Belmond Private Charters

I have seen no reference so far to the mini-programme of three runs by Belmond of three 'Private Charters' on the Surrey Hills route shown on UKSteam as running on 7,10 (BLMD not specified, but assumed) and 11 July. Does anyone know if these are related to the 50th anniversary of the end of Southern steam, and any further background?

 

They are three Pullman charters for a Belmond private customer, and unrelated to the 50th anniversary of the end of B.R. Southern steam.

 

Thanks. That must be a comfortably-off customer!

 

Jeremy Hoskins perchance ?

 

I'd have thought this is unlikely as he has two locos of his own (34046 and 46100) which could work the charters.

 

Do you mean eight miles high? Sir Richard?

 

Both both of which could work the Belmond

 

34046 is hauling the Belmond private charter on the 10th July according to UKSteam site.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

His name is Hosking I think

 

60th birthday, perchance?

 

Yes, as you say 34046 has been allocated the middle of the three charters, with 35028 doing the other two. Given that "Clan Line" is also working the two 'end of Southern Steam' 50th anniversary charters on 5th and 9th July it was felt prudent to involve another loco in this very congested week. Of course, 35028 will act as 'stand in' for 34046 and vice versa should there be any issues.
These charters are on behalf of one corporate customer, so not Jeremy Hosking, or any other private individual.

 

Must be a rich corporate customer then. Mind you many years ago when the company my wife worked for was the biggest Datapost (remember them) customer in the country she was invited to the VSOE trip to Didcot for the launch of the stamps Terence Cuneo designed. She hired all the costume for the period from a theatrical costumier , I got to see her off at Paddington and collect her when she and everyone else came back p***ed later in the day.

 

And let's hope we see a revival of the round Kent trips. A MN with the Golden Arrow regalia hauling a set of Pullmans on the train's original route is as good as it gets

 

Further to some posts in the LE Movements thread, there has been talk that 60009 is doing a Surrey Hills tour on Tuesday. There was a path in the evening but this has disappeared from RTT.

Either it's been cancelled due to No.9's alleged pyrotechnics on its light engine move to London yesterday or it's now going to do the normal path.

James

 

I had a look this afternoon and couldn't find any stp workings in RTT for Tuesday. I assumed that the trip was now off due to No.9 failing yesterday and also due to the extremely hot, dry conditions. Whoever is paying for the private charter clearly wanted the A4 as the motive power otherwise 46100 surely would have been rostered as it is already down South? 60009 has come all the way from York just for this trip and now has to go back up to the Mid Norfolk Railway for their Gala.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

You may well be right about it being cancelled, but the usual Surrey Hills run is in the WTT as a "Q" (runs as required) path : http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P91311/2017/06/20/advanced so would not normally be an STP working.

I'll be hoping for some feedback on here before making a possibly wasted trip to Shalford tomorrow!

 

Here is my 5 bob that says it will still run, but diesel hauled. You can't just dump corporate guests, but you can offer alternatives, and with such short notice this is the only alternative.

 

Although if it's failed it presumably won't be going anywhere.