Trams: Is There Much Tramway Interest On Here??

DafyddElvy · 31 Oct 2021

3 minutes of fame said:
I guess it depends upon whether you want to grow the business through new customers or are happy serving your current customer base and picking up enough new business along the way to keep things ticking over.

The online payment system my wife uses for her music school business is 1.2% for card payments in person and 2.8% for online payments through the website.

I would think such costs are easy to absorb into a growing business model, with a small increase of 3% and possibly a similar discount for existing customers wishing to pay by BACs.

These days virtually all traders at shows will take cards, so failing to move with the times might be enough to sink some small traders, which would be a real shame.

I don't disagree with your philosophy, it does depend if someone wants to develop their business and an individual's business model.

I, like a lot of other small traders have a full time job and the small trader business is done more as a hobby, I'm not sure of KW Trams situation but their are quite a few like me. There are others with a small trader businesses who supplement their income by building models as a side line. Personally I enjoy having a monthly income and not having to think about money for next months bills.

My business model is very simple, don't put details of the whole range on the website and make the business a chore and make sure I sell enough over the year to cover the workshop costs, and finally the main purpose of the range is to provide folk with the bits I as a modeller would like.

David

3 minutes of fame · 31 Oct 2021

DafyddElvy said:
I don't disagree with your philosophy, it does depend if someone wants to develop their business and an individual's business model.

I, like a lot of other small traders have a full time job and the small trader business is done more as a hobby, I'm not sure of KW Trams situation but their are quite a few like me. There are others with a small trader businesses who supplement their income by building models as a side line. Personally I enjoy having a monthly income and not having to think about money for next months bills.

My business model is very simple, don't put details of the whole range on the website and make the business a chore and make sure I sell enough over the year to cover the workshop costs, and finally the main purpose of the range is to provide folk with the bits I as a modeller would like.

David

Yep, I don't disagree.
I've also been using the printers and cutters to subsidise running and buying more bits for the railway. I was churning out large amounts of 009 bits in resin, but quite honestly it start to become a chore after a while, so I'm glad the orders are tailing off.

I've found sites such as Etsy and Ebay good for selling some items, but I am considering upping production and going live with my own website. I intend to take card payments and to use the e-commerce module to manage stock levels as well as the commercial aspects. I fully acknowledge this approach is not for everyone, but I do believe in the long run it does save time and reduces delays for customers.

dunnyrail · 26 Feb 2022

In other news Tram testing in Toronto was halted in January 2022 due to snow from the roads being dumped on Tram Tracks during road snow clearing works. My thoughts, get the tram ploughs out (if they have any) and dump it back on the roads.

Chris Vernell · 26 Feb 2022

dunnyrail said:
In other news Tram testing in Toronto was halted in January 2022 due to snow from the roads being dumped on Tram Tracks during road snow clearing works. My thoughts, get the tram ploughs out (if they have any) and dump it back on the roads.

Most of Toronto's tram tracks are in the middle of the street, sharing space with rubber-tired vehicles, IIRC, so plowing snow onto them wouldn't make much sense -- but then again, Toronto

Software Tools · 27 Feb 2022

dunnyrail said:
In other news Tram testing in Toronto was halted in January 2022 due to snow from the roads being dumped on Tram Tracks during road snow clearing works. My thoughts, get the tram ploughs out (if they have any) and dump it back on the roads.

The only "testing" going on in Toronto is on the Eglington Crosstown LRT line, which is not yet is service.

AFAIK it has a few grade-crossing-like sections with streets but is essentially on its own right of way. Since it is not yet operational, its not at all surprising that street snow clearing has not been adjusted to cope with it.

dunnyrail · 7 Apr 2022

I finally managed to get a trip on the Tram Trains (route TT) Sheffield on Monday. Very nice but a lot of time, money and consultation to get not a lot. Trouble is as an experiment it could be seen to have failed, not because it does nor work cos it does but due to the effort and costs required to get it up and running. TT approaching the reduced size platform for the TT at Rotherham Station. These tracks are shared with full size passenger and freight trains.

dunnyrail · 1 Jul 2022

Managed to get some new Tram Track (for me) traveled on yesterday. Once I got BARNEY I was not able to easily travel on Trams in the U.K. , as a rule dogs are banned from Trams except Guide Dogs. Why this should be I fail to understand, dogs ok on Trains and Busses. Still that’s the rules.

