Main Line Steam - Possible ramifications of the WCRC suspension

Agree entirely, but it's hard to keep away from it all the same. Don't you agree ?

 

What costs are reduced? Obviously there are the direct costs of booking, promoting and running future trains that will stop, but staff will need to be kept. It takes just as many staff to cancel and refund a train as it does to book passengers on one. Therefore, the costs of the office, staff, electric, internet, website, banking, accounting, etc all remain.

I do not want to try to estimate the losses in marketing (glossy brochures, mailouts, advertising, etc) that will not be recovered due to cancelled trains. A quarter-page ad in a local newspaper costs between £250>400 per insertion per publication. All lost monies.

 

Thanks for that post, I think we have tried to keep emotion under wraps on this forum, which is not easy under the circumstances as I'm sure we all care hugely about the future of something we all hold dear. Unfortunately human frailty and anger can produce some unhelpful contributions / exchanges, but it's appreciated when those keeping a watchful eye here recognise the efforts being made to keep it together !

 

I confess to dipping in from time to time in the vain hope of finding positive news to pass on to my friends on board the GB8 but I've long given up fretting about things over which I can have no influence. GB8 is one of them.

 

With you on that, wish I had the willpower to stay away frankly, but it's a bit like saying no to that next offer of a pint, or some more chips,

 

Well said Martin.

I think it's a mistake to lambast WCRC. We all know they're not perfect, and in some ways they can be seen as the architects of their own down-fall. It is rather like a Greek tragedy - great men cast down by fate and their own weaknesses. However, an awful lot of our pleasure and interest over many years has been thanks to WCRC and their operations. Whatever else happens, things will never be quite the same again.

If I come across any useful information, I'll pass it on if I can, but otherwise we've probably said all that can be said for the time being.

 

The answer is for WCRC to be taken over by one of the big freight operators, run as a subsidiary with new directors and possibly some senior management changes. David Smith might not like it but its better to sell a business for something rather than wait for it to be worth b***** all.

 

I second that.

 

I would say a 'Manager' is exactly what is required here, maybe a dedicated one just for Safety systems....

 

I'm not privy to WCRC books, but I doubt if there's enough money in it for a major FOC / TOC to bother. DBS are probably only in the game because of legacy staff who have been involved with charters for many years. The locos / coaches at Carnforth must be worth a fair bit (even at scrap value) and it would take an operator a long long time to make enough money out of charters to recoup the initial investment if they had to buy that kit.

I could see the possibility of someone taking an interest in operating the Jacobite, as it is a well-established repeat itinerary working that likely turns over a healthy profit, but I struggle to think of anyone likely to want to base their operation around the day trip charter market at anything like the scale WCRC have. It's just too much work for too little reward. Most of the big FOCs aren't even interested in working one-off freights, as they are too costly and hard to resource, so I can't see them suddenly wanting to lumber themselves with a series of non-repeat itinerary charters to organise with the added inconvenience of passengers who need to be kept happy!

Probably the best chance of a continuation of anything like the status quo of recent years is for WCRC to survive as present, but with an attitude towards procedures and safety that satisfies ORR / NR, or for another wealthy enthusiast to step in with plenty of spare cash to bankroll the operation and with sufficient contacts to ensure the operation is run in a professional manner. Even then, with no guarantee of bringing in the likes of the Hogwarts revenues that have helped WCRC get to where they are, it would almost certainly be a challenge to make a viable business out of it.

 

Just my personal opinion, I don't think WC can survive this, at least in it's present form. It's been (and is being) badly damaged, customers are going to think long and hard before trusting them again (even if they do survive AND I HOPE THEY DO). The support industry must by now be struggling financially, their employees arelooking at bleak uncertainty. If I'd paid the best part of £2000 for the GB tour I certainly would be mightily brassed off.
The WC management structure that has allowed this debacle to happen should hang their heads in shame.
I repeat, just my opinion.

 

They've found a new vocation while the ban is on lol

 

I don't disagree with you, but, at present, those WCRC customers don't really have any choice but to come back to them, if they survive. Unless someone else steps in, that isn't going to change. WCRC have built up what is essentially a monopoly on charters because no one else really wants the business. I hope that mainline steam owners / operators across the country are rallying together to ensure that this can't happen to them again in the future, whether that is by ensuring that WCRC survive and they have sufficient input into future operations, or that they are looking at alternatives.

 

I think that is probably a pretty accurate assessment of the situation.

Without wishing to kick off a political debate, one factor that could affect the viability of the current WCRC business model (or impact on any other operator attempting to build a similar one), is the commitment of a possible future Labour government to abolishing zero hours contracts, which from earlier discussion in one of these threads seems to be the basis of employment for the WCRC footplate crews.

 

To be viable, an alternative TOC should target any / all heritage operations, and possibly the general charter market. They need to be able to work diesel and electric traction for steam charters to be practicable, so they might as well try to get business from as wide a group of customers as possible.

 

Don't worry. If such a thing came to pass there would be lots of exemptions to cover jobs like this. How else would people past normal retirement get odd bits of work they fancy and are competent at? Think of the European Working Time Directive. I'm on the elections next week and have signed a waiver so that I can work a 17-hour day!

 

Further to this, in the GB8 thread, there is now a copy of the latest NR press release given to SR. (and possibly others) dated 30th April. Whilst this indicates a) that the suspension remains in place and will not be lifted this week and b) there is still a lot of work to be done (my paraphrasing), it does appear that there is light at the end of the tunnel and I for one feel that there is definitely cause for optimism so far as WCR is concerned. Let's hope so.

 

Yes, I agree. Though, unfortunately the, O.R.R, will be waiting in the wings, to pee on anyone's brigade