Most expensive and cheapest heritage railway per mile ?

[NER1621]

The annual ticket may prove a bit of a red herring for heritage sites.

I hold one for the NYMR so I will visit 4-5 times by the time it expires. However, by that point I will have thoroughly completed all there is to do there and ridden most of the loco fleet by that point, so I’m not likely to visit again for 3-5 years now. Without the annual ticket, I might have visited more steadily once per annum on a day rover over a few years, so they might actually be losing revenue from me.

Yes, but normal people don’t “thoroughly complete everything there is to do and ride behind all the locos by visiting four or five times.”

They’ll probably visit once or twice again for their “free” day out, then perhaps give it a rest for a year. It’s a family day out, not a trainspotting competition and on the NYMR the annual pass includes free travel for accompanied children. By offering the ticket with future “free” visits then the pass qualifies for Gift Aid which is another bonus for the railway.

Railway enthusiasts are a tiny percentage of visitors to heritage railways (and anecdotally tend to have short arms and deep pockets). The family day out is the key market. For comparison a family ticket (2+2) to nearby Castle Howard house and grounds for a one-off visit is £65, for which you must also book a specific time slot to go into the house.

The Steam Gala weekend is the event aimed at the enthusiast who wants to “do the lot” relatively cheaply.

 

[Iskra]

Yes, but normal people don’t “thoroughly complete everything there is to do and ride behind all the locos by visiting four or five times.”

They’ll probably visit once or twice again for their “free” day out, then perhaps give it a rest for a year. It’s a family day out, not a trainspotting competition and on the NYMR the annual pass includes free travel for accompanied children. By offering the ticket with future “free” visits then the pass qualifies for Gift Aid which is another bonus for the railway.

Railway enthusiasts are a tiny percentage of visitors to heritage railways (and anecdotally tend to have short arms and deep pockets). The family day out is the key market. For comparison a family ticket (2+2) to nearby Castle Howard house and grounds for a one-off visit is £65, for which you must also book a specific time slot to go into the house.

The Steam Gala weekend is the event aimed at the enthusiast who wants to “do the lot” relatively cheaply.

I think you’ve missed the point a little. The purpose of someone’s visit is irrelevant. Whatever the purpose of someone’s visit, there is naturally going to come a point where all value has been extracted, whether that’s bashing loco’s, touring fish and chip restaurants of Whitby or hiking trails on the Moors National Park is irrelevant; it’s going to impact future revenue down the line.

 

[paul1609]

There's something in that. If I went to Crich, asked for a Day Rover and the price was £22, I wouldn't have an issue. £23 for an annual pass? Hang on, I don't want an annual pass!


The Isle of Man railways have a collective mileage of 38 miles. More than three K&ESRs. It's not such a big figure in that context.

We should have passenger services over 14 miles in three years time, but if you count the K &ESR as currently a quarter of the size of the total IOM mileage, a grant of £1.25million every year would exceed our current ticket sales for normal services.

 

[Ianigsy]

In our staff office at Crich there's the daily visitor numbers posted. It's interesting that around half of entries recorded are 'free' entries (e.g. returns or members) showing many people do use their return visit.
I think we certainly like return visitors as as you said, they spend money in the shop, cafe etc, and perhaps may spend more than they would if they hadn't had a 'free' day out.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jul 2024 ==


I do agree, for a full day out there's so much to do at Crich that's worth £23, and I think something which is especially important is having stuff to do that isn't wholly tram related.

Maybe paying £23 just for a tram ride like lanigsy wanted is too much, but comercially the museum doesn't really want visitors like this as they won't buy food etc, so there's no incentive to cater to this minority of guests.

The current model at Crich is working very well, I'm nor sure accounts wise, but visitors wise we'll get 300+ visitors on a weekday, and can reach 1000+ on weekends!

Glad to hear that - to add a bit more context, we were a group of four on a weekend away with only a couple of hours to spare. If the museum’s commercial model can cope without the £50-60 odd that we might have been prepared to pay for a return trip and an ice cream then so be it. It seems as if the set up has gone more in the direction of a Beamish-type attraction since I last visited about 30 years ago, but living in a town on the West Yorkshire/North Yorkshire border, if we wanted that kind of a day out we’d probably get on the A1 and go to Beamish in the first place.

