The Midday Scot 19th March 2016

Could these be the awaited times?
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50677/2016/03/19/advanced

 

Shirty is a personal perception. As is my perception of people who look at price but ignore value. You could say that referring to people who prefer a steam tour to be just that as the anti diesel on the back brigade to be Shirty.

But if you are happy to be pushed around all day...

 

The diesels for this tour seem to be coming from and returning to Arpley so actually Carnforth would have been nearer to Edinburgh, still interested to see if this will be the norm for future tours as someone is going to have to pay for the privilege of all the light moves?

Once again dropping the blame at the door of WCRC seems to be missing the point (a recurring theme where WCRC is ever mentioned), I would imagine they say to operators we can move diesel separately at an additional cost of x or leave it on the back use one path and it will be cheaper (one would assume that moving separately would incur extra costs for tour company and extra returns for TOC).

I can see no commercial reason for leaving an unnecessary diesel on the rear for the sake of it (a question that those who bang on about it constantly have never answered!), as even ticking over it needs a driver sat in it who needs paying. However I can see perfect commercial sense for a TOC to say it has to be moved separately as it means another invoice to the tour promoter.

No idea of the background to this one, it may be that the owners of 46233 are perfectly happy to fly solo (remember that the owners of both 60103 and 46100 specifically requested a tail gunner), equally I wonder whether RTC and DBS are aware that every armchair railwayman (who know considerably more than those actually operating the trains) and watching this like a hawk and poised at their keyboards to express their disgust at everything, and thus are going belt and braces (possibly RTC are taking a financial hit on this?).

Ultimately £99 seems steep to me for this, but may give RTC some wriggle room to pay for additional costs unforeseen when arranged, equally at this rate for a ticket its pricing these tours out of the family market, but hey who needs to inspire the kids for the future?

 

Humm... There was once a certain lady who ran this country for a while who knew the price of everything but the value of nothing......; I will now creep back into my corner

 

Absolutely Al, quite agree. At least now some of the tour operators are also getting the message. The problem with a DL on the back is that you can never be quite sure whether or not its going to push. Let hope that DBS (C) stick to their principles if the ORR decide that they would prefer DL assistance as a general rule.

 

Why do we have to go over this once again? Because of posts such as this. If you want the debate to stop, give it a rest yourself!

 

It's beyond me to understand how anyone can dislike a Deborah Harry video irrespective of the context in which it is found.

 

Why not make it a Forum rule that everything we post here has to be submitted to you first Al, for you to censor or even delete it before it gets posted in the first place?

(Just a personal view of course).

 

At the end of the day, market forces will win out. 5 out of the nine coaches are Premier Dining and First Class. That consist shows there is an appetite to pay more than £99. The train is not running as a social enterprise but as a commercial venture. Like all things in life, what we spend has an opportunity cost. It depends on how you value each opportunity. I will always pay more for better quality as I see that as being better value. I value pure steam highly and if that means a load commensurate with a locos ability and an extra path for a light diesel just in case, the additional cost spread over many passengers is worth it. Are DBS setting the standard ?

 

Just might be that the closer scrutiny on loads means that if this train is timed as 385 tons load it is 11 carriages or 8 carriages and dead/idling diesel.

I have heart it said by those closer to the coalface that diesel locomotive wheel-sets do not take kindly to being dragged about on the back of trains. Perhaps something DBC are very conscious of especially when you can't get new ones of the shelf at Halfords.

Another advantage of a shadow light locomotive is that driver gets another run over the route whilst driving. If it is not a route they are driving day in, day out, then very handy for the driver and his TOC.

 

Back on thread. Disappointingly the train is due to be looped at Beattock Summit DPL and not Abington. Anyone know what the running speed into the loop is? Don't suppose it's anything like the 60 into Challow Loop!!!

 

Please do not inject humour, or irreverence of any kind as some may consider it inappropriate to post such material on a forum dedicated exclusively to fact and well reasoned argument. So, to the naughty step with you!

 

Thanks Al. Shouldn't have too much effect on the climb then.

 

It looks like 46233 returns engine+coach from Millerhill to Crewe LSL Depot on Sunday 20 March.

David

 

Good to see, under the circumstances, that all parties involved in this charter, RTC - as the tour company; DBS - as the TOC; 46233 owners, and WCRC - providing the coaching stock: have been working very hard in the background, to ensure this charter runs.
Looking forward to tomorrow, as I have always wanted to travel behind the Duchess, and 7 hours of it as a bonus!

 

But if it pushes, it pushes on the interesting bits - starting from stations etc. and on gradients. I've been over Shap with a box on the back but zero assistance. Result - an exhilarating performance from the Duchess. On the other hand I've been over Sharnbrook with the diesel shoving for all it was worth. Result - complete disappointment. If you're happy to take a gamble on if and when the diesel will shove then fair enough but not everyone is of the same mind set. If DBC keep tours box free then I know which ones I'll be booking.

 

Agreed. It has been touch a go at times. More than a bit frustrating waiting for confirmation but grateful that in the end we are going as advertised. Guess some blood pressure has been going up for some people. Thanks for making it happen!