Re: GM's in Melb

[sthyer@anatomy.unimelb.edu.au (Stuart Thyer)]

In article <36d13975.4019642@news.pipeline.com.au>,
desktop@pipeline.com.au (Frank Jones) wrote:


> That's all very well, but how many of these tours actually end up
> running on the advertised date (if at all)? It's only February and
> already one tour (Sea Lake)  has had a date change. The 1999 Airshow
> date has been known for ages.

Well looking at 1998 for Steamrail, all the advertised tours in  the
yearly program ran, as they did in 1997,  that's not a bad average.  It
wasn't a good start for 1999 to double book a date as we did, which is why
we apologised to the ARE, we don't believe that there is any point in
doubling up as the fan market simply isn't big enough.


> these groups can even establish a fare for the tour, let alone specify
> what motive power etc. might be used is beyond me... I therefore
> wonder about the usefulness of a yearly programme.

Steamrail knows what Vline charges are, it's not a great secret, and when
you are running tours similar to those you have run before, utilising your
own locos & rollingstock (therefore guaranteeing availability) it becomes
a routine occurance to calculate these tour costs.  For a group like the
RTA where you run 'odd' tours, utilising all sorts of modes of transport
and different operators, it certainly would be challenging to work out
your own costs.


> Our policy is to not advertise a tour until we've confirmed the
> availability of its major components and received costings, as we
> don't want to disappoint our members by offering something we later
> can't deliver. This works well for us - already we have two successful
> tours under our belt for 1999, and a brochure out for our third in a
> few weeks time.
> 
Look forward to it, I hope to book.

-- 
Stuart Thyer
Photographer-Department of Anatomy
University of Melbourne
One time winner of the 'Imaginary chocolate frog of discretion'