So yesterday I decided to investigate the 2 new bits of Manchester Trams that have been opened in the intervening 5 years. 1st up was to The Trafford Centre. This is a much longer and more comprehensive extension than I first imagined. Around the War. Usumbura it is possible to get off the Tram and after a short walk go across tho Media City on the Eccles branch, well worth remembering if you are on a Tram Track bash. The Trafford Centre route has long been planned as at Pamona the start of the Viaduct was present when the Eccles extension opened over a decade back now. I should have been able to cover the 2nd Cross Town Section via Exchange Square on the way out but Trams were diverted via Market Street due to a Signalling issue. Later on when I got back from Trafford Centre all was well so the day ended up as required having covered both new routes each way.

I fall foul of the revised Ticketing system. There have been lots of tap and go locations added to all the Stations. I first saw these at Vic and tapped in. Only when I got further in on my journey did I see that Ticket Machines are still present so duly tapped out and bought my day rider ticket for all 4 zones cost £4.90. I saw some travel checking guys and asked about the tap n go. It appears that you can pay more than the day rider on tap n go as it maxes out at over the day rider to around £7 squid. Needless to say when I got back to Vic I found the machines over half way along the platform, a bit naughty as you can only access the platform at Vic from 1 end. However if you are just doing a short hop say Pic - Vic then Tap n Go is the way to go.

dunnyrail · 5 Jul 2022

Old vid at my Hemel line of a San Fran Cable Car running on DCC. Now sold on, wonder where it is now?

Paul M · 5 Sep 2022

Some trams!

Some of the splendid grass track I Tours

A tram in Tours. Very easy route, literally from one end of town to the other! It's a shame it wasn't posto grass the track through the pedestrianised town centre, but still!

Rhinochugger · 5 Sep 2022

Paul M said:
Some trams!View attachment 303840 View attachment 303841
Some of the splendid grass track I ToursView attachment 303842
A tram in Tours. Very easy route, literally from one end of town to the other! It's a shame it wasn't posto grass the track through the pedestrianised town centre, but still!

We passed through Tours on our way north a few years back when the trams were new, and some bits were still being installed - can't remember why SWMBO wanted to come into Tours, but I believe it was some sort of shop or other

We had been on the coast south of Arcachon and were headed home, probably ten years ago

Paul M · 5 Sep 2022

Some more!
In Bordeaux

In Orlèans

and I nice set of reverse curves as seen from our apartment window!

dunnyrail · 6 Sep 2022

Beamish, possibly been posted before.

dunnyrail · 23 Oct 2022

My Devon trip included an afternoon trip to the Seaton Tramway. The party had 2 cars dedicated to us and we were provided with lunch at the terminus. A depot trip was also incorporated on our return. Highly recommended for a visit. The trip along the river also very good if you are a bit of a bird twitcher with many species seen on the day. There are some former UK line Trams that have been adapted for the line with 14 below and 19 seen in the depot being 2 that I know of, there could be more. 14 has been narrowed and fitted with bogies. 19 has lost its top deck and also been fitted with bogies.

Paul M · 23 Oct 2022

I've been a couple of times, a great day out, with a nice tea room at the other end

DafyddElvy · 23 Oct 2022

My wifes birthday trip this year happened to take us to Porto, where as if by magic they happen to have a few trams.
Porto has adopted light rail vehicles (modern trams) to operate their metro system, this is a separate system to the heritage trams they still operate.
My problem now is which photos to share here.
Tram depot 1
Route 18/22 interchange

MTheStrong · 6 Dec 2022

Bremen currently has 10 tram lines of which 8 are in use. During the Christmas Market season trams are escorted by a bell ringing escort who walks in front of the tram as it proceeds past the central Christmas Market. This is for safety reasons because the Main Street bisects the Market. The trams that I travelled on are made by Bombardier and in 2 types - consisting of either 3 or 4 carriages. Here are a selection of photos of the trams: