The Talyllyn in trouble ?

That has gone in 2013 You have a point that on all passenger surveys, the timetable scores huge amounts as the main reason people visit the TR. Just goes to show how important they still are in the digital age.

This years is here (PDF) http://talyllyn.co.uk/sites/default/files/TR_Timetable2013.pdf

 

Agree entirely about the loos, always clean. I don't understand the perceived need for onboard loos, the railway isn't that long!

A would like to see the railway opening up some of the vistas at the top of the line ie from Dolgoch onwards. A lot of foliage has grown up in the last few decades which limits the view from the line and to the line. Also the footpaths at Dolgoch could do with a bit of maintenance.

Please don't put funny faces on the engines, they aren't at all necessary. Kids will recognise engines from their colour scheme if that colour scheme has been given sufficient publicity. A case in point was last year when we took our eldest grandson to the BRC for a Wizards Event. In one of the sheds was the BRC's Thomas engine. He really didn't need the funny face to see it was Thomas and it took some persuading to prise him away - Thomas had to sleep you see and wasn't going to wake up until the following day.

The downside to always having the faces on the engines is that you will discourage adults who don't have kids and don't want the holiday snaps to have the funny faces on them. Why not try the old 'I Spy' game? It might just teach children a few things about railways as well as being fun.

All the best to the Talyllyn.

Regards

 

But it provides lots of driving and firing turns

 

Nothing wrong with that provided there are/were funds available, as the volunteers have as much right to enjoy playing trains as passengers have of enjoying the experience. I am sure there a few operating volunteers on here who if the money was available would like a few more toys to play with or the toys out of the box for more frequent plays. Ultimatelypassengers plus what we as members contribute pays for our hobby and I would not object to a billionaire sugar daddy throwing money at my local lines and running more trains even if there were not strictly the passenger numbers to support

 

That is not a sustaiable way forward sugar daddy's are not always what they first seem you only need to look at football for that.
The railways our now businesses and have to be run as such so if its not profitable to run at certain times you dont as the membership is not boing to keep picking up the tab so a few members can enjoy driving trains.

They can always rebrand the line a thomas land wales

 

Is it worth investigating starting services slightly earlier? First train is 10.30 on most running days. That seems a bit late compared to some lines (except Bridgnorth on SVR). Maybe run an earlier train in the summer, even diesel hauled, and advertise it as a walkers' special. Early bird fares perhaps?

 

Interesting idea, but the Ffestiniog have tried this over the years and haven't continued with it. There may not be sufficient demand for a sustained regular service, but worth trying on certain days?

Steve B

 

Agreed that completely empty trains wont be covering costs. However I remember that Andrew T a while back gave us a guide as to how many passengers were needed to break even on a WHR train, and I was actually surprised that it wasn't as many as I thought would be needed. I would be surprised if the TR didn't know the same figure for their operation and plan accordingly. There must be some sort of balance between being extravagant with provision, and thinning the service down too much that you lose the "turn up up on the spur of the moment" type passengers. The TR is visible to passers by in several places, and that is a good advert, but only if there is something there.

Steve B

 

It isn't just the marginal cost of running a train though - there are also staffing costs for shops, cafes.

The more trains you run the higher the maintenance costs of locos carriages and track too - the TR runs wooden carriages - even getting them out of the shed on a wet day will accelerate rot, so they need to carry a reasonable load to make it worthwhile.

 

That's one of the big problems with many heritage railways. You can usually get volunteers to run trains but have to pay staff to run the peripherals expected by the visitor. In such cases, I just wonder how profitable they are?

 

If all the overheads heating/lighting etc as well as staff costs are included, I doubt that they are profitable on the TR for most of the running season. It probably applies to a greater or lesser extent on all heritage railways but I think it is particularly acute on the TR because passenger numbers are so low now and spread over so many operating days.

 

I have thought the first train from Abergynolwyn is a bit on the late side, most days its around midday. Maybe with the additional storage at Quarry this is something that could be looked at in future.

 

If this is true why not give out free tickets in the town for these trains only as a publicity excercise ?

 

A bit of a flippant remark there. In my 20 years of volunteering i have never seen a completely empty train. Maybe the length of train is something else that can be looked into to save on wear and tear.

 

I quite agree, neither have i ever seen a completely empty train and i have a hard job imagining the TR running trains just to make the line look busy or to fill driver duties, very strange !!

 

and as an elected member of the traffic and operating committee he should know better!

 

Know better for what Russell?

You'll note I don't brandish my preseved railway credentials and speak only for myself on this (and other) forums.

And, btw, if you actually had any sense you would have realised that I am not an 'elected member' of T&OC.

 

Jumping in the deep end, the "free ticket" idea is not as stupid as it may seem, it can be used selectively to bring in eventual paying customers, for instance those in another area who may not be aware of the TR, these could be used at the quieter periods !

 

Know better as in posting comments when being on T&OC you are in a position to do something about it.
So by not stating where you work does this give you the right to aimlessly slate the organisations you are involed with and have no comeback?
From the TR website Traffic & Operating Committee
Council Members: Simon Jenkins, John Robinson, Philip Sayers and Matthew Wear.
Elected (footplate members): Bill Heynes, Neil Scott, and Karen Willans.
Elected (traffic members): Phil Eaton, Andrew Simner, John Simner and Marc Smith.