RMweb Gold greatcoleswoodhalt Posted May 30, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 30, 2020 Great progress with the recent fundraising, though I'm really not a fan of the artwork, etc being used currently! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted May 30, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 30, 2020 I see the NYMR have also raised @£250,000 - I wonder how much that sort of money lasts.... Neither railway would want to, but I wonder if they could get to (say) next Easter without any trains running. The economic case of running trains at the moment with social distancing in force would be quite hard. Possibly more to the point, would the public want to travel? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted May 30, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 30, 2020 27 minutes ago, Neal Ball said: I see the NYMR have also raised @£250,000 - I wonder how much that sort of money lasts.... Neither railway would want to, but I wonder if they could get to (say) next Easter without any trains running. The economic case of running trains at the moment with social distancing in force would be quite hard. Possibly more to the point, would the public want to travel? As well as the public being worried about travelling there is also the problem of how many volunteers would be unable or unwilling to volunteer for duties that in the past they would have been very pleased to fill. I am a guard and TTI on the Mid Hants and would love to be back on the line tomorrow if that was possible but careful thought about the current situation means that it will be some time before I am willing and able to volunteer. The biggest problem being that I live near to Wimbledon and have to use the trains to Alton to get to the MHR. Until travel on National Rail services is back to the situation we had up until February this year I will not be going anywhere as I do not have a car. In the past I did days out to both the Bluebell and the Severn Valley two or three times a year plus annual trips to the North Norfolk and Mid Norfolk lines. This virus has totally ruined my plans for this year and I fear possibly longer. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted May 30, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 30, 2020 23 minutes ago, Chris116 said: This virus has totally ruined my plans for this year and I fear possibly longer. Each of us must make our own decisions, based upon unique personal circumstances, as to how we proceed into the future. Numbers travelling to the coast have jumped this past week - and not likely to be on essential business trips either as most seem to be families with younger children and overnight-style bags. Leisure travel by train is still being advised against but is not prohibited. That is largely to ensure social distancing can be maintained where ever possible and therefore minimise risk of infection; travelling on trains of itself is considered to carry a very low risk provided those trains are suitably cleaned. The position for many heritage operations will be as Chris says because the volunteer workforce is significantly above retirement age and very vulnerable to infection. Few lines have a large paid workforce able to operate even a one-train service. Shed staff, train crew, signalmen and station staff are the bare minimum needed. There might be some lines where a derogation could be obtained to run one-train-in-steam without signalling but points would require clipping and special instructions issued so there is unlikely to be any practical advantage in that. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted May 31, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 31, 2020 18 hours ago, Chris116 said: As well as the public being worried about travelling there is also the problem of how many volunteers would be unable or unwilling to volunteer for duties that in the past they would have been very pleased to fill. I am a guard and TTI on the Mid Hants and would love to be back on the line tomorrow if that was possible but careful thought about the current situation means that it will be some time before I am willing and able to volunteer. The biggest problem being that I live near to Wimbledon and have to use the trains to Alton to get to the MHR. Until travel on National Rail services is back to the situation we had up until February this year I will not be going anywhere as I do not have a car. In the past I did days out to both the Bluebell and the Severn Valley two or three times a year plus annual trips to the North Norfolk and Mid Norfolk lines. This virus has totally ruined my plans for this year and I fear possibly longer. I suspect you are not alone. I heard yesterday of a relative who went to the coast as they are fed up with lockdown. I suspect / hope they are a minority. (The relation is around 75 so really should have stayed at home). The Talyllyn have said they could operate a profitable service with as little as 20 passengers. But another consideration has to be if those 20 people come from out of the area and bring the virus with them. Not quite as bad at the Bluebell, given it’s largely rural location. But it’s still a consideration. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 I remember being told at a Blackpool open day at Rigby Road depot, (by the employee/guide showing us round), that a bus only needed 6 passengers on its journey to break even. And that's a commercial operation! Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PenrithBeacon Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 Perhaps the break even figure is influenced by the excessive fares charged? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted June 6, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 6, 2020 Good news! The appeal at the Bluebell has now hit £300,000 Issue six of the Bluebell Times is now out: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/bluebell-times/ 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted June 6, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 6, 2020 The Bluebell is holding a "virtual" Track Trek on Saturday June 27th 2020. I will be running the 4 1/2 miles locally here in Spain for this virtual event. If you could spare a few £ that would be much appreciated: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/NealBall1 Thanks, Neal. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calidore Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Great to see that the fundraising target has been reached. I'm really interested in the number of donors quoted in the Bluebell Times fundraising column though. Written at just beyond the £250k mark, they report that amount having been contributed by 1,900 individual donors. I'm really surprised it's that small a group of people: an average of £131.58 per person. I'd written elsewhere on here previously about the slow start to the Bluebell's campaign, but once they 'relaunched' it the total skyrocketed at a staggering pace. I'd thought this was because the Bluebell has a relatively large supporter base compared to some railways (i.e. with membership of the society actively encouraged and publicised, they're less reliant on goodwill of the general public or a less formal group of 'supporters'). But on the assumption that, for all railways, there are actually quite a few donations more in the £10-£20 range from the public (evidenced by social media comments, JustGiving pages with visible amounts shown, and the popularity of the 'text ____ to give £10' which many railways are doing), that makes me think these campaigns must still be hugely reliant on a very small number of people giving very large amounts to make up the serious sums. There are doubtless some railways who have the best of both -- the SVR clearly has a huge volume of general public support and more dedicated member / supporter backing to have reached £745k -- but this seeming reliance on serious sums from a small group in some places naturally gives some concern about future sustainability. I think it's also why some railways are finding the campaigns have stalled a bit now, compared to how they were moving at the beginning: once all the people able or willing to give £200 have given it, the steady flow of £10s take a long time to add up. If we get to a time in the future, as we surely will, when these kinds of supporters are even fewer and further between, where the money comes from then is an even harder question to answer. Adam (I should say, the above is not at all intended to disparage the generosity of those who are giving comparatively smaller sums, as it clearly all helps and giving anything at all is a kind act indeed -- merely thinking about how this passion of ours keeps itself going, as we all do.) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold greatcoleswoodhalt Posted June 7, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2020 News from the Bluebell Railway dated June, 07th: - https://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-the-Bluebell-Railway.html?soid=1108082818574&aid=PHW0zBchwiI 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold greatcoleswoodhalt Posted June 20, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 20, 2020 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted June 20, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 20, 2020 I don't see how the steam railways will easily be able to affect social distancing and the increased cleaning regime that is needed. Obviously it will be easier with compartment stock; but the seats; handles etc. all needs to be cleaned as soon as passengers leave. Plus social distancing on the platforms - it wont be easy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted June 20, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 20, 2020 (edited) The Bluebell Railways Track Trek is next Saturday. As the railway remains closed, it will be a virtual track-Trek for 4 1/2 miles (equivalent of Horsted Keynes to Sheffield Park). Please forgive the cheeky request - if it offends, I apologise. I will be running the 4 1/2 miles next Saturday - could you sponsor me? As we are living ion strange times, I have suggested to my friends a maximum of £2 Thanks very much. Neal. https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/NealBall1 Edited June 20, 2020 by Neal Ball Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted June 20, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 20, 2020 5 hours ago, Neal Ball said: I don't see how the steam railways will easily be able to affect social distancing and the increased cleaning regime that is needed. Obviously it will be easier with compartment stock; but the seats; handles etc. all needs to be cleaned as soon as passengers leave. Plus social distancing on the platforms - it wont be easy. I hope all our heritage railways are working to the current guidelines though some at least may be hedging bets on a relaxation of these before they reopen. It appears the review into 2m social distancing will now report within the next few days. There is no guarantee that this will result in any reduction but it seems to be widely hinted across Westminster today that this is coming. It is also widely lobbied that without a reduction many businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector - which includes heritage railways - may well not survive at all. Given a provisional date to reopen in August the Bluebell Railway might well be working to a 2m distancing scenario but be ready to adapt to any reduction that offers in good time. Or in short they have likely found and agreed ways to reopen as things are but will be hoping things are more relaxed and they can get more passengers on board, and hence more fares taken, by the time things start moving. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold greatcoleswoodhalt Posted July 3, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 3, 2020 Summer '20 edition of BLUEBELL NEWS: - https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Bluebell-News-Summer-2020-issue.pdf 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold greatcoleswoodhalt Posted July 5, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 5, 2020 News from the Bluebell Railway dated July, 05th: - https://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-the-Bluebell-Railway.html?soid=1108082818574&aid=lNnF1PvnzII 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold greatcoleswoodhalt Posted July 12, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 12, 2020 News from the Bluebell Railway dated July, 12th: - https://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-the-Bluebell-Railway.html?soid=1108082818574&aid=KehPtuozuz0 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted July 13, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 13, 2020 The plan at the moment is for services to start on 7th August, with tickets (for a compartment) going on sale this week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold greatcoleswoodhalt Posted July 18, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 18, 2020 News from the Bluebell Railway dated July, 17th with information around the rebranded services for reopening: - https://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-the-Bluebell-Railway.html?soid=1108082818574&aid=sPyHzH6_jiI 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted July 18, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 18, 2020 Issue 9 of the Bluebell Times is now on-line: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/bluebell-times/ This has been a great source of information and communication during the lockdown. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted July 18, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 18, 2020 I thought the "welcome back to the railway" was a bit twee, but if it gets the message over then fine. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold greatcoleswoodhalt Posted August 6, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 6, 2020 News from the Bluebell Railway dated August, 06th ahead of tomorrow's (07th) "Grand Reopening" and 60th birthday celebrations: - https://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-the-Bluebell-Railway---Grand-Reopening-and-60th-birthday-celebrations.html?soid=1108082818574&aid=Slm0PLnBxEY Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted August 7, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 7, 2020 Congratulations to the Bluebell Railway - celebrating 60 years of preservation this weekend 7 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted August 8, 2020 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 8, 2020 Next years gala dates: 60+1 gala special to replace the 60th weekend, will be on 6th; 7th; and 8th August 2021. I wonder if it’s safe to book our ferries (from Spain) and plan our trip yet.... Yesterday first train departs: 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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