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LSL Ltd / Icons of Steam fleet

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by 26D_M, Jul 21, 2017.

  1. The Citadel

    The Citadel New Member

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    Will be interesting to see how they go about operating and who will be crewing the trains.
     
  2. twr12

    twr12 Well-Known Member

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    WCR continues to provide conductor drivers for tampers etc
     
  3. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I heard second hand that they may borrow one or two DBC folk for a while until they get an established team. There are also those who have retired from DB and carry out traction inspector duties who may make themselves available for front line footplate work.
     
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  4. GWR4707

    GWR4707 Nat Pres stalwart

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    May be the case, but it would seem a little perverse commercially to essentially help a direct competitor get established (even if they pay for the 'borrowing' of staff), doesn't show much commitment from DBC to build their steam business if this is the case, gaining one TOC to lose another?

    In the case of the second bit isn't that basically reverting back to the zero hours model that WCRC were (rightly) criticised for after RWB?
     
  5. Fred Kerr

    Fred Kerr Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    It might suit DBC to let LSL utilise DBC staff - especially if (a) it releases resources that DBC can better use (e.g. training staff, diagramming crews etc) and (b) lets LSL take on a responsibility that DBC might wish to relinquish. WCRC has already accepted that resources are scarce hence its pre-Christmas about cutting back on some activities hence DBC might have similar problems but now alleviated by LSL involvement.
     
  6. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    From the thread on WNXX it would appear that a number of DRS employees have joined LSL Ltd, including drivers with charter experience.
     
  7. GWR4707

    GWR4707 Nat Pres stalwart

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    DRS don't operate steam though do they?
     
  8. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    LSL Ltd have diesels though and they could well be a plan to train the new drivers on steam.
     
  9. The Citadel

    The Citadel New Member

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    They might be diesel men with steam experience from elsewhere. If they have current quality route knowledge, good knowledge of charters operations and possibly steam knowledge that doesn't have to be mainline then that could work well.
     
  10. silverfox2512

    silverfox2512 New Member

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    there will be no more locos from third parties anymore hence the patriot boiler move to swanwick junction for completion.
     
  11. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    Apparently not but the question I raised, some time ago now, related more to which of the fleet would be next in line.. Since then 45231 has been through, 70000 it seems being readied for 2018 ops plus 60532 in progress. One hopes an MN can be fitted in eventually.
     
  12. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    Or better still, both of them!
     
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  13. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    The assembled management team seems to have a wealth of industry experience which perhaps offers some confidence a suitable driver recruitment strategy has been devised during the set up. Naturally a good network of contacts too I would guess.
    As has been mentioned above, getting drivers with current route knowledge is crucial, they may well have steam traction skills developed elsewhere too.
     
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  14. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    I am guessing there would have to be some form of secondment involved if the DBC crews went to "work" for LSL. That may of course not provide a rostering saving, maybe even extra costs if secondments are involved. Anything else would presumably be "moonlighting" on a zero hours contract and I understand that ASLEF will not provide legal assistance to drivers on zero hours contracts, for SPAD's etc.
    Secondments of course are not unusual, I did three months in Sydney at Qantas back in 1994 when I worked for BA. But of course we did own 28% of Qantas at that time, but I remained on BA T&C's which I guess would have to be the case if DBC loan crews to
     
  15. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Just for info, I think there is a difference between DBC crews who are full time paid employees of DBC who also drive steam and people who have retired from DBC through their age but come back on a part-time job-by-job basis as traction inspectors. It's this latter group who I think might be available to LSL but that's just me guessing on the basis of what is available and the fact that they may have knowledge of the locos in the fleet from when they were crews on them. And of course, they will also have the know-how to up-skill any other people who might be non-steam but route knowledgeable.

    I have to say that an individual loco owner might be very particular about who drives their engine especially if it for the first time. That's less of a problem with a fleet of engines owned by one person.
     
  16. The Citadel

    The Citadel New Member

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    Sure it will all become clear in time, but it certainly sounds like they are going about it the right way.
     
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  17. andrewshimmin

    andrewshimmin Well-Known Member

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    Surely, surely, no one can possibly think we need more Bulleids?!?!?!?
     
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  18. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Surely there are...
     
  19. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    From a purely practical point of view, a mainline steam company would be well served by having a fleet of Bulleids in traffic, surely? It puzzles me why so few have made it back onto the network, especially the rebuilds. Other folks money, other folks choice I guess.
     
  20. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

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    Ask yourself which type of loco has been involved in some of the worst heart stopping moments, each of which could have seen steam summarily thrown off NR for good...............
     

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