A few years ago, I invested one year’s Christmas bonus in life membership of the KWVR, having given £10 a month towards 90733 for about 20 years now. I see it as a good investment on both sides - if I have a spare day at the weekend with nothing else to do, I can have a ride out and probably spend £10 on tea and sandwiches while I’m there.

 

[DarloRich]

Yes, but normal people don’t “thoroughly complete everything there is to do and ride behind all the locos by visiting four or five times.”

They’ll probably visit once or twice again for their “free” day out, then perhaps give it a rest for a year. It’s a family day out, not a trainspotting competition and on the NYMR the annual pass includes free travel for accompanied children. By offering the ticket with future “free” visits then the pass qualifies for Gift Aid which is another bonus for the railway.

Railway enthusiasts are a tiny percentage of visitors to heritage railways (and anecdotally tend to have short arms and deep pockets). The family day out is the key market. For comparison a family ticket (2+2) to nearby Castle Howard house and grounds for a one-off visit is £65, for which you must also book a specific time slot to go into the house.

The Steam Gala weekend is the event aimed at the enthusiast who wants to “do the lot” relatively cheaply.

correct answer!

( the free younger children travel is fantastic and the profit on tea and buns must be decent. 2 teas and a bun each is about £10!)

 

[paul1609]

correct answer!

( the free younger children travel is fantastic and the profit on tea and buns must be decent. 2 teas and a bun each is about £10!)

Profit on catering rather now depends on sufficient volunteer labour. If your teas and buns are served by someone on minimum wage it needs a high throughput of customers to turn a profit once all the costs power, bank charges are taken in to account.

 

[ikcdab]

In our staff office at Crich there's the daily visitor numbers posted. It's interesting that around half of entries recorded are 'free' entries (e.g. returns or members) showing many people do use their return visit.
I think we certainly like return visitors as as you said, they spend money in the shop, cafe etc, and perhaps may spend more than they would if they hadn't had a 'free' day out.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jul 2024 ==


I do agree, for a full day out there's so much to do at Crich that's worth £23, and I think something which is especially important is having stuff to do that isn't wholly tram related.

Maybe paying £23 just for a tram ride like lanigsy wanted is too much, but comercially the museum doesn't really want visitors like this as they won't buy food etc, so there's no incentive to cater to this minority of guests.

The current model at Crich is working very well, I'm nor sure accounts wise, but visitors wise we'll get 300+ visitors on a weekday, and can reach 1000+ on weekends!

We went to Crich a couple of weeks ago. Although we are rail fans, the only reason we went was because it was a Wednesday and everything what was shut. At least Crich was open.
I would argue that it isn't a "full day out".
After getting in, you wander down the fairly short street and have a tram ride up and down. That's probably the first half hour taken up. Then there is a museum, which is maybe another 45 mins or so and an hour's wander round the tram sheds. Then perhaps lunch, another tram ride and we were done.
We didn't bother with the woodland walk as it didn't appeal to rail fans.
So I thought it was expensive for what we got, but was content to pay on the basis that it is a good thing and worth supporting.

 

[tram21]

We went to Crich a couple of weeks ago. Although we are rail fans, the only reason we went was because it was a Wednesday and everything what was shut. At least Crich was open.
I would argue that it isn't a "full day out".
After getting in, you wander down the fairly short street and have a tram ride up and down. That's probably the first half hour taken up. Then there is a museum, which is maybe another 45 mins or so and an hour's wander round the tram sheds. Then perhaps lunch, another tram ride and we were done.
We didn't bother with the woodland walk as it didn't appeal to rail fans.
So I thought it was expensive for what we got, but was content to pay on the basis that it is a good thing and worth supporting.

Yes I'd say there's a very good mix of things to do, but maybe if you're a non-family doing things quickly it may not feel good value as you're not delaying as much as a family would. A family would spend almost an hour on the walk, an hour on lunch etc, making it feel 'good value'. In addition, Normally there is an hours 'excursion' up at Glory Mine to the memorial tower which is even more time spent. It really just really depends what you want to, but I would definitely say as an adult group it certainly is expensive, but as a family better value. Commercially they have to balance the best deal for both the customer and the finances.

Also, if you're interested in the trams you should certainly come on the 14/15th September where every operating tram will be out- certainly an enthusiast event and good value if you have 15 tram rides!!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jul 2024 ==

Profit on catering rather now depends on sufficient volunteer labour. If your teas and buns are served by someone on minimum wage it needs a high throughput of customers to turn a profit once all the costs power, bank charges are taken in to account.

