The “Famous Santa Specials” started this weekend, and we were fully booked. In Kent we have to compete with a number of attractions who have their own visits to Santa but K&ESR’s reputation has been built up over a number of years, and we have taken to tweaking the offer every year so that it is slightly different. We have a lot of families who come to Tenterden every year. The K&ESR Santa Specials are in their 35th year and we have many loyal visitors who bring their grandchildren, after bringing their children many years ago.
My most vivid memory this weekend was the look on a grandmother’s face when I told her daughter that we were full and unable to accommodate them because we were fully booked. She was heartbroken. Fortunately we managed to squeeze the family in where another group was late. We can usually accommodate last minute visitors but I would always urge pre-booking for Santa (and of course for days Out With Thomas).
Our timetable and guide for 2010 is now in the public domain. We have tried to make it crisper and bolder this year. I think that works. We have included details of some of Bodiam Castle’s events and are working with them to ensure we both offer a really good value day out for our visitors. Our fares for 2010 will stay the same as 2009, indeed most of our experience prices remain at the same level.
Last week we launched the Appeal for the Cavell Van and this received some fantastic press coverage and in particular I thought the piece on BBC1 SE News was excellently produced. The Cavell Van has a wonderful history, its main claim to fame being that it carried the body of the Unknown Warrior from Dover to London. There has of course been much discussion about the wagon this week – it is clearly a National Treasure, and we will work towards having it ready for Remembrance Day 2010. We have a target of £35,000 and have reached £1600 by the Appeal launch day so I am hopeful the public will be generous in their support. Read more...
Last week I attended a course on ISA registration, a process which will replace CRB checking in future years. We CRB check our Santas and all our staff that we believe are likely to come into close or unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults. Although we will need to change our Company Policy to accommodate the new framework, we will maintain the same level of vigilance with the new system when the Home Office has eventually got its act together and issue the final revised processes.
Can I take this opportunity to wish you an enjoyable Christmas. I heard a cleric say on the radio last week that some folk may find it offensive if they are wished a Happy Christmas. What has the world come to?
Monday, 7 December 2009
Monday, 9 November 2009
Each week I get an e-mail telling me how many visitors this BLOG gets. I am surprised and flattered by this, particularly as I do not post every week. Our new website, ever improving, continues to get huge numbers of visitors and if you are visiting it for the first time, you are very welcome.
Our recent half term Halloween week was the best yet and we have finished October with excellent results in terms of passenger numbers, although the 1st November, complete with its torrential rain, and news of two of our small management team losing their young brothers, on the same day was devastating. We of course will give them all the support we can. As well as being part of a tourist attraction that provides a great experience for families, our staff team is like a large family too.
Our families are the most important part of our life, and sometimes we forget this, but I was enormously proud when my daughter graduated last week. Last year she filmed our Santa Specials and produced a short video that we have in our video lounge - go to K&ESR Video Lounge - and as you would expect like any father I am proud to see her work on our website as it captures the spirit of our Santa Specials so well.
K&ESR has a great reputation for looking after visitors with special needs and Petros, our carriage specially adapted to carry wheelchair passengers has worked hard since its introduction, carrying tens of thousands of wheelchair bound or infirm passengers. Next year it is out of service for overhaul and we will improve it further to make it even more suitable for those whose access needs are that much greater.
Some folk may think that we are quiet in November because we are closed to visitors, but the railway is never really closed. We are running works trains to build a new siding and also to help our colleagues at Rother Valley Railway extend the track another couple of hundred metres towards Robertsbridge. Our sales office staff are busy taking bookings for the FAMOUS SANTA SPECIALS and bookings are very encouraging. Our plans for 2010 have progressed well in the last few weeks too, particularly as far as our galas (steam and diesel) and bus rally are concerned. Our Evacuation Week in May 2010 has virtually sold out in the last 2 weeks too, an encouraging sign for 2010.
We are soon to launch the appeal for the restoration of the Cavell Van, a hugely significant item of historical rolling stock. More about the Cavell Van Restoration Appeal by clicking the link.
During Halloween week we had our annual VAQAS inspection from Visit Britain and we received a very positive response. We are proud to be members of that scheme and display the logo on our literature and website. And finally on the subject of being a visitor attraction, our new visitor information centre will be open for next year. Our Tuesday Gang (DIY team) are currently painting it , the shelving has been installed in the storage area, and by December we will have the leaflet racks in ready to go for 2010. In Tenterden the Tourist Information Centre is in the Gateway which is far from ideal, and we are therefore confident that our facility will be popular with the local population as well as our visitors. We will have a dedicated area for other steam railways too.
K&ESR’s historical roots are important but whilst we preserve, we also progress and aim to improve our facilities to make sure K&ESR is a great day out for enthusiasts, visitors of all ages and especially families. We look forward to welcoming many families back in December for the Famous Santa Specials – 50% of our customers are repeat visitors!
Our recent half term Halloween week was the best yet and we have finished October with excellent results in terms of passenger numbers, although the 1st November, complete with its torrential rain, and news of two of our small management team losing their young brothers, on the same day was devastating. We of course will give them all the support we can. As well as being part of a tourist attraction that provides a great experience for families, our staff team is like a large family too.
Our families are the most important part of our life, and sometimes we forget this, but I was enormously proud when my daughter graduated last week. Last year she filmed our Santa Specials and produced a short video that we have in our video lounge - go to K&ESR Video Lounge - and as you would expect like any father I am proud to see her work on our website as it captures the spirit of our Santa Specials so well.
K&ESR has a great reputation for looking after visitors with special needs and Petros, our carriage specially adapted to carry wheelchair passengers has worked hard since its introduction, carrying tens of thousands of wheelchair bound or infirm passengers. Next year it is out of service for overhaul and we will improve it further to make it even more suitable for those whose access needs are that much greater.
Some folk may think that we are quiet in November because we are closed to visitors, but the railway is never really closed. We are running works trains to build a new siding and also to help our colleagues at Rother Valley Railway extend the track another couple of hundred metres towards Robertsbridge. Our sales office staff are busy taking bookings for the FAMOUS SANTA SPECIALS and bookings are very encouraging. Our plans for 2010 have progressed well in the last few weeks too, particularly as far as our galas (steam and diesel) and bus rally are concerned. Our Evacuation Week in May 2010 has virtually sold out in the last 2 weeks too, an encouraging sign for 2010.
We are soon to launch the appeal for the restoration of the Cavell Van, a hugely significant item of historical rolling stock. More about the Cavell Van Restoration Appeal by clicking the link.
During Halloween week we had our annual VAQAS inspection from Visit Britain and we received a very positive response. We are proud to be members of that scheme and display the logo on our literature and website. And finally on the subject of being a visitor attraction, our new visitor information centre will be open for next year. Our Tuesday Gang (DIY team) are currently painting it , the shelving has been installed in the storage area, and by December we will have the leaflet racks in ready to go for 2010. In Tenterden the Tourist Information Centre is in the Gateway which is far from ideal, and we are therefore confident that our facility will be popular with the local population as well as our visitors. We will have a dedicated area for other steam railways too.
K&ESR’s historical roots are important but whilst we preserve, we also progress and aim to improve our facilities to make sure K&ESR is a great day out for enthusiasts, visitors of all ages and especially families. We look forward to welcoming many families back in December for the Famous Santa Specials – 50% of our customers are repeat visitors!
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
We are in the middle of yet another excellent “A Day Out With Thomas”™ event. We have added a couple of new features including a plasma screen showing “Thomas” stories and a new entrance to Tenterden Station. Last weekend was enjoyed by all our visitors. K&ESR is recognised as one of the top UK “A Day Out With Thomas”™ providers and we are proud of that.
We continue to have a good September, and the weather continues to be kind. In Kent it has been great throughout the main tourism season. About a year ago I posted here that the BBC need to get their weather forecasts right as last year they spent the whole summer forecasting rain and visitor numbers were poor even on sunny days. I was interested to read that the Chief Exec of Visit Kent, Kent’s tourism body has been to see the BBC to talk about the effects on tourism of their inaccurate weather forecasting. Remember you read the stories here first!
