Vintage Trains 2023

How’s that going to work?
Aren’t the two Castles supposed to working on the Lickey that day, or have the Lickey trips been cancelled/postponed?

 

Had an email from VT advising these are cancelled, for the second time!

 

Luckily I have been able to change my hotel reservation for the Friday night for a modest upcharge.

I am still a little anxious about the new date, as the projected re-opening date for Nuneham Viaduct is 9th June, so if that is still the route VT are proposing, it doesn't allow for much slippage in the schedule for the repair work. I wonder what the contingency plan is if the line has not reopened in time?

The new date also coincides with the railway line between Newport and Cardiff being closed for engineering work, so that part of my journey home will be on a rail replacement bus.

Nick M.

 

Really advisable to book free cancellation hotels for any rail tour, even before these strikes and covid, things can change.

 

NR 80% confident of June 10 in an interview with Paul Clifton in the week.
From years of contract and order management does not fill me with confidence.

 

It’s honest - at least someone’s had the courage to put a probability on it. And as this is not a contractor reporting on plan progress, but publicity, I read that as “the plan says it will happen but there’s no slack in that plan for unexpected events”.


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Something which is running on the intended date - 7029 at Mill Meece this morning under grey leaden skies.
I drove home in sun (huh!)

 

In fairness the NR guy did almost say that as well. Trouble is I have experience of too many plans that are worked back from and end date and made to fit, rather than doing it the correct way. Including famously our own SAP implementation of 18 months (initial plan to meet a date) that actually took 5 years.

 

I went over to Stafford and Crewe today to see the 3 charters (1 steam 2 diesel)

These photos are of 7029 Clun Castle 'The North Wales Express & Llandudno Transport Festival' (Vintage Trains) at Stafford and Crewe 29th April 2023
https://tinyurl.com/47hxyvw9

Neil

 

7029/47773 and D1924/47593 on their way to Llandudno at Wardle (29/6):

Chris

 

7029 Clun Castle and 47593 Galloway Princess at Llandudno today.

 

7029 Clun Castle at Searchlight Lane near Stafford on today's Birmingham to Llandudno excursion...

 

And on the way home - two castles !

 

We are still awaiting Network Rail’s gauging confirmation, but the plan for the redated double headed Castles to 10/6 is not to go anywhere near Oxford-Banbury, but instead to return via Cheltenham (for which we have got clearance) and the Lickey Incline (with no diesel). We are sorry to have to move the train but “the bridge” and “the strike” leave us no choice. We hope to have clearance confirmed in the coming week and will then confirm the art of the possible to passengers. The two Castles up the Lickey will simply have to be abandoned. The Whistling Ghost will also be redated to run both ways through Cheltenham, but still collecting passengers booked at Banbury. As you will appreciate, all this is quite tedious to replan, but we have no choice and we are determined to run these trains with still interesting variations. All this is currently provisional and we would have preferred to give firm approved details but, in all the circumstances, thought interim information better than nothing. Passengers will have full details once we receive NR’s confirmation

 

Thanks for the update Michael, you guys really are being put through the wringer by matters beyond your control.

Having been booked on both attempts at the Lickey, and being booked on the Whistling Ghost, it's good to know the current thinking.

As my partner and I are joining the latter at Banbury, I also appreciate the effort to keep the pickup included as it removes a lot of the uncertainty around whether strikes will prevent us actually reaching the tour.
Just keeping my fingers crossed that the new date doesn't clash with anything else in our rapidly-filling diary and that our dog-sitter still has availability!

 

Three from yesterday sees Clun racing through a very wet Penkridge, Climbing to Searchlight Lane Jnc after the Stafford stop and then at Stafford during the set down stop on the return.

 

Thanks for the update Michael. Hope the gauging verdict is positive.
I regard returning via the Lickey Incline as something of a bonus. It will be interesting to see which route will be taken between Hereford and Cheltenham - via Chepstow, or via Bristol Parkway. I have a preference for the former.

Nick M.

 

Step by step the position is becoming clearer. It’s a good thing we are in this for the long term (having been around in one guise or other since 1964) as main line steam operations now is not for the faint hearted. One might reasonably have expected Network Rail to make proactive timely suggestions when they cannot maintain infrastructure, but we are working hard on solutions for them.

Looks like:

• Welsh Marches Express with double headed Castles and no diesel Bham Shrewsbury Hereford Chepstow Lickey Birmingham 10/6
• Whistling Ghost Banbury Tyseley diesel then 7029 via Birmingham Cheltenham Bristol Bishops Lydeard and return same way. Double headed Manors on WSR requested 24/6

If you have booked you will be transferred if you do nothing (you can have a refund or credit note if you prefer). If you haven’t booked but wish to, although the website won’t be updated until the music stops, if you book the above is likely to be what you get

We will write to pax with definitive information “shortly”. We may well add additional pick ups especially for the WSR trip

 

Thanks for keeping us updated Michael.
Sadly not the news I personally wanted to hear regarding my booking on the Minehead trip, as it clashes with an already booked trip to Wales for WHR 100, but guess it can't be helped, no alternative date can suit everyone!

Does this mean the Cardiff trip originally planned for 24/6 is also cancelled/postponed?

As you say, main line steam is having a rough time, of the 5 bookings I've made this year, that's now 4 cancelled/postponed!

 

Castle Centenarian and Whistling Ghost now both replanned for 10/6 and 24/6 (as suggested above), both routed via Cheltenham for the first time in very many years. This allows the double headed Castles trip to return unassisted up the Lickey and the Whistling Ghost to have additional pick up stops for those who don't wish to come into Birmingham. Enjoy