At Crich all the shop/ cafe workers are paid, just to guarantee an income or it wouldn't be viable to rely on volunteers.

We can't even always cover the necessary volunteers for the tram service, reducing the offer for the guests

 

[paul1609]

At Crich all the shop/ cafe workers are paid, just to guarantee an income or it wouldn't be viable to rely on volunteers.

We can't even always cover the necessary volunteers for the tram service, reducing the offer for the guests

At the k&ESR all the shops staff are volunteers except maybe a last minute sickenss etc.
The on shore catering is a hybrid with volunteers with limited paid staff providing stuff like health and hygene certificates management etc.
However anybody that thinks these activities are so profitable that they are supporting the core railway activities are deluded. This has been the case for at least 10 years now.
The shop suffered the Amazon effect.
The catering increases in the minimum wage and then in recent years a quadrupling of electricity prices (since reduced to doubling).
Theres also been a move away from alcholic drinks which traditionally had a high profit margin.

 

[ikcdab]

Yes I'd say there's a very good mix of things to do, but maybe if you're a non-family doing things quickly it may not feel good value as you're not delaying as much as a family would. A family would spend almost an hour on the walk, an hour on lunch etc, making it feel 'good value'. In addition, Normally there is an hours 'excursion' up at Glory Mine to the memorial tower which is even more time spent. It really just really depends what you want to, but I would definitely say as an adult group it certainly is expensive, but as a family better value. Commercially they have to balance the best deal for both the customer and the finances.

Also, if you're interested in the trams you should certainly come on the 14/15th September where every operating tram will be out- certainly an enthusiast event and good value if you have 15 tram rides!!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jul 2024 ==


At Crich all the shop/ cafe workers are paid, just to guarantee an income or it wouldn't be viable to rely on volunteers.

We can't even always cover the necessary volunteers for the tram service, reducing the offer for the guests

The glory tower trip was not mentioned, in fact I'm not sure we could get off at all at the far end.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Im alluding to the average £5m pa subsidy that the railways receive from the IOM Government: https://www.gov.im/media/1381876/isle-of-man-heritage-railway-review-final-report_compressed.pdf
Obviously this is going to impact the cost per mile (to passengers) and doesnt make it a fair comparison to the UK Heritage Railways.

The Isle of Man Railways (Groudle Glen, Laxey Mines and the Curraghs not withstanding) are government owned and run, with paid government employees running them, and their equipment assets of the state.

Therefore they aren’t heritage lines (and indeed the perception that they are has been of some harm to transport on the Island generally, but that’s by the by). They do mainly (though by no means exclusively) carry tourists but you could say the same about the Heathrow Express.

They also aren’t in the UK but to be fair the OP didn’t specify this

 

[tram21]

The glory tower trip was not mentioned, in fact I'm not sure we could get off at all at the far end.

Apologies I missed a bit off my post!

I meant normally as unfortunately its currently not possible to alight at Glory Mine which is a real shame. I won't go into specifics but it's due to some questionable decisions from the ORR.

 

[Belfastmarty]

Therefore they aren’t heritage lines (and indeed the perception that they are has been of some harm to transport on the Island generally, but that’s by the by). They do mainly (though by no means exclusively) carry tourists but you could say the same about the Heathrow Express.

Why does being government owned/funded make them not a heritage line? Yes, the funding model is different, and probably more generous, but the equipment is most definitely heritage, and promoted as such. And why is the perception they are heritage harmful ? I'm just curious as in many years of interest in IOM railways I've never been aware of any such problems.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Why does being government owned/funded make them not a heritage line? Yes, the funding model is different, and probably more generous, but the equipment is most definitely heritage, and promoted as such. And why is the perception they are heritage harmful ? I'm just curious as in many years of interest in IOM railways I've never been aware of any such problems.

Maybe but “heritage” implies “a private organisation which may well be run by volunteers with the primary aim of leisure” rather than “a governmental body providing a public service with the primary aim of providing a benefit to society in some form or other”

Recently there has been a push from the current Manx government to closely scrutinise whether the Isle of Man railways should go into private hands and essentially become a heritage (widely seen as a euphemism for privatised in this case) railway based on the UK model.

