Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

A small update has appeared on the L&B website - Planning News Update December 2022 | The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway (lynton-rail.co.uk) - but it's nothing that wasn't in the recent newsletter.

Exmoor Associates have made Trackbed Trails 35 available - News – Exmoor Associates (exmoor-associates.co.uk) (click the link at the top of the page).

 

The new L&BR website is now live online at: https://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/

 

Just waiting for the whinging and whining to start Chris............oh! Hang on, it already has elsewhere.

 

If one were to notice that they have spelt ‘Souvenirs’ as ‘Souveniers’, to whose attention should it be drawn?

I know it used to be Keith Vingoe …. who does the site maintenance now?


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I like the new website - the video pictures of those North Devon landscapes with the L & B trains running are stunning. It is easy to navigate as well.

 

Souverniers - allow you to measure very accurately how much you remember...

 

Firstly, congratulations for finally going live. However, much as I hate playing the pedant, that "Travel in a Victorian railway" really grates, unless "carriage" is added on. I'm sure it's just fine tuning, and just glad that it's up at last.

 

I would agree that the header video is superb - I just wish the weather was always that good when I go there

I was bemused however to see the section on 'Future Plans' said simply 'coming soon' ....I do hope so. Less impressed to find the section on Locomotives and Stock says "Currently we have three rebuilt vehicles with a fourth due in 2014....." ! Equally the link for the Tea Rooms had a photo showing it incomplete and still in primer (or undercoat?). Not exactly brand spanking new, shiny up-to-the minute launch - how long does it take to replace a photo on a website ?

The 'Events' page says simply "No events are currently running..". Well, strictly accurate, but why not give some details about future Events? After all, the Timetable section lists some Events days - so there must be some planned - but only gives the times for a Normal timetable day - all a bit confusing.

 

If you have to ask how hard it is to change a photo on a website…..

but seriously it isn’t so much that, but obtaining useable pictures of the right thing. You would be surprised how difficult that is even with the thousands of photos taken of heritage railways. The right photo can be very elusive.

Give them some slack. If the spooling mistooks and wrong photos are still there in a few weeks, then fair enough let rip.

 

Hi All,
Just a note on the new website.
For anyone who has ever set up a website that now includes Digi tickets and an online shop, we will know how much work it entails.
Also, bear in mind the very busy Christmas and New Year period and how it's all done by a very small team who have worked flat out over the last few months time has been limited.
Dont see website as the final polished item, and we had to work on a launch date and start somewhere.
So, of course, under close scrutiny from others not involved, there will be odd teething or missed words that are easily fixed.
Today is ground zero on a new host platform with new online shop and digi tickets, which means we can do so much more way easier in the future, with lots in the background not everyone may appreciate.The work to get this far as well as running the railway is simply amazing, please dont knock others hard work.

We have training, so several staff and volunteers will be able to control content, which will see the return of weekly updates and photos of volunteers working days, for example. Special event dates are just having details discussed etc etc etc......
Day one, lots of plans, new volunteers involved, watch the site....
Thank you
Stuart GM


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Interestingly the header video looks very similar to the one that's been up for the last 2 years but more importantly how much more will this website cost compared to the old one ie online sales commission ect, I for one had no problem navigating the old site, on the plus side I see the special events in May and September (gala weekends) or whatever the May one will now be called have an online ticket price of £8.50 pp, rather cheap for those weekends so spread the word to get a bargain

 

That is mentioned in the ticket section what normal fares apply to.
Lots of feedback about people not being able to navigate the old site or couldn't easily donate etc. Its all based on feedback and customers and designers who do this this full time.
Awful lot is done by our own staff and will be more so going forward.
You pay commission for many online services, and the point is you want to then have the ability to increase business and revenue.
In the background there are huge benefits as well to the older site, and in the future.
As i mentioned, let's not knock the work of hard-working railway staff and supporters and please take into account as i mentioned
Day one, lots of plans, new volunteers involved , will be a good positive
Stu

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This is Nat Pres, you can please some of the people some of the time…etc etc!

I like the new website, the old one was OK but it had outgrown itself and it was difficult to navigate for casual visitors. Good colours and choice of font on your new site. As you say, much better to be in control of your own website and to have a team so that you’re not dependent on one person.

As a fundraising suggestion, how about a shopping list of sleepers, fencing, ballast and fittings so that people can sponsor an item and see progress as they’re ticked off the list (a similar idea to your extension route plan to be fair). It has encouraged me to open my wallet and support railways and locos elsewhere that I wouldn’t ordinarily support. It just seems to be more tangible instead of donating in to a big pot.

 

Great; yes it is, really. Nevertheless, perhaps there might be a need for some final editing before it goes live, preferably by someone who was not involved with content. Just saying.

 

Mmmm it would seem the site isn't working so good, just tried to purchase tickets on numerous days and nothing happens, also interesting how the prices in the online shop have jumped significantly, do prices now include p+p and would there be a reduced price for click and collect, would be interesting to know just how much the company running the website have charged for this and how much they will be making with each online sale

 

Seriously? There's no pleasing you-one minute the tickets are too cheap and now they're too dear. Why do you need to know the website cost? How will knowing that number change your life? The money has been spent now so it makes no difference to anyone.
Have you ever built a professional website that includes online sales? It takes a huge amount of work (not just giving £20 to wee Johnny who likes computers).
You'd be better off spending your time compiling a list of errors/corrections and sending them privately to the railway instead of coming on here and trying to humiliate the railway.
For so called 'supporters' of the L&B, yourself and Colin seem to spend a lot of time publicly denigrating it.

 

Interesting development

"Since the submission of the Section 73 planning applications in May 2022 and having regard to comments raised during the consultation process, the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Trust has made amendments to the applications that we hope Exmoor National Park will determine during February 2023.

The proposed turntable and alterations at Parracombe Halt have been withdrawn and development of the halt will be in accordance with the plans approved by Exmoor National Park in March 2018."

I assume to keep locals on side

 

Having spent the last twenty five years of my life involved in either web development, or web management in some role, I'd suggest:

1. No website is ever perfect when launched
2. The hardest people to please are existing users (because they have grown accustomed to how the "old" way worked, even if that was less than optimal or didn't include some capability that the business needs but they personally don't.

I think launching in early January is a smart move: away from the greatest pressure of people needing to use the site so giving a bit of breathing space for improvements. Launching at, say, the beginning of the school holidays would have been much riskier.

The critical thing with web sites though is not the launch, but the running. "Iterate. Then iterate again". The mistake organisations make about websites is not in getting some aspect of the initial design wrong; it is in not realising that the ongoing management is where the real challenge lies.

Tom

 

Fixed that for you Tom