Mid Hants

I have not singled out the MHR it was the last one i visited, while not all railways are not as friendly as others they are not downright arrogant i have in the past always admired the way the MHR has progressed over a short period when compared to say the Bluebell railway and have said to my wife a number of times that
"we must look in on the MHR next time we are down that way" which she has always agreed to, but this about the time that we did.

 

Voluntary organisations spend a lot of time in training their front-line staff in customer service, but it is easy to forget that ALL staff will have to deal with visitors at some time or another, particularly if a visitor is not where they ought to be.

I've met a few loco/signalling/shed staff who could do with a "refresher course" on how to talk to people. Fortunately, they are in the minority but people will remember them more than the friendly ones.

I've also had to deal with visitors who decided that they could park/walk/photo wherever they wanted. I may have been a bit more friendly if they had bothered to *ask* first.

Richard

Richard

 

Actually you have singled out the MHR as that is the only railway you mention by name. It is a pity that your experience of the MHR was not memorable for the right reasons. I don't think it is fair though to describe all 6,000 shareholders, members and volunteers as arrogant on the basis of one interaction with, from your description, one member of staff (volunteer or paid, I know not). The railway takes very seriously its image and interaction with the public. If you want to make a complaint it will be taken seriously. You can pm me if you wish and I can pass on the details to the right people or provide you with contact details.

 

I have to say that in all my recent visits to the MHR, the volunteers and staff have been as friendly as any other heritage railway i have been.

Contrast this to about 1997 when i visited shortly before the launch of 31625 into traffic and was speaking to a then volunteer at Ropley who was painting the said machine and he was downright rude.

I only asked a simple question regarding 31625 and its anticipated launch into traffic and he gave me an answer that was more or less `its none of your business and why did i need to know`. I was most taken back by this sharp response and rude attitude and subsequently annoyed because i found out afterwards that the loco was launched into traffic only 6 days later.

Thankfully this particular volunteer is no longer involved with the MHR to my knowledge.

 

=====================

 

You have said exactly what I wanted to say David, thank you.

Nine Elms , as David has said I also get the feeling that if what you say is true, then you would be prepared to give your real name so I/we look forward to it in your next post.

Many thanks
Chris Willis
Mid-Hants Wagon Group Based ,(in my case),At Medstead And Four Marks.

 

I don't really think nine elms fan has to do much more now than that suggested in 21B's post - there's no point in starting/ carrying on a slanging match on here.

 

I appreciated the levity in your post, and I apologise if my response was a touch 'serious' for the context. My comment was not aimed directly at you and again, I apologise if you interpreted it that way.

However, I must say that the condescending tone of the above post rendered me at first disinclined to apologise. Let's move on.

 

Your post is noted Phil.

Regards
Chris:

 

:ranger:
Awaiting response.

 

I did not mention the rest of the people who run the MHR i mentioned one person, there really are some touchy people on here

 

If i lived nearer i would but i live in deepest kent i will be going to sandyballs lodges in the new forest in new year i will certainly drop in to alresford and seek out someone

 

Cant stay gossiping all day got to go to work now, will be looking on here tonight at your "interesting" comments, chow chaps

 

To be honest matey I think I'm beginning to see why you had a problem.

 

Personally I take any suggestion that we have been anything other than friendly and welcoming very seriously. I believe from the huge number of positive comments recieved from enthusiasts and the public that 999 times out of 1000 we (the MHR) are very welcoming.

Nine Elms Fan, you shouldn't be surprised that your somewhat inflammatory language has got you a reaction. It may have been what you wanted to create to start with, and there have been others of recent times who have made even more inflammatory and even defammatory comments with the intent to get a reaction. If MHR members on here are sensitive, it is because of that fact. We have had more than our share of pointed, rude and outrageous comments directed at us. My personal view is that the majority of this could be a result of a turbulent period in our history now some ten years behind us, but that is just my theory.

I don't think there is any more to be said. My offer via pm stands, or you can ring the railway the number is on the website. Hopefully that caps this thread.

 

I suspect several people connected with the Mid Hants from that era will know who that sounds like! Several are no longer connected because of that individual.
If I had had a poor impression of a railway I might be aggrieved enough to air my views on this forum. It is down to us the readers to inject perspective and balance. I don't decry Nine Elms for making his displeasure with the MHR public. It's a salutory lesson to all volunteers to always pause and at least count to 3!

 

That is not the sort of post that is going to heal any wounds or make anybody feel that Nine Elms criticism was unwarranted. For goodness sake, when somebody is unhappy with their service or treatment don't go defensive and start retaliating against the complainer! Has the last 25 years of CRM just passed you by? Whether you think the complaint was justified or not, nsinuating that a complaint is malicious with no evidence and using judgemental phrases like "snipe" are definitely an innappropriate retort. 4,999 happy customers are of no interest or relevance to the case of the 5000th who may have had a rotten time for whatever reason, so a defensive and denying response wins neither friends nor arguments.
A better approach is to be conciliatory, apologise for any misunderstanding on behalf of a fellow volunteer who was perhaps at the tail end of a bad and trying day.

 

Linesidephotos is not a volunteer on the Mid Hants railway.

 

There certainly are....