Many on the Island felt this was because of the dogmatic political beliefs of the Chief Minister and others in his cabinet, towards privatisation and the divestment of state assets into private hands, amongst other factors, rather than any concern for what was actually best for Manx society (or the Manx economy, if you’d like to look at it that way)

To this end, a report was commissioned by the multinational consultancy Systra (https://www.gov.im/media/1381635/iom-heritage-railway-review-recommendations-final.pdf) as to whether the Isle of Man Railways were “effective” in their present form, and to what changes would need to be made to make them “effective”

Many on the Island felt, again, that this report was commissioned with a bias to privatisation, or closure. It was with some amusement, therefore, that the public noted that the report’s findings were essentially that the IOMRs are a well run, efficient state organisation that contribute £2.88 to the Manx economy for every £1 spent on it, that it’s ideal and most efficient state is the state it’s in now, that no money would be significantly saved by going into the private sector, and that the IOMR should continue as a state run public railway. This was widely perceived as a quite public humiliation for the Cannan government and the threat to the IOMR seems to have subsided as a result

The reason for the railway’s rolling stock strategy etc are many and varied, but they’re probably a topic for another thread

 

[renegademaster]

The Isle of Man Railways (Groudle Glen, Laxey Mines and the Curraghs not withstanding) are government owned and run, with paid government employees running them, and their equipment assets of the state.

Therefore they aren’t heritage lines (and indeed the perception that they are has been of some harm to transport on the Island generally, but that’s by the by). They do mainly (though by no means exclusively) carry tourists but you could say the same about the Heathrow Express.

They also aren’t in the UK but to be fair the OP didn’t specify this

If they use rolling stock much older than what are typically are in use for public transport than they are heritage railways. If heritage wasn't part of the attraction they'd just use some boring DMUs and save money

 

[godfreycomplex]

If they use rolling stock much older than what are typically are in use for public transport than they are heritage railways. If heritage wasn't part of the attraction they'd just use some boring DMUs

I sense I’m not going to get anywhere with the discussion on the semantics of “heritage” in this context, but the stock currently operating on the island has in no small part got to the age that it has because of sunk cost fallacy rather than any conscious effort at preservation or money making.

The railway was nationalised in 1978, which was socially, culturally and economically (and I’m veering way off topic here) a very dark time for the Island and replacement of rolling stock (and all the ancillaries that went with it) was very low down the agenda. The bespoke gauge, maintenance arrangements, relatively small fleet required, and no small amount of problems with the products of the big wet salty thing surrounding the Island, have always inflated the cost of new rolling stock, and very probably always will.

It wasn’t until the 1990s in the case of the steam railway that replacement was looked at, and a combination of the railway having developed a strong base and the need for a near total modernisation of track and level crossing equipment as part of the IRIS sewer project meant that course wasn’t taken up. Even the idea of the railway charging significantly more for fares than the bus is something that only really came in in earnest after the 2008 financial crash.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

We went to Crich a couple of weeks ago. Although we are rail fans, the only reason we went was because it was a Wednesday and everything what was shut. At least Crich was open.

Picked up a flyer for Crich last week. Mentions "...If you visit every day with your ticket, it makes a family visit just 23p per visit..." Thing is, nowhere in the promotional blurb does it mention what the actual admission price is!

 

[Krokodil]

Maybe but “heritage” implies “a private organisation which may well be run by volunteers with the primary aim of leisure”

No it doesn't. TfL ran "heritage" bus routes. The Snowdon Mountain (which markets its steam trains as "Heritage") is run on a for-profit basis by a company called "Heritage GB". English Heritage was a non-departmental public body until 2015.

"Heritage" in this context is just a synonym for "old".

 

[bluegoblin7]

We went to Crich a couple of weeks ago. Although we are rail fans, the only reason we went was because it was a Wednesday and everything what was shut. At least Crich was open.
I would argue that it isn't a "full day out".
After getting in, you wander down the fairly short street and have a tram ride up and down. That's probably the first half hour taken up. Then there is a museum, which is maybe another 45 mins or so and an hour's wander round the tram sheds. Then perhaps lunch, another tram ride and we were done.
We didn't bother with the woodland walk as it didn't appeal to rail fans.
So I thought it was expensive for what we got, but was content to pay on the basis that it is a good thing and worth supporting.

Another (long time) Crich volunteer here… I certainly don’t think the admission price is good value, even for families, unless you literally are visiting multiple times in a year and really like trams (or use some of the other facilities - the indoor play area is the best value in Derbyshire). In real terms the offer has reduced despite the price increasing. Here isn’t the place to air dirty laundry, but those who do anything internally will know many of my views, I’m sure.

I meant normally as unfortunately it’s currently not possible to alight at Glory Mine which is a real shame. I won't go into specifics but it's due to some questionable decisions from the ORR.

I don’t think this is a fair representation of what the ORR has raised, nor does it cover off the litany of infrastructure issues. Glory Mine was always opened to passengers on the cheap, and unrelated infrastructure issues prevent the use of the terminal stub, which I am sure you are well aware.

Picked up a flyer for Crich last week. Mentions "...If you visit every day with your ticket, it makes a family visit just 23p per visit..." Thing is, nowhere in the promotional blurb does it mention what the actual admission price is!

It also advertises an accessible tram service which was known to be out of service before the flyer went to print, which probably sums up everything quite nicely.

But this is definitely OT.

 

[steamybrian]

Do you include the Volks Electric Railway at Brighton as a Heritage Railway especially as it is a member of the HR Association.?
They charge £5 single or £6.50p return for their one mile line.

 

[ikcdab]

Crich is £23 standard entry and you get something less than a mile of travel one way or 1.5 mile return trip. You can travel as often as you like, but once you've been up and back a couple of times then no desire you do it again unless different trams are running. I imagine their overheads are low. Electric trams are hugely less to maintain than a steam loco with its 10-yearly overhaul. The buildings are not maintenance heavy and they run with volunteers. I guess the shop and ice-cream are self supporting. So I'm not sure what other costs they have bar electricity. Compared to a medium length steam railway that charges a similar sum and has heavy overheads, Crich is expensive. By comparison, Didcot is £16.50.
A few days later we went to the Churnet Valley. £20 for a return trip. Not sure how long, guess it's getting on for 20 miles return trip. Occupied us all afternoon with some spectacular S160 action plus the time poking round the stations. Much better value but then we are rail fans more than trams.
It's very difficult to make a comparison because every line is different.
I guess what I do know is that none of the lines are making mints of money, most barely cover their costs.

 

[John Luxton]

Interesting reading about perception of prices.

Many years ago I went to the Eden Project when it first opened it seemed quite good I can't recall how much it cost back then but I don't think it was very much.

I went back 10 years later and found it had started to become just another theme park and was getting pricier.

The other day I was reading a news item on how they were clamping down on free entry for Park Run spectators and that from now on they would have to pay £42 entrance fee. it is a yearly ticket. Crich is almost half that and more interesting than what is really just a fancy park with a few hot houses as the Victorians would have called them.

Obviously "Joe Public" is prepared to pay these sort of prices and there is now going to be another Eden Project in Morecambe within a few years.

 

[ikcdab]

To be honest, I think railways are at the cheaper end of the spectrum. You mention the Eden project. Longleat is £43 and children are £33. I am sure other attractions are dearer again. Ever tried to buy Wimbledon or football tickets?

 

[D7666]

I'd always encourage anyone who can afford it to pay the full adult maximum fare regardless of what discounts or shorter fares are available, if you want to see these railways still operating in five or ten years time.

I /used/ to do that; I probably come in the "who can afford it" bracket; I used to buy day rover (where there was one) even for one return trip; it was a simple way of supporting without faffing around with donations etc. I also used to decline any 60+ discounts (where there was one).

However. That was all in the years BC (before covid).

What adds up is not just the cost of the fares, but all the other items. Not just the cost per mile but total cost on the day on the line.

I used to - BC - buy food/drink in their refreshment outlets; now the price of this has rocketed everywhere - and I do not think £3.30p for what I would call a 'medium' sized disposable plastic cup of tea is good value for one tea bag floating in hot water with a little milk; that is now of the same order of 1 pint of ale in some places; where available I also used to full breakfast - assuming the facility was open before the first train ran; at one location their breakfast fee is now higher than the per night add-on charge to the hotel I use there. On top of that, hotel costs have rocketed since covid. So, I have cut back - I now do take up whatever discount is available, 60+ if there is one or any other offer, and, yes, my food and drink for the day is now (usually) from Tesco (or equivalent) 'meal deals' or that ilk. Of course I accept hotel prices are outside control of the heritage railway concerned nonetheless it impacts on total visit costs.

