Kev
04-10-2007, 09:27 AM
IT STARTED as a childhood hobby that grew into obsession, and then finally, the dream job. Two Liverpool brothers at the helm of a unique Merseyside travel company are enjoying watching their efforts go from strength to strength.
Former Liverpool College student Kevin Melia first had the idea to charter his own train journey in 2003.
Rallying a group of like-minded friends to help, he had little further ambition at the time than to see if it would work just the once.
The trip was a such a success that from such humble beginnings, more were planned and Compass Tours was born.
As the company expanded, Mr Melia’s older brother John, 29, joined last year.
Now running the business from the south Liverpool family home, together the two have become the youngest tour operators of their kind in the UK’s small independent industry, as well as the only one operating out of the North West.
John Melia said: “At first, it was just an idea of Kevin’s to use otherwise redundant carriages and see if they could fill a train, and it snowballed from there.
“In 2004 he had four trains, in 2005 he ran five and in 2006 ran 10. This year we’re doing 23.”
The ethos of Compass Tours is that of a friendly, family-run business assisted by a number of volunteers, serving smaller stations, travelling scenic routes, and taking passengers straight to the kind of destinations not usually reached by a direct train.
The region’s rail enthusiasts make up a proportion of the company’s regular customers, as Compass Tours tend to use classic diesel locomotives.
John Melia said: “We’ve both been interested in trains since we were young, so it all comes from that.
“There’s maybe five to 10 companies in the country running a similar service to us and we are the youngest in the industry, and also the only one operating from the North West.
“It’s not been an easy road but it is working out for us.
“Last year I left a nine-to-five job, which was very secure and had prospects but the time was right to move.”
The majority of passengers, though, are people out to enjoy a leisurely day trip.
Popular locations include Edinburgh, London and Cumbria.
Their next train is to Bath on April 21, leaving from the Liverpool South Parkway, which the firm is keen to use whenever possible.
The tours, which usually carry between 500 and 600 passengers, often sell out completely.
Their aim is to run more trains out of Liverpool – they also use Manchester, Warrington, Carlisle and Staffordshire as starting points – and to promote the environmental benefits of using trains instead of cars.
John Melia said: “We’re very much a small business and me and Kevin are the only paid staff.
“Our trains need to be full and supported well to keep it going.
“On the day of a train the stewards are all volunteers and there can be up to 20.”
Kevin Melia, 27, said: “The popularity and success of these trains is built upon the friendly atmosphere on board and the fact the journeys offered are not normally available by direct train from the stations served.
“The added interest of classic and now uncommon British diesel and electric locomotives hauling the carriages also means rail enthusiasts will often travel with us too, or simply come out to watch the trains pass through their area.”
The brothers have plans to keep expanding the company in the coming year, including an overhaul of the website to make online booking available soon.
icliverpool
Former Liverpool College student Kevin Melia first had the idea to charter his own train journey in 2003.
Rallying a group of like-minded friends to help, he had little further ambition at the time than to see if it would work just the once.
The trip was a such a success that from such humble beginnings, more were planned and Compass Tours was born.
As the company expanded, Mr Melia’s older brother John, 29, joined last year.
Now running the business from the south Liverpool family home, together the two have become the youngest tour operators of their kind in the UK’s small independent industry, as well as the only one operating out of the North West.
John Melia said: “At first, it was just an idea of Kevin’s to use otherwise redundant carriages and see if they could fill a train, and it snowballed from there.
“In 2004 he had four trains, in 2005 he ran five and in 2006 ran 10. This year we’re doing 23.”
The ethos of Compass Tours is that of a friendly, family-run business assisted by a number of volunteers, serving smaller stations, travelling scenic routes, and taking passengers straight to the kind of destinations not usually reached by a direct train.
The region’s rail enthusiasts make up a proportion of the company’s regular customers, as Compass Tours tend to use classic diesel locomotives.
John Melia said: “We’ve both been interested in trains since we were young, so it all comes from that.
“There’s maybe five to 10 companies in the country running a similar service to us and we are the youngest in the industry, and also the only one operating from the North West.
“It’s not been an easy road but it is working out for us.
“Last year I left a nine-to-five job, which was very secure and had prospects but the time was right to move.”
The majority of passengers, though, are people out to enjoy a leisurely day trip.
Popular locations include Edinburgh, London and Cumbria.
Their next train is to Bath on April 21, leaving from the Liverpool South Parkway, which the firm is keen to use whenever possible.
The tours, which usually carry between 500 and 600 passengers, often sell out completely.
Their aim is to run more trains out of Liverpool – they also use Manchester, Warrington, Carlisle and Staffordshire as starting points – and to promote the environmental benefits of using trains instead of cars.
John Melia said: “We’re very much a small business and me and Kevin are the only paid staff.
“Our trains need to be full and supported well to keep it going.
“On the day of a train the stewards are all volunteers and there can be up to 20.”
Kevin Melia, 27, said: “The popularity and success of these trains is built upon the friendly atmosphere on board and the fact the journeys offered are not normally available by direct train from the stations served.
“The added interest of classic and now uncommon British diesel and electric locomotives hauling the carriages also means rail enthusiasts will often travel with us too, or simply come out to watch the trains pass through their area.”
The brothers have plans to keep expanding the company in the coming year, including an overhaul of the website to make online booking available soon.
icliverpool