Re: Swallow anew?


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Posted by Jock on August 21, 2005 at 19:59:18 from 217.172.246.144 user Jock.

In Reply to: Re: Swallow anew? posted by Peter H on August 21, 2005 at 16:40:55:

Hmm - does Jock have stats for that?

Well, it seemed self evident to me that the free publicity generated by the forthcoming BBC documentary would bring in more visitors, that the visitors would buy more AR stuff, and that NS could generate even more publicity. But, for those for whom this is not self-evident, and for those with a passing interest in steam trains, read on.

The last time someone threw me a question like this in England was 30 years ago was when I was trying to establish a railway preservation project somewhere deep in the South West of England. I've lost track of the numbers of times opponents of the scheme asked me, "Does ... have any evidence to prove that people would travel on his railway?"

Today that 'heritage railway' (Like the new name? Much more business-like.) is a roaring sucess. I even bump into people who not knowing of my involvement during the railway's early years hold it up to me as a 'model' to be emulated elsewhere.

Why does it attract passengers? Two main reasons: (1) it offers a very good range of products - from steam train family rides, romantic Pullman car evening meals, to driving experience days for wealthy burnt out executives; (2) the management team are brilliant at squeezing every last drop of publicity from every possible event and anniversary. They even paid a lot of money a few years back to have the locomotive 'Flying Scotsman' visit the line and milked the publicity for all it was worth. Passenger figures soared no one seemed to care that FS was not an authentic loco for that part of the world, they just wanted to ride in a train hauled by it.

So what would be the product? I for one would happily give up my diet of pig's trotters and vodka for a few days in order to travel to England to see the NS. I would even spend a sizeable amount of cash for a Sailing Experience on NS. I would happily share the other half of the boat with Peter H if that would make the Experience more affordable. (I have no doubt that it would make it more memorable ;-) I would certainly personally subscribe to any fund or organisation dedicated to getting NS built.

Publicity? You don't need a Ph.D. in rocket science to think of the media opportunites NS would bring. "Swallow Returns", "75 years since Swallow Recovered from the Deep", "Swallow and Amazon Annual Regatta. (Yes Peter, I know that I'm getting carried away again and the last one would involve building a NA as well. But, are you getting my drift?).

Curiously the only place where people still confront me with Peter H type questions is when I go around defending industrial heritage schemes in Poland. But that's miles off topic so in order to keep Ian E-N sweet may I invite anyone curious about such matters to continue this particular topic by eel mail.



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