The Swanage Railway Trust

General Notes - Good News!

VAQAS: During July we were visited by an assessor from VisitBritain’s Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Service and as a result we are now a Quality Assured Visitor Attraction accredited through the national tourist authority. This is a significant achievement and recognises the efforts that go into making the visitor experience on the Railway special. As with any such scheme there are suggestions for further improvement that I will be sharing with Managers and Directors in the coming weeks to see what improvements can be made for 2008. Taken with the achievement of Jurassic Coast Quality Business status this marks a clear achievement by staff across the Railway. Many thanks for the part you have all played in this. The tangible result will be seen in future use of associated branding but I hope that all will take a pride in these achievements.

Passenger figures: After a disappointing June passenger figures recovered during July and on 31st July we were over 4,000 passengers ahead of the same time last year – an outstanding result given that 2007 was a record breaking year. However, the effect of the bad weather in June on the number of visitors is a clear indication that we cannot be complacent!
 

Working Parties

Herston Halt & Infrastructure Support Group (ISG)

Details vary. Contact Frank Roberts (07703 566941).

Carriage and Wagon

Meet Saturdays and Sundays from 9am in the Swanage Goods Shed. Contact Jeremy Weller.

Heritage Coaches

Meet Third Weekend in the month from 9am in the Swanage Goods Shed. Contact Jeremy Weller.

Carriage Cleaning

Selected Thursdays 9am at Swanage Station. Contact Martin Trott (07921 726659)

Permanent Way Work

Meets Monday to Thursday at 8:30am. Please check location with Tony Andrews (07798 743016).

Signal and Telegraph Wednesday Gang

Meets Wednesdays at 9am, usually starting at Corfe Castle. Contact: Dave Cobb (07790 205454).

Swanage Station

Selected Tuesdays 9am at Swanage Station. Contact: Steve Whittingstall.

71a Group (Class 33 diesel)

26th August & 16th September 10:30am at Swanage Station. Contact: James Cox.
 

Vacancies

Contact name person (via Station House) for more information:

General manager

The Swanage Railway has a vacancy for a General Manager to be responsible for the daily management of the railway on behalf of the Board and Council of Management of the governing parent charity, the Swanage Railway Trust.

This position reflects the continued growth and success of the Swanage Railway in recent years.

The smooth and sage running of the Swanage Railway is primarily dependent on “hands on” management of a large paid and volunteer work force and tight financial control.

In addition to a strong proven record in those areas of management, evidence of commitment as a volunteer is required, ideally to a heritage railway.

The future challenges will probably be in the commercial and marketing activities of the Swanage Railway together with the re-linking of the railway to the National Rail network at Wareham.

Salary is negotiable but likely to be circa £30,000 p.a.

Full details of the position are now available in pdf format, together with details of how to apply, by clicking here

Applications should be made in writing to: Keith Gooding, Company Secretary

Home address:
138a Wareham Road,
Corfe Mullen,
Dorset.
BH21 3LJ

Email: keith.gooding1@btinternet.com
Tel 01202-605173 m 07710-483161

Motive Power

Loco Cleaners - are required to help with preparation of locomotives for daily service and for selection for training as firemen for footplate duties. Contact Steve Dyer.

Traffic

Ticket Inspectors and Booking Clerks – are required to help man Swanage and other Booking Offices on a daily basis. Contact Martin Trott.
 

Training Courses

Training courses for staff working towards parts of the SRVQ are held as listed below. The bracketed numbers refer to the NEW SRVQ Unit that they cover – please see the Safety Management System (General Instruction 17) for more information.

Next Courses are in September

For details of additional courses please contact the person responsible as follows:

• SR PTS - Mike Standhaft
• NR PTS - Nick Brown
• Signalling Rules - Mike Whitwam
• First Aid - Adam Trott

Notes from the Board Meeting on 28th July

The Chairman asked that thanks be passed to all who had organised and helped to operate the recent event to Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the end of Southern Steam.

Health and Safety

A revised system of reports to the Board was being implemented and, if this proves satisfactory it will be added to the SMS. There were questions on the following points:

• The finishing off of the new access to the permissive path at Norden – particularly the ducting for electrical and water supplies.
• The volume of the audible warning at Quarr Farm Crossing.
• The security of barrows on the platform at Swanage.

Finance

It was reported that June had not been a very good month and, for the first time in a long while, we had not met budget expectations. It was noted that the claim for damage following the accident at Quarr Farm was outstanding and it was agreed that Phil Thrower would look through the figures before they were submitted to the Underwriters. There was some discussion of how we were to proceed with dining train operations into 2008. It was noted that profitability had increased but that we now needed to tackle the sustainability of the operation.

General Manager's Report

Summary of 2007 (1st Half)

Please note that these figures are extracted from the provisional accounting data and are intended to show trends rather than detailed financial information, which is provided by the Finance Director.

Train Operating
 

Overall performance has been remarkably similar to last year. The small rises seen after the 1st quarter have now been reduced in their effect by a steady period from Easter to early June. The bad weather from mid-June onwards has had an appreciable effect on both passenger numbers and, as a result, fare revenue.

In summary this area of the business seems to be levelling out. It should also be noted that as we move through the high peak period (mid-July to end-August) potential growth is limited by capacity.

Catering - Buffets
 

By comparison with the Train Operating section of the business the buffets has, overall, seen continued growth as the season has progressed. Whilst the rate of growth has declined at Norden (presumably as a factor of stable passenger numbers) both the Birds Nest and On-Train Buffets have grown at a greater pace during the second quarter.

Catering - Dining
 

As previously anticipated the greater number of advance bookings has affected the statistics in this area of the business. However, all the indications are that steady growth is taking place across this area. In particular the migration of charter business from ‘Travelling Tavern’ to a second option within the Wessex Belle cost-centre seems to be taking place smoothly and, over time, will give a more accurate figure for this business.

Retail
 

Thomas Event

The spreadsheet showing management data for the February Thomas event has been reconciled between Lorna Lock and Dave Green and shows that this event produced the following financial result:

TOTAL Profit £26,815.61 - Income £55,066.16, costs £28,250.55
This figure excludes ordinary fare revenue and the costs associated with running the ordinary timetabled services (‘blue’ timetable). As has happened in past years it is suggested that 2007 actual figures form the basis of 2008’s budget.

Beer Festival

Lorna and Dave have also been through the costs of this event and the following information is now agreed:

TOTAL Profit £985.31 - Train Operating Profit of £2,322.23,
Beer Tent Loss of £1,336.92

For the sake of clarity the event has been split into two halves – train operating and beer tent. Additional income generated in other areas has not been included, due to its subjectivity, but must be borne in mind when reading these figures. Sales in all commercial areas were above normal for this weekend and this additional revenue enhances the overall viability of the event. 

Clearly, however, we need to review the performance of the Beer Tent aspect of the event and the following suggestions have been made and are suggested for incorporation in next year’s event:

• Barbeque or Pig Roast
• Sponsorship of barrels – sponsors were available but plans were not put in place in advance

As with the Thomas event it is suggested that 2007 actual figures form the basis of 2008’s budget, with the addition of £2,000 sponsorship that we should aim to seek towards barrels of beer. If other features, such as a Pig Roast were incorporated then these should be undertaken only if they make a positive contribution to the bottom line.

40th Anniversary of the end of Southern Steam

There are still outstanding invoices and a financial review of this event will be produced for a subsequent meeting.

Matters Requiring Comment from the Directors

Jurassic Coast Trust

Our status as a ‘Jurassic Coast Quality Business has been confirmed and I have met with the Nikki Greenleaf, the Executive Officer of the Trust, to discuss our membership of their payback scheme and ability to use Jurassic Coast branding on some of our publicity, as agreed at last month’s meeting.

The principle of the payback scheme is that visitors to a participant make a voluntary donation (included in the overall price) that is paid onwards to the Jurassic Coast Trust. In return for this participation the business has the ability to use branding in line with the style guide. The proposal is that we undertake the following two payback schemes from our catering outlets:

1. A £1 donation from each passenger on dining trains, administered in a similar way to the current Pullman supplement. This will therefore need to be included in our review of catering operations.
2. A 15p donation from sales of Cream Teas in the Bird’s Nest and Norden Nest buffets. (Note: this element was not approved)

This proposal was agreed to in principle. In return we will be able to use Jurassic Coast Trust branding to promote these specific products and generic Jurassic Coast branding on our Timetable leaflet and Website. We will have reciprocal weblinks to the Jurassic Coast Trust website and have the ability to, when in nearer to fruition, become associated with the developments at Durlston.

2008 Timetable

A draft leaflet was circulated and will be sent for printing during August subject to minor changes.

SR Beer range

Following a successful trial during the 40th Anniversary event Penny has discussed developing a small range of SR-branded ales for regular sale through our buffets. Whilst these will be exclusive to SR we will not be committed to the same quantities that were the case with our previous arrangement and it is proposed that these will be purchased at the discretion of the Buffets Manager, as would any other product line. This matter will be going before the Marketing Group in terms of review and branding.

Class 117 TCL

Changes to the contract to reflect a change of vehicles was discussed

Projects for Consideration

TR01 – On-line ticketing

To establish an on-line ticketing system via an on-line sales agent. This will provide an on-line booking facility, increased sales opportunities and reduced office workload (if sales can be transferred from phone to on-line).

There are no up front costs. Development would be undertaken by the agent in return for booking fees at a pre-agreed level.

Planned for staged installation from October 2007. It is planned that stages would be built up so that special events and rover tickets would be within the first phase, dining, driver experience and Santa products following once the system was established.

It was asked that further information be gathered including alternative systems and the possibility of paying for a system ‘up front’.

P Way backlog

Phil Thrower also asked what plans were being put in place to overcome the backlog of work that has resulted from the additional work at Pondarosa.

Progress Reports

HR Solutions

With the coming departure of the GM it was agreed that the services of this HR company (currently used on an ad hoc basis) would be retained in future.

PRP

The latest meeting was reported to be generally positive. NR have approached DCC to discuss the detail of transferring the branch from NR to DCC and the members of PRP have agreed to move to incorporate the body.

Norden P&R

It was noted that Norden P&R would be subject to charges from Sunday 29th July.
 

Future Meetings

• Traffic Meeting, 10am 31st July, Rutland Room
• Traffic Meeting, 10am 14th August, Rutland Room
• Marketing Meeting, 6:30pm 16th August, Rutland Room
• Traffic Meeting, 10am 28th August, Rutland Room
• Manager’s Meeting, 3:30pm 29th August, Bar Car
• Board Meeting, 9:30am 1st September, Rectory Classroom
• SRT CoM, 2pm 1st September, Rectory Classroom
• Traffic Meeting, 10am 11th September, Rutland Room

Nick Brown
General Manager
Swanage Station
Tel: 01929 475213
Email: generalmanager@swanage-railway.co.uk

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Photographs

All photographs on this page by and copyright Andrew P.M. Wright,
Swanage Railway official photographer