Itsmeee Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 With the creative accounting usually employed, I expect they’ll be able to prove that the wonky donkeys made a profit even in the months they weren’t running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Non-Believer Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 One question could be, how many people have actually missed the horse trams in the period that they've not been operating? If it wasn't for Covid hitting tourism and offering a convenient excuse, I suspect not many. Apart from some beardy anoraks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wright Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 7 minutes ago, Non-Believer said: One question could be, how many people have actually missed the horse trams in the period that they've not been operating? If it wasn't for Covid hitting tourism and offering a convenient excuse, I suspect not many. Apart from some beardy anoraks. I missed the horse trams. I missed getting stuck behind a bus which couldn’t squeeze past on the inside. The prom, with all its roadworks, was faster. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopek Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 ...but it was fun waving to the school trip kids on the only occasion the tram was full!!! I fear it is now too late to do something useful for the prom? Unless, there is a brave MHK who will propose terminating them at the bottom of Broadway??? However, it was the Queens Prom where the worst holdups were caused, so even the above would only be a win-lose! Perhaps a survey of those who live/work in Douglas?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0bserver Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 1 hour ago, John Wright said: The really interesting question is whether they lose more by having the infrastructure, rolling stock, horses and essential staff and running no service than operating a full service with seasonal staff employed but a small ticket income. Suspect not running the service just about loses less. So it can be sold as a victory. It depends it you could their actual costs (capital and revenue budgets) v. just the the revenue budget that they like to use. They're spending about £4.5m a year essentially as a slush fund on 'maintenance' projects. Then add on top the operating costs and the losses really add up. Previously all capital items were itemised and put before Tynwald separately. Things like Ballure Bridge on the MER. But now it all just gets nodded through in the C.£4.5m slush fund in the budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoops Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 9 hours ago, 0bserver said: It depends it you could their actual costs (capital and revenue budgets) v. just the the revenue budget that they like to use. They're spending about £4.5m a year essentially as a slush fund on 'maintenance' projects. Then add on top the operating costs and the losses really add up. Previously all capital items were itemised and put before Tynwald separately. Things like Ballure Bridge on the MER. But now it all just gets nodded through in the C.£4.5m slush fund in the budget. When you consider that the government seemingly won't intervene to ensure that wheat is grown, milled and bread is baked in the amounts needed to supply the island, and yet they will spunk millions upon millions on this. That doesn't mean I'm against our heritage transport systems, btw, I just don't think the governm......oh, drop the illusion, the civil service has any, but any, sense of perspective. It is it's own function at this stage. Anyway, back to the prom. It's a bit shit, isn't it? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asitis Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 If they are the tourist draw that some would have us believe, then it wouldn't have been beyond the wit of man to move them entirely away from the prom, to a site where the horses and trams could be an attraction and construct a short length of track etc etc. It couldn't have cost more than the current fiasco ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Non-Believer Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Less a tourist draw and more a part of one man's exclusive hobby set. Given that the new track arrangement is now shorter and more convoluted with its as yet unapproved crossings, it makes one wonder how much of a "draw" they'll still be? If one adds up whatever part of the Prom Budget that has been swallowed up by the trams specifically to most recent and perhaps projected losses for the trams - anybody want to hazard any guesses as to how much? Plus whether it could ever be recouped? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbnuts Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 21 minutes ago, Non-Believer said: Less a tourist draw and more a part of one man's exclusive hobby set. Given that the new track arrangement is now shorter and more convoluted with its as yet unapproved crossings, it makes one wonder how much of a "draw" they'll still be? If one adds up whatever part of the Prom Budget that has been swallowed up by the trams specifically to most recent and perhaps projected losses for the trams - anybody want to hazard any guesses as to how much? Plus whether it could ever be recouped? It wont be recouped if they have to change the bogeys on the horse trams and supply and intergrate batteries for the Electric tram. Got a feeling we might hear the bad news today in Tynwald that there will be no horse trams this year or even worse ! . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoymouse Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 So how much is it currently costing by not running the horse trams? I’m assuming the horses still have to be fed, I’m assuming they’d still need exercising/ongoing maintenance which isn’t cheap, I’ve no doubt the tramcars themselves will need maintenance and is probably done on a schedule like the rest of M.E.R. What about the staff? I know a lot were temporary seasonal contacts but for the ones that weren’t have they been redeployed to M.E.R or similar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0bserver Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 2 hours ago, Hoops said: When you consider that the government seemingly won't intervene to ensure that wheat is grown, milled and bread is baked in the amounts needed to supply the island, and yet they will spunk millions upon millions on this. That doesn't mean I'm against our heritage transport systems, btw, I just don't think the governm......oh, drop the illusion, the civil service has any, but any, sense of perspective. It is it's own function at this stage. Anyway, back to the prom. It's a bit shit, isn't it? Same here. I have time for the Groudle train. Great family visit and all run by volunteers. Trainspotters say there isn't enough volunteers to run the rest that way.. which is fine. Just close down what they can't run. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0bserver Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 17 minutes ago, Numbnuts said: . Got a feeling we might hear the bad news today in Tynwald that there will be no horse trams this year or even worse ! . Why would that be bad news? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banker Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Here’s update from crookall https://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/infrastructure-minister-says-he-isnt-hopeful-horse-trams-will-run-545414 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0bserver Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 2 minutes ago, Banker said: Here’s update from crookall https://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/infrastructure-minister-says-he-isnt-hopeful-horse-trams-will-run-545414 Literally just knock it on the head and put the trainspotters out of their misery. 5 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopek Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 (edited) Maybe he's just setting himself up for a big TARAAAA! They're running! Did he offer an opinion on whether two cars can pass side by side on Pulrose Bridge??? Edited April 26, 2022 by Kopek 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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