Well someone ought to tell EMR as they're still advertising the service on their website
www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk
if you open the link it does refer to the 2024 service. which it appears have been binned for this year, first time in memory...Well someone ought to tell EMR as they're still advertising the service on their website
Train travel to Skegness this Summer | EMR
The seaside resort is as popular as ever with our customers, and we are expecting another busy summer as beachgoers head to Skegness for their holidays.
(Yes, I know it relates to last year but the link doesn't specific what year it is and is still live, so anyone googling variations on "EMR Skegness summer saturday" will be sent to this page)
could they not at least start something at Derby on Saturdays in the high peak summer, it has been this case, for as long as Ive known, and the rolling stock is located there too...
That applies to general travel to/from Skegness, not the Fisherman specifically. As @Bletchleyite says all other services will be at least 3 car with a couple of 5 car diagrams. There has never been enough demand to warrant a service from Derby, it was only convenient because the HSTs were based there. Truth be told, I do believe it's sensible to drop the Fisherman now.
I wonder if a charter operator could start a similar service without EMR contracting them if there was a demand for it.
Highly unlikely unless the DfT offered financial support.
Is the service not profitable in its own right?
Of course not. Few if any regional services are.
Fair enough. I thought that this type of service would have made a decent amount for EMR running occasionally, maybe it would be profitable if run by a railtour operator with higher fares.
I doubt it. The overheads are enormous and the kind of market they are serving will be very cost conscious.
Fair point, it's a shame domestic tourism in the East Mids isn't something that many people will pay for as a premium experience, but I guess we are where we are.
This specific train must be profitable, it was full from Derby and standing from Nottingham when I used it in HST days. However, the service in general probably runs at a loss. Thus, not running this train is likely to actually increase subsidy and lose further revenue for the railway in the future when people decide to take the car instead when they can’t get on the regular trains or have a terrible experience on them.
When you take crew training, track access costs and everything else into account I would very much doubt it’s profitable and really wouldn’t be expected to be.
With the best will in the world, Skegness isn't going to attract people looking for a premium experience
Aren't there intermediate stops in places with a better reputation?
No there isn’t. It’s Lincolnshire with the likes of Boston en-route. Many passengers are heading for cheap holidays at Butlins or around Ingoldmells. There are very few affluent areas close by.
156s and some 158s
And why Beeching & Co closed so many of its dreadfully uneconomical routes.
That’s how I see it too mate.
