Vintage Trains 2015

A few images of Rood Ashton Hall on the first of this years Shakespeare Express outings last Sunday 19/07/2015.......http://rickeborall.zenfolio.com/p907538783

Regards to all..........Rick

 

John, I do not think 7029 will be undertaking long-distance trips by April 2016.

 

Nothing wrong with L94's (7752) ticket - it just isn't working the 7th November train. We thought putting 4965 on the ramble might be a little different, but apparently not exciting enough for some! The many passengers that are booking with us seem to have a different opinion.

 

Rick, thanks for these. I have put a link on the SE Facebook page - I hope you don't mind.

Regards

Ben - VT

 

Not looking to have a go Ben, those itineries work well with the daytripper market, just wondering if something a bit different to grab the enthusiasts might be in the pipeline ?.

 

I go with 61994’s assessment of the newly-announced programme. If you want Great Western motive power, or better still Great Western motive power on Great Western metals, if you want the reasonable prospect of “no-box-on-the-back” (unless otherwise informed, which it always seems to be), if you want affordability (nice to see tours on offer at £59/ £69 again) and if you want sensible start / finish times (particularly for participants who don’t have the good fortune to live in/ or within striking distance of the West Midlands) then what’s not to like about the new programme?....and these are certainly the things that I want.

So OK, it’s more likely nowadays that we will get something that is a re-run or variation of a familiar theme rather than something totally new/ totally different / totally unexpected. But we know from previous tour calendars that VT is quite capable of adding more variety to its offer, be it through the use of “heritage modern traction”, guest locomotives, or the presently un-announced East Midlands Circular “shakedowns” (two or three, maybe, over the coming year?). So my guess would be that there could well be more to come from the Tyseley team over the coming period.

And it’s particularly good to see that the trend of Rood Ashton getting more main line exposure outside the Shakespeare season continues with the new programme.

So three-an-a-half cheers for VT for this latest announcement. They remain, IMHO, streets ahead of the two main players in this market in just about every aspect of everything they do, for all the particular reasons mentioned above. About 75% of my (modest) annual expenditure on main line steam trips ends up with VT, and I don’t see that changing much over the coming 9 months!

 

The month of May has had some big special runs in the past. 2012 5043 to Scotland, 2013 Cheltenham Flyer anniversary and 2014 1z48. So maybe VT shall have something up their sleeves in 2016. Ben already knows that I am looking forward to seeing Lizzie being utilized for VT trips.
One other thing I would like to know is if any test runs are on the table for 2015/2016.(now noticing that the poster above my post has pointed out test runs as well).

 

Thanks Ben. I wondered if there might be an outside chance, but you have confirmed that, as I suspected, it's pretty unlikely. Still, I for one will not be complaining at the prospect of another visit by my favourite GWR engine to Southern territory.

 

What . One of those things coming here . No way.

Well, unless the barricades some of us 1960s gricers put in a mile or two out on from Basingstoke towards Reading, and just the Westbury side of Wilton Junction have now been taken down! LOL!

Oh bug.er. We forgot about the line from Yeovil Pen Mill to Weymouth, is that how it's going to get in?

 

Don't worry. I'll have a word with my mates on 92 Squadron and suggest that 7029 be the target for a train busting sortie or two.

 

I wouldn't be too concerned (in the short term) about either double-chimney-ed Castle venturing too far into the Green #5 Quail. Paddington is about the closest we will get!

 

As things need testing or bedding-in, we will undertake trial runs. I believe the next loco due around the East-Midlands circle will be a large red pacific that claims a connection to royalty! No date yet though.

 

David, I am afraid "different" is something that is going to be in rather short supply for a year or two.

And for anyone that is surprised by this, we have been hinting at it hard enough for the past few years!

 

That's understood, Ben. Keep doing what you can, and doing it as well as you do, and we'll be with you.

 

If only it wasn't the same day as CVR Steam Gala... Coming up 2years since I last sampled Panniers on the mainline

 

You were never that successful, Bryan! GW steam penetrated even into deepest Kent! Remember the panniers on the Folkestone Harbour branch? It's even worse today - Rolvenden is turning into a sub-shed of Treherbert with 1638, 4253, 5668 and 6619 . Still, at least the tight clearances means you're spared copper caps on the main line in the Garden of England! Personally, I'd love to have seen 5043 have a crack at Martin Mill Bank, but even before the WCRC issues, it would never have been a serious possibiity. ( Apologoes to Ben et al for a slightly off-topic and not particularly serious post)

 

John, nothing wrong with occasional inter regional humorous banter. IMHO!

But back to topic now.