Long Term Steam Routes

I didn't know that. That bit of information had passed me by. Thanks

How about: Marylebone - Oxford, then to Didcot (for servicing and turning) and then back. Considering all the tourists who go to Oxford (not sure why as there isn't much to see and the traffic is a nightmare).

 

You could do something similar between KX and Norwich via Cambridge and Ely, Turning facilities at both ends, All 3 are decent destinations in their own right, and it’s not a marathon day out.

 

Getting from the Motorway into the middle of Reading to park at the station is non-trivial. Unless you live in the immediate area it's probably easier to drive to somewhere else on the GWML.

 

Let's see how the trip promoted by UK Railtours in August with 35028 loads and how well the operation goes. ( Also the RTC one to Yarmouth on the same day.)
At a guestimate about 4 hours each way allowing for water stops and pathing with a minimum for three hours at Norwich for turning and servicing.
Whether working from Southall or Stewarts Lane the support crew still have another 4 hours out on the line with the positioning trips round London. That's before prep and disposal of the loco. That is not really sustainable on a regular basis.
That is before considering pathing constraints of increased services. Royston - Cambridge used to be two trains an hour, it' s now five.

The Chiltern route to Oxford might be better bet from London. But again pathways are at a premium with the limited stop Birmingham service. Sundays might be OK with the loco going to Didcot for servicing.
For extra traffic set down and pick up at Bicester Village for the retail experience? As far as I know it's the only non airport station in the UK with signs in Japanese/ Chinese/ Arabic which gives some idea of the market.
Again there are the logistics to sort out of servicing the loco and watering the rolling stock, which brings in further sub contractors.....

Cheers, Neil

 

I believe the lease was renewed in error

 

I believe it is £21 for 12 hours. £25 for 24 hours. Maybe be less at a weekend.

 

I assume that’s at the station car park. Not the best way of trying to persuade people to leave the car and take the train

 

£8 all day at the Cattle Market which is a short walk from the station ...

(And in any case, I'd repeat the question - if you are paying hundreds of pounds for the train ride, how significant is the cost of parking?)

Tom

 

Also as a one-off. To park every day would be expensive, but as part of a day out?

It's an expensive part of the world, and the sort of trip we are talking about is luxury/treat territory.

It would be interesting to know the split of car/public transport arrivals (I would always take the train - so I can have a drink).

But the thought experiment is: most customers will come from/via greater London. For the same reason, it's the hardest area to get slots for steam trains (by virtue of occupancy and signalling tech). Is there a point of intersection between "easy from London" and "easy to hire".

I wonder if any of the frieght lines could be used?

 

When tickets are released this evening, I’m planning to book on a railtour* costing £99. I’ll need to drive 30 miles to join it, and park at the station. The drip, drip, of extra costs (which I can well afford) is part of the conversation I’m having at home about my nice day out, and what I’m spending on me rather than being available for other purposes.

Thinking about my response, it is not the financial cost so much as the list of extras that I have to pay to participate in my chosen activity. I think in just the same way when I add on the cost of travel to London to go to the opera.

* - the “Thanet Thunderer”, being run with a couple of class 50s by the BLS.


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Being a true Yorkshire lad, any parking that isn't free is expensive, as far as I'm concerned. Parking in Garforth is free, including the station, which is my nearest place with shops and other services. Most other places I tend to go to, it's free. (Even the NYMR, as I've got a permit. )

 

I must be living under a more benign financial control mechanism chez moi (says he who has just procured an ex-Ashford Works clock for the dining room ...)

Tom

 

Two salient factors. Firstly, my wife's digesting the bills for the building work we've had done over the winter. Second, she's a qualified accountant, but doesn't go out to work - so I get the "benefit" of her practice.

 

Are you clocking your family in and out?

 

Bristol to Paignton & Kingswear is one possible route, its already used for the Torbay express, might it work for a longer seasonal offering, similar to the fort william operation, with a small stable of engines based at Bristol, that might also open up other routes, such as Bristol Salisury? or if it's not too far Bristol to Portsmouth, with optional Isle of Wight tour, via fast cat and coach, ? engine and stock can be serviced at Fratton, it would be a very long day though,

 

I am surprised that Brighton isn't used as an endpoint more. Unless the thinking is that the only people who go to Brighton are hipsters and South London gangsters. (Assume that it is simply too busy to be viable and although there is the triangle it limits the platforms that could be used.)

I wonder if Swanage would not make a decent end point for a railtour. (Similar to Kingswear). At least there is a turntable and the ability to service a loco there. (Nicer than Portsmouth, Weymouth etc)

 

I would think that the inability to handle long trains would be the limiting factor at Swanage, given the economics of railtours usually demands this. What is the maximum length that can be handled there with shunt release?

 

Also the turntable is too short to turn a long loco - it is only 50ft long which I think would rule out even a Black 5, let alone a pacific.

Tom

 

You need 53 foot to turn a Black 5.