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Weardale 'Polar Express'

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by s1m0nad, Nov 13, 2012.

  1. andrewtoplis

    andrewtoplis Well-Known Member

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    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Several railways have had problems with this type of review website - bad ones seem to stay there for ages and can be really negative!

    Best of luck to the railway though - I wonder if someone will hire in an S160 for some more authentic power, as the diesel would really put me off.
     
  2. Merlin

    Merlin New Member

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    Trip Advisor is important. If you look at the reviews of the premier league railways they have overwhelmingly good reviews. The second division (naming no names) have much poorer and mixed reviews. Whilst you may get a rogue review from someone out to cause a problem they are generally an important and useful feedback from customers.
    Its also important as a source of business. The feed of customers to our website from trip advisor is steadily climbing and is now No. 10 in terms of volume.
    I suggest that Weardale does respond to the reviews as you can do to explain it was the first day of a new operation as has been discussed here. If you look at the responses now it gives a poorer impression than is desirable for the future.
     
  3. Railsoverall

    Railsoverall New Member

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    Hi again. Yes, I will suggest to the PR folk that response is made to the negative Trip Advisor (TA) review. But I think by the nature of TA it does encourage (some) people to sound off - I've seen people try it on superb hotels - maybe they are trying for a refund?. I tracked another IP affiliate in the USA (Saratoga & North Creek) in its first year (in2011) and the resemblance is uncanny - TA headlined a couple of negative reviews but every other review varied from positive to almost ecstatic. (PR there did respond btw). I am more inclined to listen to my volunteer colleagues on the trains and their photos - describing a host of happy smiling parents and their excited kids plus the uniformly positive feedback on Twitter and Facebook and the local press.

    Bookings are now standing at 32,000 - trains are still being added.

    Personal note : My only problem is that I live 300 miles away and can't get back to Weardale until next month - I have been with.the WR since 2000 and through all its travails since then - so this is an exciting time. I will post some photos/news on thw WR.org news pages this weekend or thereabouts.
     

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