Like all tourist attractions we are hungry for press coverage and we have made the press recently with some good stories. I was horrified to see last week that one of our trade magazines “Steam Railway” had made up a quote from me, and changed the context of an article that I had written which was in a small publication. The editor has promised that my letter complaining about this will be published, but who reads the letters? The damage has already been done by an incorrect story that pursues the objectives of tabloid journalism. Press regulations need to be changed to ensure that when they publish incorrect stories they should be required to devote the same amount of space to the retraction.
We have some excellent young volunteers here. It has been noticeable of late how smartly dressed some of them are and what great ambassadors they are for K&ESR.
I took a trip down the line last week and overheard a couple of passengers talking about it. The future of railway preservation is in the hands of these young guys and girls, and at K&ESR the future looks bright!
We continue to have a good September, and the weather continues to be kind. In Kent it has been great throughout the main tourism season. About a year ago I posted here that the BBC need to get their weather forecasts right as last year they spent the whole summer forecasting rain and visitor numbers were poor even on sunny days. I was interested to read that the Chief Exec of Visit Kent, Kent’s tourism body has been to see the BBC to talk about the effects on tourism of their inaccurate weather forecasting. Remember you read the stories here first!
Like all tourist attractions we are hungry for press coverage and we have made the press recently with some good stories. I was horrified to see last week that one of our trade magazines “Steam Railway” had made up a quote from me, and changed the context of an article that I had written which was in a small publication. The editor has promised that my letter complaining about this will be published, but who reads the letters? The damage has already been done by an incorrect story that pursues the objectives of tabloid journalism. Press regulations need to be changed to ensure that when they publish incorrect stories they should be required to devote the same amount of space to the retraction.
We have some excellent young volunteers here. It has been noticeable of late how smartly dressed some of them are and what great ambassadors they are for K&ESR.
I took a trip down the line last week and overheard a couple of passengers talking about it. The future of railway preservation is in the hands of these young guys and girls, and at K&ESR the future looks bright!
Thursday, 10 September 2009
We have had an excellent summer, in fact the best since 2001, the year after we extended K&ESR to Bodiam. This has followed through into the start of September.
At K&ESR we receive some great letters of thanks, and our staff are always delighted to read them. This week we received a particularly nice letter from someone who had learned to drive a steam train on one of our Railway Experience Days. They had wanted to do this for 40 years, and travelled to Kent from north of the border just to drive a steam engine!
This weekend is the 9th Annual Hop Pickers Weekend at Bodiam Station and to celebrate we have two terrier locomotives topping and tailing a set as was used on the K&ESR in years gone buy when it transported hop pickers on their annual pilgrimage/holiday. I am delighted that we will be re-creating these trains this year. There is no car parking at Bodiam station but there is ample car parking at Bodiam Castle (National Trust), and of course there is free parking at Tenterden Station.
We are also working towards our “Day Out With Thomas”™ weekends and these are starting to fill up nicely. Pre-booking is strongly recommended as we are over 1/3 booked at the time of posting this blog.
Next year we also plan to hold Thomas’ 65th birthday party. More about this in future posts.
At K&ESR we receive some great letters of thanks, and our staff are always delighted to read them. This week we received a particularly nice letter from someone who had learned to drive a steam train on one of our Railway Experience Days. They had wanted to do this for 40 years, and travelled to Kent from north of the border just to drive a steam engine!
This weekend is the 9th Annual Hop Pickers Weekend at Bodiam Station and to celebrate we have two terrier locomotives topping and tailing a set as was used on the K&ESR in years gone buy when it transported hop pickers on their annual pilgrimage/holiday. I am delighted that we will be re-creating these trains this year. There is no car parking at Bodiam station but there is ample car parking at Bodiam Castle (National Trust), and of course there is free parking at Tenterden Station.
We are also working towards our “Day Out With Thomas”™ weekends and these are starting to fill up nicely. Pre-booking is strongly recommended as we are over 1/3 booked at the time of posting this blog.
Next year we also plan to hold Thomas’ 65th birthday party. More about this in future posts.
Friday, 31 July 2009
As the summer season gets under way we continue to be busy. We are welcoming large numbers of foreign tourists, particularly from Holland. We are lucky that visitors can enjoy a ride on K&ESR whatever the weather.
