Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express 2016

E-mail from RTC, WCME 27 Feb is cancelled. Hopeful of finding another operator for 12 Mar and 2 Apr. WCRC and their legal team are currently in discussions with ORR to attempt to get decision overturned.

 

Here is full text.

URGENT - WINTER CUMBRIAN MOUNTAIN EXPRESS CANCELLED 27TH FEBRUARY


Despite our best efforts following the temporary suspension placed on West Coast Railways by the ORR (Office of Road and Rail) last week,we have been unable to source an alternative operator to run the tour for us this week at such short notice, therefore we have no option but to cancel Saturdays Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express train.


We are working tirelessly in conjunction with another operator in order to be able to secure the operation of our later Cumbrian Mountain Expresses on 12th March and 2nd April.


West Coast Railways and their legal team are currently in discussions with the ORR in an attempt to get the decision overturned.


Please accept our sincere apologies for the undoubted disappointment and any inconvenience this cancellation, which is outside of our control, may cause.


Please contact the office on 01553 661500 to let us know what you would like to do with your booking. Please bear in mind that at this very difficult time our phone lines are likely to be busy and your patience with regards to this is appreciated.


We will also send you this cancellation by post today.


Kind regards


The Railway Touring Company

 

I think it was highly likely 27 Feb one would be cancelled also. 12 Mar and 2 Apr, unless they go back over Shap, I can't think of a current DB registered loco other than Tornado (not many to choose from at the moment anyway) that will fit on the Cumbria Coast, unless 46100 has been 'trimmed' as per 46115?

 

Sounds like they think the ORR are in the wrong.

 

Might be a procedural issue or a plea for clemency - we will probably not find out, unless the prohibition is overturned!

 

I fear your right, if nothing else the attitude seems wrong, more "how can we fight this" rather than "how can we make sure we comply", as if there's a lack of undersrtanding/ignorance of why it came about in the first place.

You can't put something right until you accept something is wrong.

 

Trivial thought against the backcloth of matters of such gravity. The Graeme Edge signature strap-line always resonates. But fast forward a few tracks from the same source and you get this..."Live hand-in-hand./ And together we'll stand/ On the threshold of a Dream"

Seems appropriate, somehow......

 

I don't think you can infer that from the comment in the RTC e-mail. I'd assume that WCRC's legal team are involved in all conversations with ORR, regardless of whether they are co-operating fully, or squaring up for a fight, or anything in between. Although RTC have been very supportive of WCRC in the past, and may well be again in future, I can see that they might not be quite as careful as usual when choosing their words at the moment...

 

I don't know but I think that RTC should be doing anything it takes to ensure that their tours run. A mistake if they wait for wcrc in my view. I hope that I'm wrong.


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Quote from RTC says

"We are working tirelessly in conjunction with another operator in order to be able to secure the operation of our later Cumbrian Mountain Expresses on 12th March and 2nd April.",

That says to me they are doing everything and not waiting for WCRC?!

 

WCME -12 March CANCELLED. E-mail received from RTC yesterday. Let's hope something can be salvaged with the other 2 tours mentioned (Mrs W and I are booked on the Cumbrian Coast).

With regards to your booking on The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express on Saturday 12th March 2016 we are writing to inform you that the tour has been cancelled.Despite our best efforts following the temporary suspension placed on West Coast Railways by the ORR (Office of Road and Rail), the alternative operator who we have sourced are unable to run this tour for us, therefore we have no option but to cancel the Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express train on this date.

We are working tirelessly in conjunction with the other operator in order to be able to secure the operation of our later Cumbrian Mountain Expresses on Saturday 2nd April and our Cumbrian Coast Express train which operates on the same route on Saturday 9th April.

Please accept our sincere apologies for the undoubted disappointment and any inconvenience this cancellation, which is outside of our control, may cause.

Please contact the office on 01553 661500 to let us know what you would like to do with your booking. Please bear in mind that at this very difficult time our phone lines are likely to be busy and your patience with regards to this is appreciated.

We will also confirm this cancellation by post today.

Kind regards

The Railway Touring Company

 

Same as last year when tours get cancelled.


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In terms of any rail tours over the S&C I would forget it for anytime soon. A Network Rail spokesman has been quoted on local radio saying that no work has started yet at the landslip site as the ground is still moving & based on the current situation, the line is not expected to be reopened for A YEAR!!!!

 

That's wrecked the mainline programme for me this year as wont get another run down the S&C this year and I hate to think what's gonna happen with The Fellsman as that goes down the S&C both ways.

 

It's a great pity it's wrecked your plans for the year, but I do think that you should think of the more wide ranging consequences of the closure, and the serious implications that it has for the people who regularly use the line, than just a few pleasure trips that you miss.