Royal Scot Bristol-Crewe 13 June & Crewe-York 14 June

Just had an email from Steam Dreams who are booking these 2 trips:

http://www.steamdreams.com/Executab...r=71896&Route=1&Adults=2&Children=0&Infants=0

and:

http://www.steamdreams.com/Executab...r=71897&Route=1&Adults=2&Children=0&Infants=0

Appears to be first class only and fares are steep considering they are one-way only.

How does Mr Hosking seem to be able to schedule these trips within the 12 week NR cutoff period for charters?
Just curious.

 

If there is a 12 week cut off, and if it was me/my company in his position attempting to organise a trip, I would check the loco's gauging and the tour pathing was practical before I announced the trip as open for bookings. The tour could then be announced with a statement saying the paperwork is already complete. Performance reliability of the tour industry measured by tours that actually run as first advertised is low. Check first, then announce later may be a way forward.


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This looks like an interesting trip as it's being run by Jeremy Hosking for Brexit campaigners.
So there will probably be a big Media interest with news crews travelling on board. Will have to look out for 46100 on the news. It's certainly turning out to be a good year for Locomotives with Scot in their name.

 

Links not working. 'Error 500', whatever that means.

 

Indeed,SD site seems to be down just now,but heres the original email anyway:

Brexit supporter, and steam locomotive owner, Jeremy Hosking invites you to join him on the never to be repeated REFERENDUM EXPRESS.

Two one-way specials will be hauled by Jeremy’s Royal Scot locomotive, built for the London Midland and Scottish Railway, and part of Britain’s rich engineering heritage.

Bookings open today with Steam Dreams - to book, call the Booking Office on 01483 209888,
Monday 13 June
London to Crewe
via Bristol and Shrewsbury

The Referendum Express will set off from London’s Victoria station around 9am behind diesel before steam loco Royal Scot joins at Bristol to haul us into Wales and along the beautiful Welsh Marches route to Shrewsbury and finally Crewe.

You will be hosted by Jeremy Hosking who has invited leading supporters of the Brexit
campaign and they will be taking their message around the country as decision day on June 23 draws ever nearer and passengers, whatever their views, will be free to mingle with the other guests to debate Britain’s future.

In Pullman Style Dining you will enjoy a traditional British Brunch and a 5 Course Dinner with complimentary wine in the evening.

Fares from London
Pullman Style Dining £225
First Class £149

Fares from Bristol
Pullman Style Dining £205
First Class £129
Tuesday 14 June
Crewe to York

Passengers in Northern England can now join the fun as the Referendum Express leaves Crewe around 10am and heads across the rugged Pennines to the beautiful City of York.

This riverside City is home to York Minster, the National Railway Museum and of course that most British of institutions - Betty’s Tea Rooms.

Passengers will again be welcome to enjoy the company of Jeremy and his fellow
Brexit campaigners in a convivial atmosphere and en route Pullman Style Diners will be served a 5 Course Lunch with complimentary wine.

Fares
Pullman Style Dining £175
First Class £119
Book Online
Seat numbers are limited and early booking is advised!
Call the Booking Office on 01483 209888 to find out more
or visit The Cathedrals Express website at www.CathedralsExpress.co.uk

 

Suitably, for a brexit tour, the last post seems to be full of gaps.


Even more apt, I shall be in Europe that week.

 

I'm guessing this will use the new Hosking blood-and-custard rake as seen the other day on the "footex" with 34052. Half of it is Mark 2D air-cons so will presumably be guaranteed diesel on back for ETH .

 

No doubt he will blame it on an EU directive. Good job palace didn't qualify for European football

 

One does wonder if he's considered the way this will reinforce the impression some have that the Brexit campaign is stuck in the 1950s.

 

Indeed, but when Network Rail tell you it wont fit 12 hours before the tour starts, despite being given two years notice, you are a bit knackered.

 

What makes you two think that these are last-minute arrangements that have somehow avoided the normal 12/13-week notice requirements? What makes you think gauging is unresolved? Just because the publicity is only appearing a couple of weeks before the trips, doesn't mean they haven't undergone the same planning that any other charter, steam or otherwise, has to go through? Rather, being a DBC operation, it's more likely that the planning has taken longer than a WCRC trip, if for no other reason than DBC's small pool of train crew are a little less flexible that WCRC's, being allocated to regular timetables trips much of the time.

I suspect that there are a few spare seats not taken up by journalists and campaign members that are only now being sold off to the general public.

My thoughts exactly! Much as I love steam locos, the phrases "throw back" and "hopelessly romantic dreamers out of touch with reality" spring unbidden to mind. Although Tornado, Duke of Gloucester and King Edward II (and Royal Scot herself) are great examples of small groups of enthusiasts defying common sense to achieve something admirable, none of them were achieved quickly, all encountered all sorts of set-backs and none will ever come remotely close to covering their costs. Maybe a steam-hauled charter is good way of publicising the "Leave" campaign...? I also like the fact that a German-owned firm is operating it.

 

Yes I see what you mean,I would agree that is almost certainly the case.

 

Could be a nightmare tour for linesiders ! Diesel on the back, helicopters in the sky and a 'We're Out' headboard on the front !

 

If you read what I wrote, which you quote, you will see I said announcing publicly only when the paperwork is signed off is the prudent way for the industry to go. You therefore are saying broadly what I also said.i don't mind being quoted or disagreed with, that is the point of debate, but this time I think I have been misrepresented hence the correction.

Incidentally a German company operating the Brexit train is brilliant irony!



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Rather unusual charter, could there be similar charters in the future - as it seems from the media and the public interest in the Flying Scotsman, there is a lot of good publicity to be had at moment around steam hauled trains....
Perhaps at the next general election the "battle bus" will be replaced by the "battle train!

Currently showing on UK Steam the TOC as WCRC, by the way.

 

I'm really not sure about this at all...I find it quite disappointing he's supporting the Brexit campaign it's incredibly short sighted, and to wield your own personal train set to show support for Brexit is pretty weird when you think about it?

It sort of highlights that all of us are in no position to vote on this subject, both leave and stay supporters - scary times ahead...

 

Couldn't agree more, just goes to show how much heritage is going political :-( I would rather keep this stuff away from my hobby.