One wonders just how viable this year‘s much reduced WSR TT has proved to be, with the exceptional long spell of fine ’Beach’ weather this Summer causing a reduction in passenger numbers, the Webcams at several stations along the line have often shown some poorly loaded trains and some very lightly used intermediate stations.
Added to this has been on occasions some unsatisfactory late running causing word of mouth experiences to
put off some potential passengers and the WSR has no such ‘sweetener as ‘delay repay’.
The paid Management structure of the WSR and some other Heritage Railways, would seem to be ripe for review and rationalisation/ cost savings with a possible sharing of some roles.
I have watched many WSR trains via the railcams with the first up from Minehead usually poorly patronised but the first down ex Bishops Lydeard sometimes well used.
I just observed the 1000 up and 1015 down crossing at Williton on Tuesday 6 September. The up with the tank loco was early, arriving prior to 1050 hours. The down was unusually late, with loco WSR 'modified' 9351 and six cars arriving at 1112 and departing at 1114. The up then quickly departed at about 1115, 25 minutes late. From the visible side, at least 28 bays in the saloon cars were occupied, indicating good patronage as lots of 'table arrangements' would have two or even more passengers. The car sets had been seven but in the past few days they've been cut to six.
The second trains of the day on the four train timetable seem reasonable, with the down sometimes also well used. But it's highly variable and yes, I've seen plenty of trains with only 10-20 passengers visible. The railcams don't show each side of the centre aisle ex-BR cars so there may be some users that can't be observed.
Better weather days appear to have higher numbers not fewer.
Many seem to use Blue Anchor station with sometimes a dozen boarding or on the down, more than half a dozen alighting but again, it changes widely from day to day.
From Melbourne in Australia, the nine hour time difference means I don't observe the third and fourth trains on a four train day.
The occasional five train days have seen a lightly loaded 1100 down to Minehead.
Running trains must be expensive with labour costs. Are they paying more for coal yet?
I agree if finances are tight, it may be necessary to reduce hours or even sack some administrative staff, difficult as this decision must be to make. Some staff may leave if reduced to part time. Maintenance staff ought be retained if at all possible. How much per annum is the MD/CEO on?
It's a little unfair to compare a heritage line with 500 plus volunteers to 'the real railway' as passengers on the former usually have a more sanguine attitude towards operational problems such as late running. I have not seen much of this although there were problems during the extensive Spring Steam Gala on the Saturday with the Caledonian Railway blue loco resulting in a greatly altered timetable and delayed services on the Saturday.
I hope some forum viewers will patronise WSR and/or donate to its GBP3 million shareholder fund, which doesn't pay a dividend.
On a forthcoming visit to UK shortly, this line is my #1 priority of the heritage operators to experience.
www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
