Fairbourne 'Crisis'

[John_Hughes]

I'd heard whispers of this a little while ago, but the Fairbourne Steam Railway stand at Warley was up-front about it (and openly used the word crisis) so no more need for reticence I think:

 

The line lost its main (financial) backer last summer, and is currently facing the prospect of having to lay off staff / put people on short time working in an attempt to make ends meet - though in view of the apparent size of the deficit there's quite a way to go.

 

So - although I'm not yet a formal supporter, though now I shall be becoming one - I'd like to remind RMWebbers that the line does need support, and makes for a smashing half-day out in some of the loveliest scenery in these islands.

 

Thanks, lads and lassies!

[big jim]

i put a few quid in the donation box today for couple of photo prints of the line taken back in the lae 70s/early 80s...

 

nice little railway, my dad used to do a bit on there back in the 80s when he was the village bobby in fairbourne (i was only 4 at the time!!)

 

my brother now has the springfield pub in fairbourne too

 

my dad and other ex fairbourne volunteers went to a garden centre in evesham the other week for a reunion as some of the old locos are there, i believe the garden centre is shutting down so it was the last chance to have a go of them

[D605Eagle]

 

 

nice little railway, my dad used to do a bit on there back in the 80s when he was the village bobby in fairbourne (i was only 4 at the time!!)

 

 

He he! I remember him! Used to drive a police liveried mini IIRC

[Christopher125]

While i dont want to sound harsh, its not really what i would call a 'crisis'. No one wants to see people made redundant, but this was always going to happen if they relied on a handout every year - asking people to donate so they can afford to run more services and pay more staff than they need to just isnt sustainable, they have to find a way to reduce costs and downsize the operation.

 

Chris

[jonhall]

While i dont want to sound harsh, its not really what i would call a 'crisis'. No one wants to see people made redundant, but this was always going to happen if they relied on a handout every year - asking people to donate so they can afford to run more services and pay more staff than they need to just isnt sustainable, they have to find a way to reduce costs and downsize the operation.

 

Chris

 

From what I read over on the net-pres forum, the line is restructuring to bring its costs in line with its income, however the crisis fund is required to allow this to happen in a controlled fashion, with sensitivity to its (soon to be made redundent) employees...

 

J

[avonside1563]

Visited Fairbourne in May last year and was mildly surprised how little custom they had. On a reasonably sunny Friday there was myself and son, a family of 3 and 4 older people on the train. Not much in the way of revenue on that occasion and I'm not surprised that they were effectively running at a loss if that was indicative of the passenger levels. I have read that they are hoping to find more volunteers to operate and maintain the railway but imagine it will be difficult to attract same seeing as Fairbourne is a little bit out on a limb and they don't, unfortunately, have the kudos of the likes of Tallyllyn etc.

 

I remember the line in its 15" days as Fairbourne was a regular day out to the beach during the summer when I was younger and I always managed a ride if they were running, usually with one of the Twining locos 'Sian' or 'Katie'. Now if they were still there....

[trisonic]

I don't even know where it is - which may be symptomatic of their problems?

 

Best, Pete.

[EddieB]

I don't even know where it is - which may be symptomatic of their problems?

 

Best, Pete.

 

It's within a short ride of the Vale of Rheidol, Tallylyn, Corris, Ffestiniog, Welsh Highland, Welsh Highland Heritage, Snowdon Mountain, Llanberis Lake, Bala Lake...

 

Which might explain why it is struggling.

[The Stationmaster]

It's within a short ride of the Vale of Rheidol, Tallylyn, Corris, Ffestiniog, Welsh Highland, Welsh Highland Heritage, Snowdon Mountain, Llanberis Lake, Bala Lake...

 

Which might explain why it is struggling.

I think there's something in that plus it's really a 'beach resort' sort of immediate market and we all know how popular (not) UK beaches have been for the last few decades. Add to that it's lack of hill climbing scenic grandeur and it's not the sort of railway you first think of for a day out. And I'm old enough to remember that this is not the first time we have seen Fairbourne in this sort of financial situation.

