Lakeside and Haverthwaite Diesel Running Days

As a response to requests at last years L&H diesel event we have instigated a number of diesel running days in November. The following is the current plan, but is subject to confirmation nearer to the respective date.

Sat 14 Nov; Class 20 20214
Sun15 Nov; Class 27 27024

Sat 21 Nov; Class 27 27024
Sun22 Nov; Class 20 20214

Sat 28 Nov; Class 27 27024
Sun29 Nov; Class 110 DMU

Trains will run to a timetable to suit some connections with Windermere steamers.

I will update the info nearer to each weekend.

Airspeed

 

Thanks-can we hope for some realistic rover prices(say £10 per day),reflecting out of season etc rather than £16 or whatever special events normally are,please?

 

Thanks Airspeed, will certainly be across if "the price is right"

 

Sounds good but rather suprised one weekend hasn't adopted the 'run everything' gala format.

Will hopefully make one or two days....as long as the 27 and 20 are driven correctly, and the price is reasonable.

 

If these are being billed as running days rather than a gala, one would assume normal fares in operation?

 

No rover price quoted on website for normal running days.

Adult Return: £5.70, Child Return: £2.85, Adult Single: £3.45, Child Single: £2.30, Family Ticket: £15.50

 

Further to above running details, timetable as follows.

Depart Haverthwaite at 1000, 1100, 1230, 1345 and 1445.
Depart Lakeside at 1030, 1130, 1315, 1415 and 1515.

1100,1230 and 1345 trains from Haverthwaite meet boats.
All trains from Lakeside meet boats except 1030.

Fares, either normal singles and returns, or as follows.

Adult rover £16.00
Child rover £8.00
Family, being 2 adults and up to 3 children, £40.00

Thats it folks, any changes published nearer to the time.

AS

 

Prices far too high, £16.00 bought you a day rover at the Nene Valley a couple of weeks back with 10/11 locos.

The ELR theme day (7 Nov) with say about 4/5 locos, will be £11.80

£10.00 would be fair, no chance of changing the fares and getting more people who want to support the event to do so?

 

Definately having a laugh at £16 - this wasn't the best value with every loco the line could muster working, and certainly isn't for one loco running days, especially for only five round trips.

Please don't be put off future diesel events by the lack of visitors, but by pricing yourselves very highly out of the market you can see why.

 

Hopefully,after no-one visits the first weekend,the railway will see the error if it's ways,reduce rovers to £10-12 max and be overrun with enthusiasts the following weekends.

Ever the eternal optimist.

30.8 miles for £16.Compare that to an ELR running day 71.7 miles(and some gradients) for £11.80.

 

Some very interesting ideas here

http://www.wnxxforum.com/interactive/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=8117&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=0

It's a shame that the L&HR isn't taking note - lots of people paying realistic prices is surely more profitable than no-one paying the current rates.

However, to be fair, the stance the L&HR has taken is common with 'steam railways running diesel galas' - they simply don't have the knowledge of how they work, and run to Steam Event theories.

 

To be fair, a steam event running with one loco would not be considered an event at all, but a normal operating day?

 

Ref the above, the error of our ways has been recognised by forces greater than mere diesel enthusiasts. Our railway has been closed due to extremely poor weather and Windermere is now much bigger than it used to be. Only way in to Lakeside station is by sea. NO TRAINS THIS WEEKEND 21 and 22 November.

With thanks to those who supported us last weekend and apologies to those who may have attended this weekend.

I will post later re plans for next week.

Airspeed

 

Channel Four news showed an aerial shot of Lakeside - I hope that the damage isn't too bad - and that this illustrates why £16 is not a great amount to pay with red at 75p a litre, and the liabilities that ownership and maintenance of any railway represents.

 

I agree with your point about mileage, but to be fair, the L&HR is not a flat railway. It has a mile of 1 in 60 between Haverthwaite and Newby Bridge, much more thrash value that a short bit of 1 in 25 over the 'ski-jump' IMHO.

 

expensive thrash though compaired with other railways though and for one loco running too its hardly a gala

 

The LHR is a nice branchline i have visited manytimes as a passenger and a spectator and i enjoy going i do hope there is minimal damage to the railway and stock

 

However the L&HR lacks everything else needed for Diesels. Enthusiastic drivers, intensive timetables, knowledge of diesel enthusiasts (what they want and how they work), and knowledge of how to plan, market, operate and 'sell' diesel running are all fundamental skills that, mainly as being a 'tourist' steam railway, the L&HR lacks.

Gradients are not an essential part of 'thrash' - I have had fantastic runs on lines that lines that are completely flat (GCR for example - although please don't boast about your 1 in 176 'bank' chaps!), it is how much the driver wants to play to the crowd. I have only ever had one exciting trip at the Lakeside, with most trips being taken at a snails pace with the loco burbling along.....and the line's leaflet markets the 'hard working' required....i've never seen any of the lines steam engines in second valve! I appreciate that on summer days this is to give tourists more for their money before connecting with boats however is this policy really required in November when 99.9% of your potential passengers are enthusiasts who couldn't care less about boat connections?

Of course thrash isn't what it's all about - there are thousands of lessons, tricks and tips to running sucessful money earning Diesel Days and Galas - unfortunately, the L&HR knows not one of them. They have a suprisingly interesting diesel locomotive fleet that, if combined with an impressive gala plan for the right price, would have crowds attending from far and wide. It is a shame the L&HR do not see the opportunity and grasp it by taking a few simple bits of advice from those who know how to put on Diesel events.

 

And all of this shows how little the gricing fraternity knows about what is needed to run a successful business.

The L & H doesn't need, play up to, or live on gricers - it makes a very satisfactory living out of connecting with the cruises at Lakeside - real tourism.

Yes - as a railway experience it is completely underwhelming.

As part of the whole Lake District experience it fulfils its role admirably.

Could it do more or better by being linked back in to Ulverston? - only at great cost and with very substantial engineering - and probably with only nominally increased profitability.

So as it ain't broke - they don't seem to be making a priority of fixing it.

 

In November?!