Vintage Trains Bahamas Tours

It was a one off to complete the overhaul, which illustrates the fact that MNLPS are not self funding despite all the Belmond work.
The A1 Trust is a business and does rely on regular donations and had its own facilities which sets it apart from the normal loco society where the downtime between overhauls can be considerable or need outside funding. Bahamas and 6201 are good examples of what I mean

 

After a telephone call to Vintage Trains I can confirm that the Bahamas railtour on Saturday has been cancelled. <BJ>

 

Evening Diner by Matt Spencer, on Flickr

Bahamas looking rather fine this evening. Video later.

 

Was a light load today... but the dead diesel on the back certainly made the Jub’s bark echo around the Black Country on Old Hill!

 

Another couple of pictures from Ladywood:




Then a short drive into Worcester to catch the return leg setting off from Henwick.

 

Through Worcester Foregate street

 

There were about 100 passengers on board so I’m not sure if VT made any money but they are testing a new market I suppose and it’s early days yet. Most were not railway enthusiasts, just people who wanted a meal on a steam train travelling through pleasant countryside.
Talking to some of them there were no complaints and crucially a lot said they would do it again.
Highlight for me was listening to the three cylinder bark of a Jubilee on Old Hill Bank.

 

There were two shunt moves involving the 47 and it didn’t give any assistance apart from that so it was a pure steam run and I would think the majority of passengers didn’t know it was on the back. I don’t know how they advertised the train so can’t comment

 

Did this with the Mrs (we took advantage of the special offer, 2 for £100 including an 'afternoon tea box' each).
When I phoned to book on Tuesday, the ticket office didn't seem to have a clue about the advertised special offer, so had to go and investigate and phoned me back about 30mins later to take the booking.

We were at the back of Coach C (First Class) and it didn't seem particularly well loaded, we had a table of 4 to ourselves, and the opposite table of 2 was unoccupied. Don't know what the dining end was like.

Staff were helpful and friendly. The 'afternoon tea' box was perfectly adequate though nothing amazing. Given the heat we opted to dig in straight after departure before everything got too warm, and purchased a nice bottle of wine to go with it. We were kept well supplied with tea and coffee.

Despite being only 2 coaches ahead of the diesel we heard nothing from it apart from the shunt at Moor St and the reversal at Worcester.

Outbound journey was a bit of a crawl as we were stuck behind a service train, but on the return Bahamas got a few opportunities to open up and there was plenty of noise from the front, especially up Old Hill.

We arrived back at Snow Hill 23min early, and decided to make a dash for the 2110 Chiltern to Marylebone on the opposite platform (allowing us to arrive home over an hour earlier than planned).
We did wonder about staying on to Moor St and picking it up there, but figured the VT train would be held to let the Marylebone train go ahead.

Sadly, that didn't go quite as planned, the lifts and escalators from the subway to Plat 1/2 were turned off, so my partner (who is currently on crutches) had to drag herself slowly up the stairs and leg it as fast as she could down the platform to join the Chiltern train... which then sat there while the steam train went ahead, and eventually departed about 10 late, so a 'same platform' change at Moor St would've worked just fine. That'll teach me to expect logical regulation from the signallers. D'oh!

All in all, a lovely evening out, good value for money with the special offer (I think the regular price might be a little bit steep for a short evening run) and we'll definitely be travelling with VT again in future.

 

Testing a new market from what I've been told and it's early days yet so give them a chance.

 

A Jubilee roars! Never forgot my run behind 45699 on the SR a few years ago. What a magnificent noise!

 

Interestingly, according to the mythical Guidance for Train Length and Loads and Information about Significant Gradients, the so called Industry Standards agreed by all parties in 2016, even that was well overloaded for a Class 6 on Old Hill. Load 8 is the 'approved' loading; 8x36 tons; 288 tons. The train's consist was: REG, starts off at 37 tons if full of water; POB Mk2 35 tons: Class 47 119 tons. 191 tons without any passenger carrying carriages. Add 3 Mk1 FOs with Commonwealth Bogies, 3x37 tons, 111 tons; plus heavier Buffet/Restaurant Car, 39 tons; and the brake, 33 tons. 370 tons or thereabouts without passengers.

The former is attached, as is the extract from the latter for the route, and the Marches. Makes for interesting reading.

 

Thd 47 on the back which gave no assistance at all according to Ray Churchill. 5596 was coughing a bit and a short slip in the tunnel but got to the summit at I would estimate at around 15 mph

 

He’s got the 47 in, unless he’s edited it since?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

.
Yes I see now, I missed it somehow !

 

Covering costs and getting the loco bedded in with a few miles under it's wheels ???