Kent & East Sussex Railway

Last I heard, the inside motion was up. I don't know when the in steam test will be, but I can't think it will be far away at all.

 

I have just seen this on FB, photo taken by Liam Head:

 

Lovely to see that, thanks for posting it here, and thanks to Lliam too. Looking on its way to being nicely weathered . . . . . . .

And here's one I took of that loco a little bit earlier, when it was fully weathered.

 

Robin Coombes stated that the intention was for Knowle to undertake light duties, but implied a full overhaul may be needed at some point

 

Popped into Tenterden today for the food festival that was very nice and with sunshine to boot. Persuaded Mrs MM to have a ride on the train to Bodiam and back for which she agreed surprisingly. Didn't know the WW2 weekend was on but queued up for a couple of tickets at the booking office but did a sharp about turn when I saw the price of a return was 35 quid. Wow..... A lot of loot to travel behind an Austerity in a MK1 coach and look at a load of mouldy green tents! Unsurprisingly the trains I saw go past the level crossing didn't appear to be overflowing with punters

 

Quick, everyone, lower the price of coal/oil/wages/maintenance/inflation, Mr Maunsell Man doesn't like having to pay for the things that everyone else pays for.

By the way, given that tickets to our 50th Gala in June are less than £30 (and that gives all day travel), I think that £35 quoted might just have been a mistake....

 

It is known that there are maintenance issues that will need to be checked on, as with all other locos. The boiler only has three years left at present, and it is likely to be a heavy overhaul when it happens.

 

Lovely sarky comeback. The price was on the board in the ticket office and wasn't a quote. Judging by the number of punters on the train that came in I don't think it was an opinion that was unique. Sorry not VFM. The classic car / military / commercial exhibitors aren't paid to attend these events and the event ground not rented so whacking up the price that far isn't really justified. I'm more than happy to pay hence going to the ticket office to buy tickets but I'm not getting rinsed.

Car park was full though but most people seemed to be walking past the station and into the town

 

The price was £29.50 in advance, or £34.50 on the gate. I've asked about it, and been informed that the additional price was to do with the additional costs of staging the event (hiring covered accommodation, the wartime singers (who are professionals, not hobby re-enactors) and so forth.) You are entirely within your rights to decide what represents value for money for you. However, 1600 visitors this weekend clearly didn't agree with you.

 

The difference between 'VFM' and 'getting rinsed' is often just a matter of personal perception. Expensive things can offer value for money. What you seem to be doing here is making a guess about the costs of an event and the higher ticket price charged to offset those costs, but without having the knowledge of what those costs were. You might, of course, know what the extra costs of the staging the event were, but if you don't you have no basis on which to judge whether the higher ticket prices were reasonable or not.

 

But the perception about "getting rinsed" is also about the purchaser's price expectations. If I go expecting to spend £20, and am told it will be £30, then that will feel like I'm being rinsed, regardless (a) of whether it is value for money and (b) what the costs of the event are.

What matters is whether, in the round, @Maunsell man is representative or unrepresentative of people encountering those prices.

 

Ah, but you don't explain in your example why you would be expecting to pay £20. Nowhere in any material for this event was a figure of £20 suggested. Is that your view of a fair fare, so to speak, or a figure from thin air? In this case, the standard ticket, which allows you travel all day, is £26.50. However, this was a special event, with additional costs, so the ticket price had to reflect that. I suggest that if you turned up at a ticket window of most railways when a special event was on, and offered them two thirds of the fare, the staff would look at you like you'd just grown a second head.

 

Objectively, I agree - though I'm not totally sure that I agree with your views on pricing, as my memories of 6th form economics are that profit maximisation requires an understanding of how price and demand relate.

However, I was not commenting specifically on last weekend's events at the KESR, but the question of what it takes to see a price as "rinsing"; hence using a pair of arbitrary numbers to show a relative scale. While the railway were entirely at liberty to decline an offer of 2/3 fare, and I don't blame them for doing so, it doesn't address the question of how Maunsell Man came anticipating a lower price, or the perception that he left with.

I hope for the KESR's benefit that he was an outlier, and that the 1600 who paid the asking rate (a) enjoyed themselves, (b) considered the price fair, and (c) weren't materially lower than those who'd have paid a little less (see above re pricing).

I write as someone who's not been to Tenterden since 1992, and who would have to be paid a significant sum to attend a WW2 weekend.

 

Didn't mention anywhere I expected the fare to be £20? Was expecting the mid to high 20s but 35 quid was a bit too steep. Glad you got 1600 visitors and hopefully the event washed its face without my £52 for two and a sandwich / pint and G&T. Would be interesting to see how many of the 1600 paid £8 for the station ticket only and how many paid to ride only? The train that pulled in at 13.15 hrs at Teneterden on Sunday was probably less than quarter full

Can't see in these straightened times that those levels of fares becomes an accessible day out for most families personally.

 

Didn't know it was on and I was in Tenterden for something else. Nice day so thought go for a ride....

 

No one said you did.

Traditionally, the return of one of the two trains that deposits people at Bodiam who then go on to enjoy the castle. It's the trains at the end of the day that loading should be judged on.

 

Wow, is that the official view of the railway of potential customers. If so, I will happily remove KESR from my list of railways to visit.

 

Nobody offered 2/3 of a fare. Just decided it wasn't for us and took my not required funds elsewhere.

As a comparison the Tower of London admission is £34.80. As much as I like a ride on the KESR you ain't in the league of that. Even with a Willis Jeep and a middle aged fat bloke squeezed into a fake GI uniform playing with his wooden gun in the car park

 

Sorry what is wrong with the comment form @Fireline?
Read like a very good statement of fact to me.
At the end of the day people pay for anything they think is worth it.

I no longer steward on mainline tours very much for example as I am not prepared (but perfectly able) to pay £200 for the privilege. Or as my wife says you a just tight.

 

There is a lot wrong with Firelines comments. If he represents the K&ESR he needs to remember that paying customers - as in any business - maintain his job, paid or otherwise.
Humility, or tongue in cheek if you prefer, foster goodwill which heritage lines need.