Steam Dreams 2019 - New Summer and other tours

Announced on RailAdvent, Steam Dreams are running a new series of tours from London Waterloo under the title of 'The Royal Windsor Steam Express'. The tours will run every Tuesday from 4th June to the 3rd September departing at 8am, 11.10am and 14.10. Tickets cost £35 for standard and £85 for Pullman style dining.

On the same day there will be an evening tour departing Waterloo at 18.00 under the title of 'The Sunset Steam Express' running around the Surrey Hills. Tickets starting at £99 for premier dining upto £129 for Pullman dining.

Website links
http://www.royalwindsorsteamexpress.co.uk/
http://www.sunsetsteamexpress.co.uk/

Nice to see some extra regular steam trips in the Summer months, hope its works well for Steam Dreams

 

Pretty reasonable value, though wondering whether there will be tender first running back to Waterloo, or a diesel drag to Staines then steam round to Weybridge before a run back to Waterloo. The trial run on 9 April will probably give some indication of the format.

 

Judging by the times, I'm guessing it's just steam out, diesel back, the steam round the Surrey Hills in the evening with a diesel on the back.

 

I think Steam Dreams have done well to come up with a cheap steam option that doesn't last the whole day.

Since being married with three children, I don't get to do that many (if any) steam tours anymore as the are just too expensive, but at these prices I can afford to take the missus and myself to Windsor for a romantic lunch and not require babysitting all day.

Also according to IanVisits the day time trip is only one way and you need to get a conventional service back to Waterloo.

 

Also according to IanVisits the day time trip is only one way and you need to get a conventional service back to Waterloo.

That is also what the website says, 'one way only'. I assume the train will need to be serviced, whilst returning to Waterloo, for the next journey

 

Would the price of the ticket include the return journey on South Western Railway?

 

Reading to the website, I don't think so.

 

Quick phone shot of Mayflower sat in Waterloo for the press launch of these Summer trips. Departs back to Southall at 15:09 if anyone is about.

 

I didn't think there was capacity for steam out of Waterloo, glad that there are.

 

It required us (SWR Train Planning) to make quite a few platform alterations to allow it to sit there that long. Believe everything booked in 19 during that time shifted to 18. So not quite as simple as there being spare capacity!

 

I thought 61306 was inoperable for boiler repairs, hence the cancelled tours? In steam on ITV News at Waterloo. Light steam OK, load not?

 

I think the point being made was about the regular series of trips.

 

Yes, some of us were just as surprised there was the capacity for that too!

 

Comment from SD on Facebook:

The Steam Dreams Rail Co Thats correct Sean, she was assisted heavily by the diesel today but will not be able to haul any passenger trains until the boiler issue is fixed, which will take some time.

"some time" sounds a bit worrying for SD!

 

Yes very strange

 

The poorly 61306 is going to feature on the ITV London news very shortly. Not sure if it will be on the BBC London news at 6.30pm.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

It was on BBC News at 18:45. No mention of it being only a show pony of course.

 

Saw a clip on BBC London news of 61306 approaching Waterloo and there was a burst of what sounded like real effort. I'm surprised the risk was taken (admittedly not knowing the nature of the boiler issue) with the loco, which has only a little over a month and a half to be repaired, tested and passed for main line use again by 4 June. What a shame that a Southern loco was not available for the summer's runs, but the general public probably won't care.

 

I suspect that, had the extra ex-Eurostar platforms not been put into domestic use, the capacity would not be there. What a fine by-product of that project!