At this time of year there is a quite a lot of planning for next year, as we go through the budgeting process. Operating steam locomotives is expensive, and trying to balance the budget for next year is my current. On paper it costs £1300 per day to operate a steam engine, once overhaul costs are factored in.
We are improving the path up to Tenterden Station from our Car Park next week. It has got simply awful underfoot, so with a new smooth, hard surface it will be easier for buggies and wheelchairs to get up the slope. I hope it will not cause too much inconvenience to visitors whilst the work is done.
We are now taking good numbers of Thomas bookings for September. We look forward to another great event. K&ESR is recognised by HiT Entertainments (the licensors) as one of the top deliverers of “Day Out With Thomas” ™ events, and we are proud of this.
We were a little disappointed with the number of visitors that attended our “All Aboard With Ivor” event last week, but those who came all had a great day out. Ivor the Engine is remembered by many with great affection, but as it is not on TV at the moment it does not register well with young children – but they certainly know Thomas!
Our Pullman dining trains are now fully booked until the end of the season. We are proud of our product and delighted with the success. It is very disappointing, however, for visitors who turn up midweek asking to go out for a meal this weekend! Our Railway Experience Days are sold until the end of November so we just have a few places left in December. We will now be selling vouchers for next year!
Next week we are being judged as a finalist for the West Kent Business Excellence Awards. I am looking forward to that.
At this time of year there is a quite a lot of planning for next year, as we go through the budgeting process. Operating steam locomotives is expensive, and trying to balance the budget for next year is my current. On paper it costs £1300 per day to operate a steam engine, once overhaul costs are factored in.
We are improving the path up to Tenterden Station from our Car Park next week. It has got simply awful underfoot, so with a new smooth, hard surface it will be easier for buggies and wheelchairs to get up the slope. I hope it will not cause too much inconvenience to visitors whilst the work is done.
We are now taking good numbers of Thomas bookings for September. We look forward to another great event. K&ESR is recognised by HiT Entertainments (the licensors) as one of the top deliverers of “Day Out With Thomas” ™ events, and we are proud of this.
We were a little disappointed with the number of visitors that attended our “All Aboard With Ivor” event last week, but those who came all had a great day out. Ivor the Engine is remembered by many with great affection, but as it is not on TV at the moment it does not register well with young children – but they certainly know Thomas!
Our Pullman dining trains are now fully booked until the end of the season. We are proud of our product and delighted with the success. It is very disappointing, however, for visitors who turn up midweek asking to go out for a meal this weekend! Our Railway Experience Days are sold until the end of November so we just have a few places left in December. We will now be selling vouchers for next year!
Next week we are being judged as a finalist for the West Kent Business Excellence Awards. I am looking forward to that.
Friday, 3 July 2009
Last weekend saw our first beer festival held with the Ashford, Folkestone and Romney Marsh branch of CAMRA. There were over 40 real ales available including a couple of brews exclusively on the trains. We read lots of press stories of drunkenness and problems associated with drink, but in a relatively small space we saw 1200 people enjoying alcohol without any problems at all and the atmosphere at Tenterden station was excellent.
We have had a pretty good June. In passenger number terms we missed “Thomas” for June but that apart the railway has been busy. Coach companies bring groups of visitors every day and there has still been the usual stream of visitors here to enjoy the Kent & East Sussex countryside which is at its very best at the moment.
Our events teams are working on some great activities for the remainder of this year and next year too. This weekend we see The Antiques Railshow, with valuers from Dreweatts here on Saturday, and several model railway layouts on display over the weekend. We then look forward to Ivor The Engine returning on 25th and 26th July, when Northiam station will be transformed into Llaniog for a weekend of fun.
In June 2010 we will combine a diesel gala with a bus rally. We have not had a diesel gala here for a couple of years, but with the success of our galas over the last 2 years, some interesting diesels and on track machinery of our own and a guest diesel loco or two, we will be able to create an excellent event. Next year we will also celebrate 10 years of operating to Bodiam and 20 years of running trains to Northiam. Is it really 20 years since ‘Challenge Aneka’?
We have just completed our annual line audit, a little bit late this year. The K&ESR looks better every year, and has certainly benefitted from the investment in line side maintenance by our contractor and by the additional and highly noticeable efforts of our small Forestry and Conservation team.
