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Swanage Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Rumpole, Oct 10, 2012.

  1. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

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    The Swanage Railway have made it clear to SLL in the past that they consider MNs to be too big, and they do not want to run them on the line. That is why 35027 and 35022 were sold. So unless another line does want 35025, mainline use would seem quite likely.
     
  2. Daddsie71b

    Daddsie71b Member Friend

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    Its going to be marketed as an air BNB
     
  3. Daddsie71b

    Daddsie71b Member Friend

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    It already exists, Robs musings come out on the first of every month.
     
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  4. Cuckoo Line

    Cuckoo Line Member

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    Maybe but it's not accessible like Bluebell Times which downloads from Bluebell website.
     
  5. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

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    Is there a link please for members?
     
  6. Woof Mk2

    Woof Mk2 Member

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    There is no link as his musings are sent out via email
     
  7. Sim

    Sim Member

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    It's emailed from a volunteer information email address, and the content appears to be aimed at volunteers and staff and not for the public domain. The content is nothing like Bluebell News, so would not necessarily be of any interest to those outside railway operations.
     
  8. Cuckoo Line

    Cuckoo Line Member

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    So actually nothing like what Tom does with Bluebell Times!!
     
  9. Andy Moody

    Andy Moody Member

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    There is of course John Dennison's excellent Monthly "Swanning about", The December issue should be out in the next few days or so.
    Which of course, can be found via Google.
     
  10. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    (TL,DR: indulgence alert. Feel free to skip).

    FWIW, The Bluebell Times started at the beginning of lockdown. Prior to that, there was an internal newsletter called Points and Crossings (generally irreverently referred to as Pointless Jottings) which I had taken over editing in January 2019, but which had started many years before. When lockdown happened, the Communications Director wanted to find some way of keeping the railway family (for want of better phrase) in contact. It had to be essentially free, due to cash considerations (remember, in March 2020 none of us had any idea whether any support would be available from the Government, or when we would reopen). So we took the decision essentially to rebrand Points and Crossings as The Bluebell Times, and made it "A Newsletter for Bluebell Railway Members, Staff and Supporters". Previously, Points and Crossings had been "A Newsletter for Bluebell Railway Working Members & Staff"

    These two screen shots show the minimal nature of the rebrand, and therefore how we were able to get issue 1 of The Bluebell Times out just a couple of days after lockdown happened. (Interestingly, both feature an SECR loco on the cover, and both implore readers to help shape the future of the railway!)

    Screenshot 2022-11-30 at 20.01.33.png Screenshot 2022-11-30 at 20.03.09.png

    From March to August 2020, BT came out every fortnight (I have no idea now how we managed that); we saw it very much as a morale booster for the readership, at a time when no-one could actually visit the railway and Bluebell News was still quarterly and only distributed by PDF. From August 2020 onwards, the railway started operating again and BT became more newsy, and more focused on the operational railway. At that point, there was probably an opportunity to assess whether we should revert to it being an internal-only publication (i.e. essentially revert to Points and Crossings). We didn't for two reasons, in my opinion. Points and Crossings had been a mixture of stuff that was genuinely for volunteers only, along with some stuff that were of wider interest but only got circulated internally. Of those, the genuinely internal-only stuff always suffered from timeliness in a monthly publication; we now use HOPS to circulate those (which we didn't have until recently). That left the stuff of more general interest and it was felt that it was valuable to have a forum to distribute that stuff more frequently than Bluebell News, which is only quarterly.

    The end result is that it is a slightly hybrid publication. The distribution (freely available online) means that it is demonstrably "public domain"; it isn't the place to share operating notices. At the same time, it assumes a degree of emotional or financial investment in the railway by the target audience: it is aimed at stakeholders, not necessarily visitors (though many people will be in both camps, of course). The current plc chairman in particular does not shy away from being very honest about the pressures and issues facing the railway. It's an uphill struggle to get contributions about projects, and I'd like more from directors and trustees to explain the rationale behind decisions, but fundamentally I believe that level of explanation to that audience at that frequency is probably right. The weekly newsletter is more marketing-led; quarterly Bluebell News is more a formal record from each department, but one for future historians I feel, due to the publishing lead times. So I think it has its place.

    On other railways, I note that the SVR does something similar in "Branchlines" (edited by @D1039 ) as a web publication; and the Tal-y-llyn amongst others has a Chairman's update via video. I'm sure there are many others, which I think indicates that that grey area between genuine internal and external comms is considered an important group to meet.

