Sugar Loaf Mountaineer : 7/07/18 - now 23/09/18

The timings on the poster at Shrewsbury station are quite precise, indicates more than a bit of thought has gone into it. All irrelevant though if fire risk gets in the way.

 

We'll hopefully hear something today.

 

Dalesman thread says nationwide steam ban from today. If correct timings may not be an issue at the moment I guess.

 

Postponed to the 23rd September.

 

Saw a clash with my holiday coming a mile off, so a refund will have to be requested. My long wait for a trip over that route continues...

 

Email just arrivd from Pathfinder:

With reference to your booking to travel aboard the Sugar Loaf Mountaineer on Saturday, 7 July. The promoter, Arriva Trains Wales, has decided, in the light of the continuing hot, dry weather, and the forecast that it will continue into next week, to postpone the running date as they do not wish to offer you a diesel hauled trip to alleviate the fire risk from a steam locomotive possibly emitting sparks onto land near the railway.

Therefore please note that the excursion will NOT be running this Saturday, 7 July

A new date of SUNDAY, 23 September has now been confirmed for the excursion to run, this has been determined by the now limited availability of coaching stock, train crew and a suitable steam locomotive, together with there being no engineering blockades on the featured route. The same pick-up stations and schedule will feature on the new date.

Your booking for the original date will carry forward to 23 September; Boarding Passes and confirmed arrangements will be posted to you in Mid-September. However, if you should now wish to amend or cancel your booking please contact the Booking Office (01453 834477 / 835414 or email: office@pathfindertours.co.uk) by Friday, 13 July.

Thank you for your understanding and we apologise on behalf of Arriva Trains Wales for this change, brought about by the unusually hot weather currently being experienced by us all.

Kind regards

The Pathfinder Tours Team​

Peter on another sunny afternnon in Manchester
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com

 

Sensible and best decision.

 

Get there early for parking at Shrewsbury....

 

Last day of SVR Gala

 

Yes and the five was supposed to be a visitor as on loan for the summer .

 

Stands up an applauds!!! Well done Pathfinder and Arriva Wales.

Are you watching other Tour Operators???

 

Typically not got the email, despite booking on 3rd May, but this is on the very bottom of the Sugar Loaf Mountaineer Page on their website:

NOTE: This excursion was due to run on Saturday, 7 July, but because of the very warm and dry weather with the attendant lineside fire risk a new date of running has been annouinced - SUNDAY, 23rd September 2018. (Must be a Gloucestershire spelling of announced).

 

Hopefully it still will be (weather permitting!) as it is also due to feature in the Last Days of Steam Celebrations in August. Presumably it will now miss the ASG unless Pathfinder have a different loco available.

Either way I agree, hats off to Pathfinder for rescheduling rather than offering a diesel tour.

 

Fully agree Al seems a mammoth ask to do it all in that time. This was due to be a DBC operation wasn't it rather than WCRC?

 

I've received the email as well, great work by Pathfinder and ATW in postponing it rather than cancelling or running with a diesel. That will be a busy weekend for me, as I'm also booked onto the trip on the Saturday where 60103 goes to Holyhead; presumably that's why Pathfinder have set the new date of this one to the Sunday instead of the Saturday.

 

To find this tour on the Pathfinder website you still need to select 7 July on the tour calendar, not 23 September.

 

It's now less than six weeks to the revised date and the website is still showing just 11 hours 5 minutes from Shrewsbury to Carmarthen and back. They've surely had plenty of time to think about the schedule, so how will it turn out?

 

I'm just as concerned for the locomotive of choice ! What's it done in the last two year's ??