Now is the time for nominations for the Pride In Ashford and Tenterden Awards. Our volunteers pride themselves in our care for our customers, and I hope that we get plenty of nominations for awards, as in 2008, the last time the scheme operated, when our volunteers were appropriately recognised.
We have had a pretty good June. In passenger number terms we missed “Thomas” for June but that apart the railway has been busy. Coach companies bring groups of visitors every day and there has still been the usual stream of visitors here to enjoy the Kent & East Sussex countryside which is at its very best at the moment.
Our events teams are working on some great activities for the remainder of this year and next year too. This weekend we see The Antiques Railshow, with valuers from Dreweatts here on Saturday, and several model railway layouts on display over the weekend. We then look forward to Ivor The Engine returning on 25th and 26th July, when Northiam station will be transformed into Llaniog for a weekend of fun.
In June 2010 we will combine a diesel gala with a bus rally. We have not had a diesel gala here for a couple of years, but with the success of our galas over the last 2 years, some interesting diesels and on track machinery of our own and a guest diesel loco or two, we will be able to create an excellent event. Next year we will also celebrate 10 years of operating to Bodiam and 20 years of running trains to Northiam. Is it really 20 years since ‘Challenge Aneka’?
We have just completed our annual line audit, a little bit late this year. The K&ESR looks better every year, and has certainly benefitted from the investment in line side maintenance by our contractor and by the additional and highly noticeable efforts of our small Forestry and Conservation team.
Now is the time for nominations for the Pride In Ashford and Tenterden Awards. Our volunteers pride themselves in our care for our customers, and I hope that we get plenty of nominations for awards, as in 2008, the last time the scheme operated, when our volunteers were appropriately recognised.
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
We have just had a wonderful May – with record breaking visitor numbers, due to our extremely successful Gala, magnificent Forties Weekend and a strong half term holiday week.
Currently we are receiving a large number of visitors in coach parties. K&ESR is a great destination for coach party days out, and we operate a number of joint visits with local attractions such as Biddenden Vineyards. Cream Teas on the train are extremely popular.
The management team has been working on our timetable for next year, and there are a number of special events planned including celebrating 20 years of running trains to Northiam and ten years of operating to Bodiam.
I have just heard that the edition of 'Escape To The Country' filmed here for BBCTV will not be shown until September, which is disappointing. Recently part of a programme for UKTV called 'My Little Soldier' was filmed here. That appears to be a very entertaining series featuring children who become stars and I look forward to seeing the final production.
Last week we attended the Sussex County Show – for the first time. We welcomed over 1000 people to our stand in 3 days and look forward to seeing them as visitors.
Preparations for the CAMRA beer festival are well underway. We will be extremely busy on Saturday 27th June with over 40 different ales available for consumption. This looks like being a regular event in the K&ESR diary. Finally for now – K&ESR is proving to be a great day out for Fathers this weekend (Sunday is Father’s Day). We have had a special beer brewed 'Dad’s Delight', and this is on sale at the railway shop but stocks are running out fast. Better get some for Dad now!
Currently we are receiving a large number of visitors in coach parties. K&ESR is a great destination for coach party days out, and we operate a number of joint visits with local attractions such as Biddenden Vineyards. Cream Teas on the train are extremely popular.
The management team has been working on our timetable for next year, and there are a number of special events planned including celebrating 20 years of running trains to Northiam and ten years of operating to Bodiam.
I have just heard that the edition of 'Escape To The Country' filmed here for BBCTV will not be shown until September, which is disappointing. Recently part of a programme for UKTV called 'My Little Soldier' was filmed here. That appears to be a very entertaining series featuring children who become stars and I look forward to seeing the final production.
Last week we attended the Sussex County Show – for the first time. We welcomed over 1000 people to our stand in 3 days and look forward to seeing them as visitors.
Preparations for the CAMRA beer festival are well underway. We will be extremely busy on Saturday 27th June with over 40 different ales available for consumption. This looks like being a regular event in the K&ESR diary. Finally for now – K&ESR is proving to be a great day out for Fathers this weekend (Sunday is Father’s Day). We have had a special beer brewed 'Dad’s Delight', and this is on sale at the railway shop but stocks are running out fast. Better get some for Dad now!
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