General Manager’s Update - Spring 2023 

For me, Paul continues to be the world's best CEO of the world's best railway! I could listen to his open and honestly expressed informations for hours. With my best respects and greetings from Switzerland.

I’ve been a fan of the Ffestiniog since I was three years old, and am still enjoying this amazing railway at the age of 56. This continuity is down to good stewardship at all levels, so keep up the excellent work!

I have had a lot of questions over the last couple of years and this has answered so many of them. Fantastic presentation, very good ideas and I’m so so grateful that you have put in the Quarryman service. It’s superb

It's sad that you have to be so defensive about meeting the market where it is. Without your acumen the critics would have a lesser trainset to play with.

You guys do such an amazing job. Thank you for doing everything you do to keep the railway running! See you in September, my fiancee and I will be on our honeymoon in Porthmadog.We visited during 2020 so are looking forward to a trip on the entire line to Blaenau.

Congratulations on an excellent update, Paul. I fully support you’re named trains policy. It’s truly imaginative. We enjoyed our trips last well. Good to know that F&WHR is in good hands.

Always professionally presented and always interesting. Love the Festrail.

This is really impressive, nice to hear something so clear headed and clearly presented!

Really great update and very interesting to have the reasons for the named services explained in more detail

Well explained, thank you for all the work being done to make trains practical and affordable in these difficult times

So much more to running a railway than just the trains. Very informative, and well done everyone for all you've achieved over the years. I hope to make it down there some day.

Really good update, very interesting! It all makes sense to me! Great work!

Paul has made a great video tackling head on what he knows are the contentious issues about the nature of train services on the post-Covid FR/WHR. For older railway enthusiasts like me, the whole point of a preserved railway is to offer a traditional timetabled train service with flexibility and a reasonable cost, accessible to ordinary individuals and families. A Disney-like offering of "experiences" is far removed from that. And yet, with Paul's explanation of why the named trains are working well in the digital age, I am being won over, especially with the well thought out provision for hop-on, hop-off. I am still concerned by the huge increase in fares from pre-covid levels. A hundred quid for two adults and two children to go to Blaenau and back? I question whether my support should be going to give rich people a nice time, while working-class families on a caravan holiday in Wales are left on the platform. But if that is where we are in this screwed-up world of rising costs of everything, then I guess it has to be accepted for now. Make no mistake, Paul and the management team have navigated the ship through rocky waters brilliantly over the past difficult years and the FR/WHR is in a far better position than other preserved railways.

Tremendous work done by all Paul and I congratulate you on your fantastic leadership. It must be one mother of a job and I don't envy you one bit! Keep at it! (from a member and supporter since 1977)

Very informative update. With regards to prebooking, when I visited last September I was staying in the Llandudno area. I don't drive and I was travelling by train so my only option was to start my journey on the FfR from Blaenau. As this was prior to The Quarryman being introduced, I could only travel on the one day of my visit where enough Mountain Spirit trains were being run to allow a return trip, from Blaenau to Porthmadog and back. I was unable to book my journey online and when I called the railway, I was advised to buy a ticket from the guard on the day and travel in the unreserved carriage, as otherwise it would cost me an extra £20 or £40 (I can't remember which, might have been an extra £20 per person) to book my journey in advance. Obviously reluctant to pay extra, I opted to take my chances on the day. On the day of my visit, the unreserved carriage only just fit everyone else who was in the same predicament as me, wanting to do a return journey from Bleanau to Porthmadog. This will of course not be a big issue any more with The Quarryman service - which I think is a very good idea, as Blaenau is a lot easier (and cheaper!) to get to by national rail from the North and Midlands than Porthmadog - but I thought it might be useful to share my experience. I hope to visit again in the near future!

Well done. Good explanations and we have a sense of belonging and supporting something special. Thanks again. John Blunt

First class update. We are so lucky not only to have the best railways in the world, supported by the best teams, but also one of the best leaders who can not only build and execute strategies but also explain them clearly and openly. I believe the case is made now. I liked the old timetables, but overhearing visitors talking on the platforms it is clear that they associate better with the Mountain Spirit than they used to with the 12:30. I've also heard "we're doing the other one later in the week". I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have tried a different departure time under the old system.

Another great presentation

I think the 'myth' of the Hop on and Hop off comes from the inability to find information about it on the website. It's there, but it's hidden under the FAQ's. By all means, push the 'named' services but I'd suggest an easy to find link at the bottom of the Train Services Page. Have that take you to all the information about Hop on and Off so that it's that little bit easier for people to get that information.

Great leadership in a very difficult market to crack currently. The railway is in good hands.

As a visitor and railway fan I loved our trip on Tuesdays. A few issues points we boarded a single on the quarryman port to BBF we was told we have a a 4 seater for 2 people, thankfully we find a spare 4(not so busy trian) and had our trip. On the trip I expected our tickets to be checked they was not(meaning anyone could of boarded for free) also they had speekers in the carriage we was in and was expecting a commentary we did not(that’s ok) but as of this the guide in guards van behind came spoke to people in front so we heard it all. Good for us not for other in other compartments. Maybe use the speakers to let All the passengers know what to look out for. As you said about timetables it’s good to have named trains i get that and agree names work better. But for the way you put them online it’s like what one do I go on so don’t mis out on something or a better service, if you grouped them in routes or full route to ?? Then u know it’s full service all bells whistles to get full experience. Then in that list the names so we know there the exact same service same stops and likes be better. Also All info shows as rtn only not sgl for times and prices. That’s ok but maybe you wanna like we did go one way and carry on. Another ideas as BFF is a small not much to station why not make some service connect with the mainline service and advertise that as a feature as been in same station and easy todo. Other points at one point I want to ride the whole WH & ff railways. They should be a way to see any services that run though be it locos or just rolling stock. Maybe have a set of of stock a day that runs a WH and a FF service but can stay on to run whole route(maybe 10-15 min layover for change crew train and passengers at port ) for full experience or better still run a timetabled though service same loco same stock maybe once a week or month not always weekend. Pos use the PA system to show what’s coming up scenic wise And other services we pass for photo ops and other railways as be more railway minded people. The railway guide but was a big help that should be promoted more maybe go down the train and sell it like you get programs at sport and theatre sold as many may miss as don’t know it exists. I see you also sell narrow gauge 009 gauge. I don’t model that but if you sold more of the range like track signals points so on with an expert in shop it would get more revenue. Like the restaurant only serving light bites as so close to the town should promote it as its own restaurant for non rail users as well and do more meal style food (we went to the Australia instead.) it would make more revenue for the railway. Al in all loved it it felt more like an actual railway with the amount of train movements at port and passing points and two lines it felt like a proper junction station unlike many heritage railway. So what ever your doing you do it well Ps maybe portmadock should be renamed poradock junction

Very good update from the GM.

I was going to suggest you looked at running the trains a bit more like a taxi service - only running when the seats were full, and/or adjusting the train size to suit, rather than strictly timed - but you appear to have done much the same with your new timetable.

Excellent video update. The reasoning behind the named train services makes perfect sense. I am pleased to see the hop on/hop off carriage being added in to the named services as it gives the flexibility to be able to join a train wherever - my personal favourite is a trip from Tanygrisiau to Blaenau and back. It's fantastic! Thank you for allowing to be part of this amazing railway! I absolutely love my time filming with the Moving Pictures team! And you can count on me to keep on telling everyone it's the best railway in the world because it is!

Makes sense. You're not running a transport network, damn the expenses, neither is it a train set for enthusiasts.

I have to confess to never having travelled on the F&WHR, and for assorted reasons likely never will. I follow the activities with great interest through the 'official' videos. The main reason I have developed the interest is because I see a well run railway - neat and tidy permanent way, maintained buildings, clean and tidy stock and so on. There is one thing that puzzles me, and others when I mention it - why are the two 'halves' (seemingly) talked about as being one, while (seemingly) operated as two. I get it there are a mountain (or two) of historical reasons, like they were physically separate until relatively recently, but it gets terribly confusing when googling for maps and the like. Maybe it's just me, but I can see the non-train fan general public possibly being deterred when planing their day out. The impression given, even by the official videos sometimes, is that the WHR is the poor partner. Not a world shattering thing, but maybe it's the right time to ensure it's sold as a whole rather than (seemingly) two separate entities? I have donned my tin helmet.

Has the use of the diesel fleet been considered for running services at quieter times?

Where can the timetable you showed us be found? 🙂

Maybe Tiktok is a chance to push things further its very a visual media that quickly pulls those non train buffs in

Without money or enough money you can not run trains,fix,rebuild everything.Who ever thorght that was ever any different has missed the obvious

I know many railways are looking at eco fuels? Some are looking at biogas? Others are looking a at compressed biomatter? It just depends on what you looking for? You also have the option to reduce electricity cost by install various turbine? I suspect tidal would work best up near you? Both running tides? But if you have any runoff you can funnel that in to whirlpool style turbines? Welsh highlands can be wet? If you save several k on electricity? You have to check for the region on biofuels prices? But it must be possible to reduce cost and improve services? I’d also suggest looking at 3D printing? Lazer metal deposition in particular? It might help save you money and produce spares? The festiniog is in my top 20? Top locomotives! What’s not to love? I wish you the best! Maybe one day I make a trip to ride the trains? Have been meaning too since 2006. I hope you can keep up the good work? Be nice to see what you do next?