Steam Dreams 2023

My mail said
"Due to unprecedented demand, we’re pleased to announce that we’ve released additional Premium Standard seats for our trip to Oxford on Saturday 27th May"
which implies to me selling well. Of course you could be right and it may be "stretching the truth advertising"

 

"Released" from where? Why would they be holding any back, or have they re-classified at the expense of other classes? Assuming they haven't added a coach or two, this sounds rather odd to me.

 

It’s called marketing, if people are told that something is selling well they are more likely to say; ‘I’ll have some of that before it sells out’. The same principle apply to the DFS type sale which must finish on Friday. Some people still don’t realise that it’s only because the next sale starts on Monday!

 

Works for toilet rolls as well!

 

I assume Wednesday's SD trip to Bath with 34046 has a rear diesel? There are two specials out of Victoria within 12 minutes, the other being the 67-hauled Belmond, putting 34046 in p7 . No light loco move is shown which is why I assume a diesel stays on.

 

Of course it has a DL with it. That’s why we haven’t booked with them for years and probably never will again sadly. RTC are more enlightened thank goodness

 

Now that Steam Dreams are operated by LSL you can safely assume that ALL their trains will have a diesel tailgunner. I think they need one to operate the air-conditioning on some of their coaches apart from anything else.

 

They will whilst the two Mk2 aircon coaches remain part of the set. I seem to remember that someone on here said a 47 weighs less than a generator coach so presumably the extra operational capability also saves on coal usage as well, even if the coach was/is available.

 

Really? As a 47 weighs at least 114 tons and a Mk1, say, 35 tons, does the generator and ancillary equipment really weigh around 80 tons? Astounding.

 

I was surprised but either I am misremembering the post or whoever said it was incorrect. But either way unfortunately the 47 does give more operational flexibility, and presumably feedback from pax has done nothing to change that.

 

If the kit did weigh anything like that the coach body wouldn't support it.

 

Also needed for operational reasons, Shunting etc

 

Plated weight 37 tons (Dec 2018).

 

What is - the generator van or a 'normal' Mk1?

 

Sometimes.

 

Timings for Saturdays trip to Oxford:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U55443/2023-05-27/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U55445/2023-05-27/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U55448/2023-05-27/detailed

 

Indeed - a diesel-free working does require careful planning on today's railway - the right rolling stock (needing no generator), no problems with turning for the return, adequate power/tractive effort, etc. Many of the runs operated would not happen without a rear diesel - it's a balance to strike. At least with classes 33/37/47 we are talking about contemporaries of the last days of steam.

 

34046 accelerating away from Woking this morning, already 12 down at this point and shortly to lose considerably more time. 8K video extract - video to follow.