35018 British India Line

IF and its a big IF, West Coast regularly updated progress on popular items there would be no need for speculation. I don't care either way nowadays, the golden age of steam on the main line is over and outfits like West coast need to keep interest alive . No interest, no West Coast or any others.

 

The golden age of main line steam is over. I remember going to a talk by Dick Hardy when he said that. It was back 1988!

 

WHY should WCRC discuss internal matters ? Whilst many compare the WCRC policy with that of Hoskins and the Icons of Steam website, it is fair to point out that (a) WCRC is a commercial activity with limited resources (b) staff are sufficiently busy that they have insufficient time to respond to enthusiast requests and (c) the WCRC policy of "It's ready when it's ready" should indicate an unwillingness to divulge too much information.

Whilst I acknowledge that the staff on the diesel side are a little less reticent in advising enthusiast of which loco(s) are committed to particular charters and occasionally advise details of release dates for locos after maintenance requirements are met that should be seen as a privilege - and not a right. Sadly too many enthusiasts do not ask but demand to know information and the tone of their requests - and their comments when requests for information is turned down - do not encourage any communication from WCRC at all.

Perhaps it's time to return to BR days when the current level of communication and data resources were not available and enjoy the experience of being surprised when steam traction - or a particular steam locomotive - turns up unexpectedly ! After all that was part of the steam-days environment in the BR days that many seek to recapture !!

 

Can't argue with that Fred. How many other loco owners have announced a loco will return to traffic at such and such a time only to have the time pushed back, often more than once. One Society I'm a member of should have had its loco up and running last year but owing to circumstances totally beyond of its control it now looks like this autumn. Say nothing and no one is disappointed.

 

"Any discounts for OAP's" ?? You don;t ask, you don't get.

 

I can't understand all this (nearly) constant call for Carnforth to change the way they choose to run their business. IT IS THEIR RIGHT to do as they choose,,,,,,respect their right and be thankful we have Carnforth.
James occasionally post a few facts and for that we are (or should be ) indebted.

 

If you want an example of how to do it, here you go :-

http://www.sirnigelgresley.org.uk/overhaul.shtml

Weekly updates, giving a good idea on progress, backed up with good technical info.

Its a reason I support them monthly, the sharing of information.

 

That's not a fair comparison with what happens at Carnforth. It is good practice by the SNGLT (of which I am also a monthly donor), to satisfy their supporters and keep them informed of progress. WCR are not taking donations from anyone, they are a commercial business selling a product/service, not a charity.

 

Its a comparison of what could happen, that's what I said. If they want to keep their powder dry, so be it, its their prerogative.

 

It's not a fair comparison, the A4 Society need to maintain interest from their donors and if they don't keep them informed they will go away. If Carnforth asked for donations for the overhaul of 46115 and I donated I would expect to be kept informed of what is going on but they don't and I'm sure they have better things to do than employ some PR man to keep putting out news bulletins which I'm sure would only serve to increase the meaningless froth on here.

 

It's absolutely their right to do as they choose, I completely agree. But for us to be told the reason they don't say much is because of speculation and the reason we speculate is because no information is received it all starts to look a bit silly. If they don't want to communicate, fine, but surely then complaining about us speculating in the absence of information is a little hypocritical?

 

Don't you think fare paying passengers are classed as donors, without them, I doubt the loco's would be overhauled or operate???

 

Passengers are a completely different thing to donors to a cause.

 

You don't go on a WCRCtrain to support WCRC; you do it because you want to go on that train. It is no different from going to the cinema or travelling on Virgin trains. They provide a service that you want.

 

Think you will find they don't to me, I have not travelled on anything WCRC operated for at least 8 years, that's not all there fault, if nothing floats my boat, I support projects I feel deserve help, are local, and want to see completed successfully.

That's the difference, Its not often you see an option around here to be honest.....

 

I've just been to Morrisons and donated £55 in exchange for a tank full of diesel. They are modernising our local store and I will now be very disappointed if they don't keep me informed of their plans!

 

I am not sure where do work (or did work if you are retired) but I am sure at whichever company it is/was you are not expected to broadcast your company strategy to a wider audience. I worked for a FTSE 100 company, & yes it had to answer to shareholders but it told them what had happened, and shared a strategy on a generic level (e.g. to be the worlds leading airline) we did not share which aircraft we were looking to purchase, or the new marketing plans we had. If I remember correctly it was written into our contracts not to, apart from numerous NDA's I had to sign for specific projects.
Sure WCRC is a much smaller operation and it could almost be argued now it has no competitors, as the market seems to be segmenting itself by osmosis, but as others have said it is not a society or charity so there is no requirement to share any data with the likes of us on NP. They make their decisions and rise or fall by them.
If I was lucky enough to be able own a loco I would not be looking to share info either, other than perhaps with the likes of Nigel Dobbing or Marcus Roberstson if I was looking to them possibly hiring it.

 

I think there is a big difference between the worlds worst airline (BA), and WCRC, when we know what stock they have, what is in service, and so by default,, what is in the queue.

All I have done is show an example of how a overhaul is proceeding, with commentary, as an example of how things could be done.

The fact WCRC don't do that, is their own business, maybe if they were more open, people may dig in there pockets to support a basket case to mainline.

 

Sackless comment of the year to date....