Preserved railways' website popularity

[railfan99]

Preserved railways should have a few ways to reach prospective patrons: a wide gamut of social media such as Facebook and Instagram (and if not banned, TikTok), print and digital media, television and radio, YouTube, plus websites, Google ads that pop up and sometimes advertising in local printed or digital media, plus more localised publicity such as posters in shop windows or mailouts (whether electronic or printed) to Society/Trust members.

Websites are far from the only method, but it's still interesting to compare usage with figures taken from similarweb.com , a USA-based site that has achieved prominence after a previous such service ceased.

Moderator Cowley produced an excellent list of the 30 lengthiest UK preserved railways:

30 longest heritage preserved railways in the UK

I've been priviliged from Australia to travel to your most interesting group of nations more than once and hence have been on Dartmouth Steam Railway, Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, East Lancashire Railway, Great Central Railway during its autumn 2022 steam gala, North Norfolk Railway, North...

www.railforums.co.uk

The figure after the name is length (in miles not kilometres).

There were suggested modifications by other RailUk fora members (thank you!) but for simplicity I've left Cowley's list unaltered:



1) *Welsh Highland Railway - 25

www,festrail.co.uk

See under 'Ffestiniog Railway' below as these share websites: please correct if I'm wrong


2) The Wensleydale Railway - 22

Wensleydale Railway | Bringing Rail back into the dale

wensleydale-railway.co.uk

Feb 2023: 15,600 Mar 2023: 13,100 visits


3) West Somerset Railway - 19.5

West Somerset Railway | Vintage Steam Train Experience

20 miles of heritage railway through stunning Somerset countryside and coast. Our Railway.

www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk

Feb 2023: 23,300 visits Mar 2023: 38,600 visits


4) The Weardale Railway - 18

Home | Weardale Railway

www.weardale-railway.org.uk

Feb 2023: fewer than 5,000 visits Mar 2023: fewer than 5,000 visits


5) North Yorkshire Moors - 18

North Yorkshire Moors Railway - NYMR

Heritage powered by people. Together, we make journeys happen.

www.nymr.co.uk

Feb 2023: 76,800 visits Mar 2023: 134,400 visits


6) Severn Valley Railway - 16

Severn Valley Railway | Our Award-winning Heritage Railway

Discover the Severn Valley Railway – heritage steam trains, special events and unforgettable journeys through beautiful countryside.

svr.co.uk

Feb 2023: 59,900 visits Mar 2023: 73,500 visits


7) Mid Norfolk Railway - 15

HOME | Mid-Norfolk Railway

www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk

Feb 2023: 9,400 visits Mar 2023: 12,500 visits

(Note that MYR has yet to reopen as track repairs are required, so despite this, it's encouraging that website visits rose)


8) Gloucester and Warwickshire - 14

Home - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway

Travel by steam through the Cotswolds on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway – Scenic journeys, family days out and special events.

www.gwsr.com

Feb 2023: 36,800 visits Mar 2023: 56,600 visits


9) *Ffestiniog Railway - 13

Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways stretch for 40 miles through the glorious Snowdonia National Park, allowing you to experience the magnificent scenery in comfort whilst savouring the romance of gleaming steam engines and carriages.

www.festrail.co.uk

Feb 2023: 38,100 visits Mar 2023: 39,600 visits


10) *RH&DR - 13

RH&DR - Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway

RH&DR - Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway is one of Kent's top tourist attractions with visitors from around the world

www.rhdr.org.uk

Feb 2023: 29,600 visits Mar 2023: 36,600 visits


11) East Lancashire Railway - 12.5

Feb 2023: 44,900 visits Mar 2023: 79,600 visits


12) *Vale of Rheidol - 13

Vale of Rheidol Railway | Devil’s Bridge & Aberystwyth Steam Train

At Vale of Rheidol Railway, you can see the beauty of the Welsh countryside when you book our Devil’s Bridge & Aberystwyth Train Tours! Book a visit with us now!

