North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion

And most importantly in my opinion (and because of their structure - although other structures can provide similar results) they retain the engagement and support of their volunteers and members. THAT as I have said before, will be the defining difference between survival and shutdown. Size, past achievement, catchment area and a hundred other things make it more or less difficult, and more or less likely a line will survive, but engagement is the defining characteristic.

 

Imagine if the railway: mobilised their volunteers... communicated with them openly... focused on running the steam locomotives they have available... used their marketing department (employees: 5 to 17?) to advertise those steam services...? That would seem a more logical and sustainable way of getting money in the coffers than selling assets that may be needed in future and may not even be theirs to sell.

What has to happen before these people start to consider their positions?

 

And the tin lies the crux of the problem. The senior management don’t engage with the volunteers, whether by ignorance or design. In recent months they have produced a weekly newsletter but it has been generally full of spin with such things as positive comments from visitors and the fact that the Thomas week ‘covered its costs. ‘. Nothing about passenger numbers, problems with locos or what the plan is to get out of the situation. Having said that there was recent brief comment on the state of 31466 wheel tyres and the latest issue does have a ‘tells it like it is’ about br 42 from the CEO without going deeply into the ‘why’.