I do agree with the point made by others these venues are aimed at 'normals' and us anoraks are a minority; all I can say on that point is family days out must cost a packet, and something I have managed to avoid

Crich. Trams are not my main interest, in fact they are down the list somewhat, but for some time I have considered it ought to be a place to visit, which I never have. I have done Seaton (only because I was there for other reasons) - unlimited day rover (no donation) now £12.70; also do Volks usually annually (not this year yet though) £6.50 => I perceive Crich to be expensive without actually ever being there to see what is on offer bearing mind preference is for travel on assorted types etc, slightly less interested in static museum items. Volks mid summer gets you 4 cars for haulage; varies by day but so does Seaton; but from what I understand aside from events days Crich does not offer 4 on a normal default operating day ? TBH reading this thread kind of puts me off a Crich visit. (For ref. the only other heritage tram line I have done is Summerlee and that one is free; for the few metres there it ought to be; again only did his one 'because it is there' between 318/320 EMU moves.)

Digressing, despite commuting past the place for c.30 years, I had never visited the Hendon RAF museum until 01/24. OK I said less interested in static museums but that one is WOW even though my aircraft interest is with civil not military; it took me nearly 2 hours and 3 circuits to find things of engineering interest and know I missed a lot. And it is FREE. Sure the funding basis of these things is totally different and I am not attempting to make any comparison, more to compare with the next item : the LT museum at Covent Garden. IMHO on the face of it the standard adult admission of £24-50 which covers a year might seem value considering its Central London location but TBH - from the anorak view - I do not think it worth that much and can't really see why it would need repeat visits in the same year (or perhaps they know that so annual entry is a gimmick never taken up by most?). At least I can do that one for free

(( Recently I did look into Ironbridge around a SVR visit ........... kerrrrchinggg ........... I can't comment if it is worth it or not but it seems a lot to me from checking out site by site what they have on offer.))

Anyway what I am getting at is not just the value of the fare or pounds per mile - but pounds per visit overall.

 

[railfan99]

... from what I understand aside from events days Crich does not offer 4 on a normal default operating day ? ...

I was there on a weekday last year: two tramcars operating.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Jul 2024 ==

The GCR is £3 per mile approx (which I don't begrudge one bit!); but an 8 mile line is always likely to be more expensive per mile than a 16 mile line.

And yet Spa Valley Railway (Tunbridge Wells Wsst - Eridge return, five miles each way) is £10 return for an adult (senior £9 return) so £1 per mile.

 

[DanNCL]

An adult day rover on the Weardale Railway between Bishop Auckland and Stanhope is £16. Assuming one uses it just as a return ticket, for the 32 mile round trip (16 miles each way) that works out at 50p per mile. Is there a cheaper example anywhere else in the UK?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

An adult day rover on the Weardale Railway between Bishop Auckland and Stanhope is £16. Assuming one uses it just as a return ticket, for the 32 mile round trip (16 miles each way) that works out at 50p per mile. Is there a cheaper example anywhere else in the UK?

Potentially a good shout. What do visitors to the Weardale Railway normally get to travel on, once there? Hopefully not some bouncy old Class 142.

 

[Segedunum]

Potentially a good shout. What do visitors to the Weardale Railway normally get to travel on, once there? Hopefully not some bouncy old Class 142.

I had the pleasure of 142078 last Saturday - £9 single Bishop to Stanhope. Pretty much exactly as it was under Northern. A bit less brutal at 25mph.

I used an existing bus day pass to take me back over as I didn't fancy hanging around to ride the same train back again.

Decent value for the stretch of line covered, in my eyes.

 

[DanNCL]

Potentially a good shout. What do visitors to the Weardale Railway normally get to travel on, once there? Hopefully not some bouncy old Class 142.

Most days at the minute it’s 142078. Hopefully within the next few weeks the 108 will be back in traffic, once that happens that’ll probably become the primary traction. That said, wouldn’t surprise me if initially they kept the 108 to the Wolsingham runs just to ease it back in with Bishop Auckland runs on it happening later.

 

[Gwr12345]

Most days at the minute it’s 142078. Hopefully within the next few weeks the 108 will be back in traffic, once that happens that’ll probably become the primary traction. That said, wouldn’t surprise me if initially they kept the 108 to the Wolsingham runs just to ease it back in with Bishop Auckland runs on it happening later.

The pacer is supposedly only a short term stopgap until the 108 is fixed. History repeating itself?