    Tom
     
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  11. Daddsie71b

    Daddsie71b Member Friend

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    I was commodore of Weymouth Sailing club from 19/22 During the middle of lockdown I produced a digital puzzle every night at 18.00 . I encouraged members to submit their pictures so that I could re formulate that into a puzzle, along with musings that may have been worthy at that time. We all did what we thought would bind ourselves together, created a family and kept our memberships informed. Lockdowns were a interesting study in human behaviour. Whilst worthwhile of analysis, its a place I do not wish to visit any time soon.
    Steve
     
  12. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    I agree. But as a recipient of BN, I also acknowledge that out of that darkness some good things did come.
     
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  13. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    Out today.
     
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  14. ady

    ady Well-Known Member

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    Something like a Swanage Railway version of Bluebell Times would help go a huge way towards my disgruntlement about the lack of communication from the railway about most things. I often read the Bluebell Times and I think its very good.
     
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  15. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    The bottom line with anything like that is that someone from within the membership has to step up and volunteer to take it on - don't assume that the great "they" will magic such stuff out of thin air. When the editorship of Points and Crossings came up, the previous editor spent months asking, and then pleading, for someone to take it on; in the end I realised "if no one else does, why shouldn't I do it?" There is no absolute law that says railways must communicate with their members; ultimately if no one offers to co-ordinate it, it won't happen.

    I reckon I probably spend about 10 - 15 hours a month on BT, mostly concentrated into one week, which would give some indication of the sort of level of commitment needed. Not massive, but not zero either. It helps being an active volunteer elsewhere because you tend to know people and can talk to them while at the railway; and you have a feel for what is going on, but I suspect you could probably do it without otherwise being actively involved in another role if needs be.

    Tom
     
  16. steam_mad

    steam_mad Member

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    I couldn’t like this post more. Sadly, I fear that the expectation that “someone else has to do it”, rather than I could do this, is a ticking bomb for the movement.

    I recently stepped down from the Board of the railway I volunteer with. After a four and a bit year tenure, which had involved the impact of Covid, multiple landslides, coal cost crisis and the start of the cost of living crisis, the continuous criticism of the bits the Board was not doing made me think why bother when I have a demanding full time job and other calls on my time.

    Some of the issues above may well be down to two-way communication between the Board and Membership, but there needs to be a realisation that the, generally tiny, percentage of people ‘in charge’ cannot continually pick up every task going. Delegation is key but only works if there are people willing to be delegated to!
     
  17. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    I can relate to this - there are a couple of times in my life where I've realised that I can either moan about something in the hope that "they" will do it, or I can stand up and be counted. I've also found that criticism from within is a darn sight more effective if it's supportive and aligned to what the organisation is trying to do, than a demand that something be done.
     
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  18. mdewell

    mdewell Well-Known Member Friend

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    It's not just the Editor that needs to make that commitment, the railway managers and other staff also need to commit to providing material for any publications. I spent half my time when I was Editor of the EOR newslettter begging for people to submit material. Even the dept heads needed constant reminders. (14 years ago, but seems like a lifetime now!)
     
  19. D1039

    D1039 Guest

    Very insightful posts, Tom. And Bluebell Times is excellent.

    I reckon I probably spend about 20* hours a month on SVR's Branch Lines, ours is mostly concentrated into an 11 day period (the kick off meeting was on Monday, we publish next Thursday). I've just done a headcount and we've received or chased input from over 20 people this month, plus photographers. Added to that is the team - the head of marcomms, me and another writer plus one technician - so yes it's a commitment.

    SVR's Branch Lines has a sister 'Express Points' for internal distribution, which includes some operational material.

    *A feature of online instead of PDF is the ability to include video and galleries of photos. I spend time to include a range of photographers, locos and locations, plus a few older and more interesting images. It would be quicker if I didn't, but I like to do it and I think it makes it more interesting.
     
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  20. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

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    As a company with a COM and one that is frequently appealing for funds and for which "they" are answerable to the membership for the direction and application of funds one would hope that those who contribute via appeals,memberships, 200 clubs etc would be kept in the loop on developments and directions rather than a select group who apparently get monthly musings. I know that we will shortly be getting reminders of our 200 club ,an insertion of the "musings' might help an understanding of the SR iummediate concerns
     

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