list for long term plans could go on for along time.

 

Mr (?) Southernman; all items on your list are desirable unfortunately both the SVR's passenger and membership numbers continue to head southwards as they have been for a number of years. Meanwhile a line like that of the SVR will always have significant engineering and infrastructure work needing to be done.
Accepting what you say is basically correct what do you suggest to stop the slide. More high revenue photo charters instead of the usual timetabled operation perhaps?

 

Whist it may not be a Heritage Railway in the strictest sense of the word, how about the South Tynedale Railways continuing effort to reach further down the line from Alston, perhaps even back to Haltwhistle if a new bridge can be found to cover the gap caused by the A69 bypass. They keep plodding away gradually opening a mile or so in a very exposed environment, with fantastic views though. It will be a great day when they reach Lambley and cross the viaduct.

 

Last time I look I was a Mr.

Photo charters amount to sweet fa when compared to timetabled services. Enthusiasts make up about 10-15% of the passenger numbers. Take the last 7 days operation of santa. 25000 people travelled on these services. The yearly budget has been hovering around the 210,000 mark for the last 5 years. Yet this year early results are indicating a figure above that mark. The boards/ marketing personnel have a hard enough job bidding for customers money against West mids safari park, Drayton manor, Alton Towers, Ironbridge gorge/ Blists hill, Black country museum, in an area that has one of the highest unemployment rates, lowest earning rates. Our new marketing manager has only been in the job for roughly a year. Only time will tell.

The SVR p-way is not far off from becoming stable. The floods of 2007 flushed out all the weak spots. But didn't flush out the one weak spot we needed (the woods just north of country park halt). We also have 4 major viaducts to contend with. Every railway will have a track relaying programme of some kind.

It is schemes like the Heritage skills academy, peep behind the scenes, "get your hands dirty weekend". Every railway of the 40-50 year vintage will no doubt have the same problem of volunteer numbers falling. It just that the SVR seems to be the only public one.

 

How so ?, short of adding a shed here or upgrading facilities there, many big projects on the SVR have been done already, Ironbridge is a step too far for me, would overstretch resources both in terms of rolling stock and manpower, and a Kidderminster - Ironbridge round trip at 25MPH is far too long for an average family with kids.

Bridgnorth will always be a compromise of asthetics and practicality to an extent, how many 2 platformed country stations had a whacking great shed and workshop ?, yet the railway can't function without it, I don't think it's too much of an issue when the other stations retain their charm.