www.rheidolrailway.co.uk

Feb 2023: 9,200 visits Mar 2023: 11,800 visits


13) Keith & Dufftown - 11

Keith and Dufftown Railway

keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk

Feb 2023: fewer than 5,000 visits Mar 2023: fewer than 5,000 visits


14) Bluebell - 11

Bluebell Railway: Sussex's Top Heritage Attraction

Visit Bluebell Railway in Sussex for an unforgettable journey on vintage steam trains. Explore our museum, enjoy family-friendly events, and experience the charm of one of the UK's premier heritage railways. Plan your adventure today!

www.bluebell-railway.com

Feb 2023: 107,600 visits Mar 2923: 126,200 visits


15) Kent and East Sussex Railway - 10.5

- Kent & East Sussex Railway

Welcome to the Kent & East Sussex Railway Service Update Due to the very high risk of lineside fires, services will be operated by heritage diesels until 7th August. Thank you for your kind understanding. Heritage trains between Tenterden & Bodiam through the Weald of Kent and Sussex Trains...

kesr.org.uk

Feb 2023: 26,900 visits Mar 2023: 24,900 visits


16) Churnet Valley Railway - 10.5

Steam Train Staffordshire | Derbyshire / Midlands

One of the best steam railway days out on magnificent trains through beautiful countryside. River valley, woodland, bridges, tunnels and Victorian stations.

www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk

Feb 2023: 33,200 visits Mar 2023:18,900 visits

17) Llangollen Railway - 10.5

Llangollen Railway | Top Heritage Railway in North Wales

Visit Llangollen Railway, a leading North Wales heritage attraction. Enjoy steam train rides through the Dee Valley - perfect for families and visitors alike.

llangollen-railway.co.uk

Feb 2023: 30,600 visits Mar 2023: 40,800 visits

18) Mid Hants Railway- 10

Watercress Line - Heritage Steam Railway

The Watercress Line is an ideal family day out with events through the year. Experience the thrill of travelling by steam train through Hampshire.

watercressline.co.uk

Feb 2023: 35,400 visits Mar 2023: 47,600 visits

19) Strathspey - 9.5

Family Heritage Railway Attraction in the Highlands of Scotland Homepage

Strathspey railway operates trains from Aviemore, Boat of Garten and Broomhill stations.

www.strathspeyrailway.co.uk

Feb 2023: 10,400 visits Mar 2023: 15,200 visits

20) Swanage - 9.5

Swanage Railway | Family Railway Attraction in Dorset. Homepage

Swanage railway operates trains from Norden to Corfe Castle & seaside at Swanage.

www.swanagerailway.co.uk

Feb 2023: 26,600 visits Mar 2023: 36,000 visits

and although not in the lengthiest 'top 20', included because I thought its September 2022 Steam Gala outstanding (and because legendary FlyingPhil who I've not met might want to know):


25) GCR - 8

Great Central Railway – The UK's Only Main Line Heritage Railway

Feb 2023: 36,700 visits Mar 2023: 49,400 visits

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The overall trend has an element of 'you'd expect rises' as in the Northern Hemisphere, you're moving inexorably towards 'better weather' if you don't like snow or cold days.

Irrespective, very encouraging given constant media reports re how bad a shape your economy is allegedly in. (A downturn doesn't equally affect everyone, but it may hit families and lower income earners extremely hard, and some of these groups may in 'normal' years be able to afford a day out on a preserved railway).

No surprise that North Yorkshire Moors Railway is #1. So much publicity over the years.

The Wensleydale and The Weardale Railways are perhaps not overly well known in England so that may explain their relatively low number of website visits each month. Your advice is needed on that point, as my initial lack of knowledge of them doesn't prove anything as I'm not a resident.

Some preserved railways in Scotland and Wales may be catering to far smaller markets given many Englishmen and Englishwomen may not visit those railways' areas. These Scottish and perhaps Welsh ones may lack the publicity that high fare Jacobite Railway attracts (and its tour groups, but I've not been on it).

Being close to major population centres (Bluebell: London) and Manchester (East Lancs Railway) may hugely help in generating website traffic (and passenger revenue).

As a foreigner who lacks the local knowledge, I can't explain why website visits to Chrunet Valley Railway dropped so much. It's close to big cities and towns, and unlike Mid Norfolk Railway is operating. Was this an aberration for CVR?

