Talyllyn Finances

That's a wee bit of a generalisation I fear. Of the constituents of the Southern Railway, only the S.E.R. part of the S.E.& C.R. did not use contractors and this practice was continued by the S.R. This was Sir Herbert Walker's choice for financial reasons. What the "gastronomic" results were I cannot say!

PH

 

It was those results that were uppermost in my mind...

 

(OT): I believe Spiers and Pond (who held the catering contract for the LSWR and latterly the SR) were very well regarded for quality. I think HAW was financially canny, but not to the extent of obtaining a poor customer reputation to save a tiny amount on the catering contract!

Tom

 

Well, in the case of tourist railways we are not talking of anything particularly elaborate. However I do know of one such line where the craft skills of the kitchen staff are such as to entrust lunch catering for a Royal visit to them.

PH

 

But do the takings justify it's opening just so that the occasional railway enthusiast can sit and watch the world go by with a cup of tea?

Seems to me that that sits firmly into the WIBN category.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurants-g552038-c8-Tywyn_Gwynedd_North_Wales_Wales.html

 

Not a chuck wagon, but the GWSR franchises at least one of their outlets - see http://www.gwsr.com/planning-your-visit/the-flag-and-whistle.aspx . No doubt that contributes to the railway having the astonishingly low number of five paid employees. I suspect that franchising may not be without its risks though.

 

The railway I grumbled about earlier in this thread was, as it happens, one that had contracted its café out.

 

LOL! Well, if your organisation has the necessary craft abilities/skills plus managerial competence and potential customer levels it is likely to do better keeping the operation in-house. If any of these factors are missing, then contracting out is a means of keeping the service.

PH

 

Well I've noticed on quite a few occasions that visiting coach tours often deposit their parties there rather than Tywyn prior to their trip on the train, and with the timetable also set up to give a decent break there on most down trains, it has always appeared pretty well patronised to me when trains are running. I have no idea if they make a profit or not, but custom is definitely not confined to the occasional railway enthusiast!

Chris

 

Only the flag and whistle is franchised as you say. Every now and then it's out out to tender so we get maximum value out of it. The coffeepot cafe at Winchcombe is volunteer run and open every operating day as is the buffet cars, one RBr and at the weekends one RMB as well. Oh and the shop at Cheltenham has some snacks and a hot drinks machine as well, requiring a volunteer. I think last year the coffeepot was closed on one operating day in the low season due to lack of volunteers and none at all this year, and sometimes there's no cook on the RBr for bacon rolls, but other than that our OTC department do a superb job.

 

I'm horrified that the talyllyn finances are so bad!

 

I understand that the TR appointed a new GM less than a year ago. Surely that person has been doing their upmost to increase all aspects of income. If not that's very worrying.

I cannot get my head around the often mentioned loss of money at catering venues at various Heritage railways. I appreciate there are overheads including wages and most probably subsidised staff discounts. But there is a captive market available at heritage railway venues as people are usually there for a reasonable amount of time. Most cafes only pay minimum wage to their staff but still turn a profit.

 

Deleted

 

But a captive market doesn't mean guaranteed profit. You have to consider what the visitor might be prepared to pay, how many visitors there are, and whether the food/drink is actually what they want.

 

Personally I prefer the cafe at Abergynolwyn over Wharf's offerings, but definately time my visits to be between trains - hell on wheels if a train's in attendance!

 

I'm a happy customer of Abergynolwyn station cafe, we always pop in there when in the area, and always start and finish our TR journeys there. But it is often very quiet (except in the summer when a train is in, when it is packed!)
Sometimes, running a heritage railway is not easy...

 

Much the same as me then.

I would imagine a "Bryn Eglwys trail" for walkers would cost little more than some leaflets and roadside info boards..... more customers for the café and maybe even for the trains. The old quarry looks a fascinating place , not that I'd ever climb up there.

 

The tea van without Miss Thomas!!!! Where is she?