 

Here's a view of one of its locos taken during my brief visit back in 2005

[cary hill]

We went on it a couple of years ago, and unfortunately, it does not have anything of a "wow" factor going for it, when compared to the nearby competition, apart from a slightly different view of Barmouth Bridge.on a good day. It's really on the exposed edge of the scenery rather than in it.

 

Tne "business" model, which seems to have required the annual operating deficit to be covered by a benefactor, appears seriously flawed even for an operation with charitable status.

[mike morley]

Part of the attraction used to be that you could do the Round Trip - across Barmouth Bridge (either on foot or by rail) ride on the Fairbourne then catch the ferry back to Barmouth. I've seen no evidence of the ferry still being in existence on any of my last few visits, which cannot have helped passenger numbers.

[Herr Dienstleiter]

I hope that they do indeed resolve their budget problems but I have a suspicion that at two miles long the long might be too short to be viable without major attractions at one or both ends of the line.

[John_Hughes]

For information, the ferry does run in the summer, weather (as always) permitting, so a smashing round trip is possible taking in the Fairbourne line, the ferry, a short walk along Barmouth's lovely beach (or a visit to the Last Inn which is not quite on the way!) and either a trip back on the standard gauge or a very pleasant walk back over Barmouth Bridge, with the peaks of southern Snowdonia and the Cadair Range rearing up in the background.

 

Spectacular!

[big jim]

The thing with fairbourne is other than the railway there is nothing in the village of note, a lot of the shops have shut down as has salts garage and the fairbourne hotel, you do have the springfield and the amusements but thats about it for tourists (apart from the stunning scenery). tourism has changed beyond recognition in the last 30-40 years since the railway was in its heyday, my mum lives in llwyngwril and loads of houses there are holiday homes which are up for sale but not Selling

 

On the flip side We stayed at my mums back in the summer and took the train over to barmouth and it quite frankly was the busiest ive seen the town in years, sandpiper carpark was full, streets were heaving with tourists, nice to see in all honestly, shame the otherside of the mawddach was so quiet in comparison

 

Something that i couldnt believe about fairbourne last time i went is the car parks there are pay and display, a sure fire nail in the coffin for small places like fairbourne that rely on passing trade

 

I do hope the railway gets through It though

 

 

[John_Hughes]

The question of 'how long should the ride be' is one that's concerned the preserved line sector for quite a while now; back in the 60s there were those in the Ffestiniog who argued strongly against heading back to Blaenau, partly at least on the grounds that the line would then be too long for those wanting a short trip out, and certainly there are many now who say that the WHR is far too long to be practical.

 

So perhaps a quick 'there-and-back-again' on the Fairbourne is just what some families would prefer, especially those with young and easily-bored kiddies

.

[big jim]

my kids loved it, as you say just the right length of line for an afternoon out, problem is what else is there in the immediate area for families on holiday, once you have visited the railway thats it really

 

ok you can get in a car and visit towyn or machynlleth etc but if you go there you may as well go to the talyllyn or corris railway which of course have the "thomas" factor

 

fairbourne has no "captive market", futher north you have the haven at pwllhelli which sees a large turn over of "new" holiday makers week in week out who will possibly visit the likes of the ffestiniog or welsh highland (portmadoc) or they may get a train or drive south of barmouth for a day out but not venture any futher, dont forget to drive to fairbourne from barmouth is a 20 mile trip around the estuary and the train service isnt exactly frequent (or reliable)

 

in the fairbourne, llwyngwril, towyn direction you have smaller independant camps where a lot of the vans are owned by families so a lot of people who holiday there do so every year, once they have visited the railway (or any other attraction for that matter) they are probably unikely to visit again unless it keeps evolving and having that wow factor, which as we know railways dont tend to do to the non enthusiast.