I wonder will Kent and East Sussex Railway see increased enquiries due to Mr Geoff Colvin, Chief Stationmaster winning the Visit England 'Tourism Superstar' Daily Mirror award for this year? Perhaps it may just have more visits from cruise lines' day excursionists, arranged by the cruise line staff, so participants may not visit the railway's website.

I lack comparative data for previous years and also don't know whether overall, websites are maintaining their 'share' of visits by prospective travellers compared to say TikTok, but it is what it is.

 

[Titfield]

Need to be very careful with associating web traffic with revenue. Boo.com rather learned that it can be a somewhat misleading indicator.

Are you measuring visits or unique visitors?

 

[railfan99]

Need to be very careful with associating web traffic with revenue. Boo.com rather learned that it can be a somewhat misleading indicator.

Are you measuring visits or unique visitors?

I commented above that I lack 'conversion' of such visits to patronage.

However we can perhaps assert there's some correlation between individuals searching for and viewing a website, and the numbers travelling. It's true many may 'look but not buy' but equally, one has to be thinking about travelling to the railway to experience a steam or other train, so some 'lookers' will indeed contribute to the revenue that preserved railways need to continue operating and hopefully prosper.

similarweb.com uses the term 'visits' so I assume it's that. Fair point, Titfield, as what you're stating if I read correctly is that person X could visit a site 5000 times, but he might be the only 'visitor' to a website in a month.

If you have detailed IT knowledge such as 'search engine optimisation', I don't, but I compiled the list for a bit of entertainment and hopefully the ability of those more versed in your wonderful preserved railways to discern good news for most operations.

 

[Flying Phil]

An interesting analysis Railfan, thank you for posting. It was good for me to see how many "hits" the GCR is getting. I suspect the increase is also due to the return to full line running after the two bridges have been replaced.

 

[railfan99]

An interesting analysis Railfan, thank you for posting. It was good for me to see how many "hits" the GCR is getting. I suspect the increase is also due to the return to full line running after the two bridges have been replaced.

The terrific-looking branch line DMU (Mountsorrel line) operation/planned operation may also have helped?

 

[pdeaves]

A high number of hits  may be an indication that visitors couldn't find what they wanted first time, or couldn't remember where valid information was, or a result of needing to check things over and over (e.g. timetables in case they changed/hadn't been put up first time). So as in all areas of analysis, a fully fair comparison needs other insights.

It's interesting, nonetheless.

 

[railfan99]

So as in all areas of analysis, a fully fair comparison needs other insights.

I agree, and was at pains in the introduction to point out it wasn't the ;be all and end all.'

From a previous thread of mine, I adjudged the 'quality' of heritage railways' websites to cover the whole spectrum from outstanding (easy to locate information, and the detail most of us, including non-railfans, may want) to 'difficult' to put it politely.

But most operations have finite staff numbers, and limited available funds, plus volunteers who sometimes may not quite 'think like a (prospective) passenger' if they're tasked with assisting with IT.

So my above analysis is merely one cog in the (driving) wheel. Pleasing that you found it of interest despite your legitimate points.

 

[Flying Phil]

The terrific-looking branch line DMU (Mountsorrel line) operation/planned operation may also have helped?

Very true - I certainly checked the website and then took a ride!

 

[railfan99]

I will increase the list above, as in September 2022, I added the first one to heritage railways used, and hope to do the same in September 2023 with the second:

21) Ecclesbourne Valley Railway - 9

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway – Derbyshire's Longest Heritage Railway

www.e-v-r.com

Feb 2023: 6,700 visits Mar 2023: 14,000 visits

30) South Devon Railway - 6.75

Home - South Devon Railway

www.southdevonrailway.co.uk

Feb 2023: 12.900 visits Mar 2023: 15,700 visits

EVR only carries 25,000 to 30,000 passengers in a 'normal year', so that explains its lower number of website visits or 'hits'.

The tally for SDR is smaller than I'd have guessed, as it appears to be well promoted.

Regardless, let's hope many fora contributors and viewers/readers patronise multiple heritage railways in 2023, and if appropriate, donate funds.