North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

I think I have made a similar point previously, and it is an obvious advertising target - but is there a campaign to that effect? I don't believe there is. I you are I can spot it then why can't the advertising manager - or even the CEO, as a former advertising manager! spot it and act on it? Remember, this is a railway that's trying to encourage more use of the line on the less popular services!

 

In the current 'Apprentice' influenced world of business 'manager' is a very overused word. No-one wants to be anything but a manager, so the likelihood of the title inferring that things or people are managed can largely be ignored.

In terms of marketing I would also be looking at holidaymakers in Scarborough, Filey and Bridlington, for whom a drive to Pickering for a train ride was common the BW (Before Whitby) times. As the line tends to be viewed as a means to get to Whitby these days then it is easier and cheaper simply to go direct to Whitby without an expensive train ride to get there. There is plenty to do and see in the 18 miles between Pickering and Grosmont. Walks on the Moors, The Rail Trail, Goathland (which was popular enough pre Heartbeat and the Boy Wizard), Pickering Castle and shops for starters. I volunteered on the NYMR from 1982 to 1990 (and only stopped for domestic reasons) and it's sad to see the current state of things.

 

I do seem to recall someone making that point up thread and some subsequent discussion, but not what conclusion was reached. Possibly there was no conclusion. It does look like a no-brainer.

 

They don’t measure themselves only by profit, but they are most certainly businesses and not to see it that way is a illusion that ensnares the unwary.

 

Unfortunately it isn't as easy as many think. The first train out of Whitby at 10.00 generally loads well in my experience. The next train out of Whitby isn't until 12.35 due to timetabling constraints imposed by the Northern train service. This then spends half an hour at Grosmont, this time due to NYMR timetabling and arrives at Goathland at 13.45. 1h 10m for a 9½ mile journey. Fine if you want an afternoon there but pretty useless it you want to combine it with lunch as well unless you run up the hill. This train then gets to Pickering at 14.49. That gives you a leisurely 21 minutes before it returns to Whitby and, as it is the last train back, you don't have much choice other than to return on this train or catch the Coastliner bus. Just enough time to leave the station and buy some cake in Bothams. The silly thing was that this year it was decided that single tickets wouldn't be available, making this option a non-starter. At least that has now changed. There used to be a later train on the old peak Gold T/T but that hasn't run this year. Whether this will change if and when the EVL signalling improvements happen, I don't know but that 12.35 departure from Whitby needs to be no later than 11.30 to make a difference.

 

I think a lot of people would agree with you. Peter.

 

You are probably right there. The Exemption from CDL which the NYMR has limits speed to 25mph and that would make Battersby operations impractical as 45mph running is necessary to fit in the available gaps. However, when the licence was initially up for renewal, the Railway was looking to keep the facility to run to Battersby to enable incoming loco movements and possibly chartering CDL fitted stock for special occasions but this idea was later dropped.

 

It's like watching the penny drop - but very slowly.
Way up thread, the ticketing was criticised but only slowly were better solutions implemented.

I stood on Whitby station and listened to people wanting a day out on the Moors. Nymr has made it difficult with timings and tickets. It has improved but @Steve is right, hanging around in Grosmont wasting time is not conducive to a good day out.
Similarly buying tickets to Grosmont from Pickering was impossible earlier on the summer. Even at Pickering it took weeks for someone to advertise the fact children travel free. A simple walk across Park Street with some paper and glue could've sorted that in a few minutes but the marketing department failed to publicise it straightaway.
Meanwhile this poster has appeared at Pickering.


Best value fare for the railway but not for the passengers. A 30% online reduction is available but not publicised.

 

By 'they', do you mean the NYMR, heritage rail lines in general, or museums - or all of them?

Noel

 

Surely passengers seeing the poster before purchasing on the day then paying an extra £5 but receiving an £8 discount voucher do get best value i.e. a net cost to them of £46.50 not £49.50?

 

If you went to IKEA and were invited to purchase a sofa for £540 but not told you could buy the same thing online for 14 day delivery and save £160 or more, I'm sure you'd feel cheated.

The gift aid rules surely state that by Gift Aiding you should not gain an advantage over a person paying the normal fare.
A thank you voucher is a bonus but not one that should be marketed as an advantage over a normal price payer.

 

Can the £8 discount voucher be used against the cost of the ticket, or is it only valid for tea rooms / shops etc?

If it can't be used against the cost of travel, then for those using the railway as a park and ride to Whitby, and not using the railway tea rooms / shops, the £49.50 is the better value.

 

Shops and refreshments only.

 

A 30% reduction is well publicised on line (NYMR website, FB etc) and personally cannot see how they could publicise anymore online than they do already. I think an advantage to the railway of offering the book in advance discount is that it will / should smooth out the otherwise weather dependent loadings. I for one have noticed the variable nature of such loadings, depending on the weather forecast for the day; maximum loadings seem to occur if it’s a grey day, with passengers staying away in hot sunny or rainy day, or due to the recent steam ban resulting from the Langdale Moor fire. Hence a win-win both for the railway (more certainty on loadings) and the passenger (reduced price ticket).

Ps the best value ticket is also available on these book-in-advance tickets (bringing down the net cost to just £32.50 for those tickets booked more than 14 days in advance - what’s not to like).

 

Encouraging secondary spend,

 

The Thank You voucher can also be used onboard the train buffet car.

 

How can you claim a £54.50 ticket represents best value when even your own website says that "best value" is £32.50 ...



Tom

 

It's not publicised at the stations. The reduction is a good idea but it is proof that the original price point was too high. Also the limited ticket options favoured the park and ride model.

 

If booked in advance!

 

What’s the point in advertising at stations if it is for a book in advance ticket? Very few passengers arrive at the station to book in advance; maybe for the next day is about it.