Sussex Belle 22nd December

9 Coaches ( Support Coach, 3 Dining, Kitchen Car, 2 first and 2 standard)

 

My sister just phoned me to say that at London Victoria this monring announcements had been made that due to all the electric units failing because of the snow, passengers could travel on the steam special down to Hastings as they were spare seats available. How ironic with all these "modern" electrics having problems with snow it's the good old steam engine that can still prove it worth.\\/

 

Ahh, the irony is delicious

 

My photo's of the trip can be found at http://paul-simpson.fotopic.net/c1794883_1.html

 

This happened with Tornado yesterday and got reported in the Daily Mail (I think). Always rely on Steam.

 

Lovely weather for it yesterday, I found somewhere suitable out of the way for a photo.... Just outside Winchelsea...

http://www.thestig.co.uk/p62613042.html

All the best,
Steve

 

I hope the TOCS will be making a contribution to the running costs for the tour operator?

 

Well, it isnt surprising a steam train can still go through snow, when it is basically a fire on wheels.

HOW GOOD THOUGH, NO BLOODY DIESEL ON THE BACK????????????????????????????????????????????

GO ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

No Diesel indeed - I was going to start a new thread about 'Electric or Steam' Steam for me all the way - never had the problems that the Electrics of today get with Third rail in place!! And yet you get steam coming to the fort to sort out the operators/operation issues... Just see the press about Tangmere and Tonrnado taking people home!!!! Wrong time and place springs to mind!!

 

there is one thing about this though, how many new supporters of mainline steam will there be amongst those who had their first taste of steam and the operations managers of the toc's who might just now not be so anti steam, when it saved their collective bacons i wonder what chance of seeing southeastern or southern sponsering a railtour next year as way of saying thank you or better a weekend of steam on the ashford to hastings line and have the hastings unit running the sceduled passinger trains

 

That would be great if it could happen, as I've said in previous threads we get naff all mainline steam specials down to this part of the world whether it be Eastbourne, Brighton or Hastings compared to the rest of the country.

 

i wonder, how thiesable would it be, for instance, is there turning capability at the hastings end, st leonards maybe? i know that there isnt at ashford , unless chart leacon has a triangle so it would need an engine at either end unless you have tender first running, support and stabling isnt a problem ,you have depots at either end that could offer overnight secure stabling but what would be suitable motive power ? are there any clearance issues on the marsh line and what about a trip down the lydd branch , when did that last see steam?

 

The Lydd Branch last saw steam on 4/11/06. There are numerous level crossings without gates, therefore the trip down the branch was at walking pace. The lineside had not been cut back and the stock was badly scratched.

The thing you need to consider is whether there is the demand for more Steam in the area.The Sussex Belle had only 7 fare paying coaches, and this was only filled by discounting the fares. Tour promotors will only continue with Circular and destinations if they are viable. Dining makes up between 30 and 50% and there needs to be a long enough route from destination to the drop off points to serve the lunch or evening meal - 2 1/2 - 3 hours.

Steam Dreams list of trips for the whole of 2010 does not have Chichester listed in the summer or at Christmas.
Bath, Canterbury and York are the most popular destinations for Steam Dreams, and they added more trips to York due to demand this year.

 

i would expect thats because of the extra cost and trouble of getting to london and back at the beginning and end of mainline tours from places such as worthing
local trips between ashford and hastings i would think would get good loadings aim it at the holiday market and the dining element could be the working to hastings in the evening with the stock and a return trip to victoria at the end to return the stock to its london base or a circular trip ran in the evening between the shuttles each day
the idea would be a public promotion exercise to promote railway leisure travel very much how network southeast did

 

Yes I tend to agree with that, also in particular to my home station, Eastbourne, there are no turning facilities whatsoever around. Every very rare steam tour that has come to Eastbourne, I think the last one was about 3 years ago with 34067, has had to be top-tailed with a Diesel. Interestingly when my wife had a ride on the Scar. Spa Express back in September, when we showed our booking details to the WCRC official he noticed we were from Eastbourne and told us he also lived there. Of course straight away I asked him why there are so few steam tours to Eastbourne and East Sussex and he said that basically the Southern Govia Management are very reluctant to have steam tours run on their metals, especially the Eastbourne management who are dead against it as they think these tours are too much hassle and not worth the effort to accommodate them in their timetabled services. Twice in the last couple of years WCRC have tried to run a steam tour to Eastbourne to coincide with the Eastbourne Airshow under the banner "Eastbourne Flyer" with 34067 and both times Govia officials have turned them down because they don't want the extra hassle of accomodating the loco and train set in the sidings at Eastbourne - strange that considering that there is one siding next to platform 1 that is non-electrified and is hardly ever used. The WCRC official said that unfortunately Southern Govia are the most difficult company to negotiate with compared to the other private rail companies when it comes to proposing to run a steam rail tour. But WCRC are determined to run more tours down to this part of the country and hopefully sometime in the future it will be a more common sight to see steam specials in East Sussex.

 

Afraid the WCR 'official' is mis-informed (and, as a steward, certainly not speaking in any official capacity). Unless they foresee 'safety' difficulties in handling crowds, Southern (or, indeed, any onther station operator) cannot dictate whether charters call at their stations; station staff, in the south, actually tend to be very receptive and helpful when charters do run. The main limiters are capacity (ie. pathing), which is a matter for Network Rail, not the local TOC, and cost.

WCR will always consider any reasonable proposals. Many will unfortunately fall at the cost stage; translating the"I'm sure shuttles would sell" or "it would be a good PR exercise" into ticket sales rarely pays the bills.

James S
WCR

 

the original idea,was that the cost could be partually underwritten by southern and the local bodies , as a guesture towards enhancing touristm what are the economics of running a days worth of short shuttles as oppossed to one tour? is network access more expensive or a one off cost, by running shuttles i would think that the rarity of being able to turn up and pay on the day also, would make sence, other mainline toc;s have sponsored steam tours they in turn use a toc with a steam safetey case such as WCR to provide the service how thesable would it be for a toc to sell tickets as an add on to the normal fare, its all a pipe dream, but i just wonder, just how pro steam are the TOC;S or would they like one, who runs out to the west openly be hostile i know network rail provides the pathing , but i just think it would good to see these companies who charge some of the highest fares for their customers in europe to give something back to local comunities

 

Back in June 1992 Network Southeast ran a series of shuttles between Hastings and Ashford in connection with Ashford 150 celebrations. Locos used were 34027, 75069 and the class 33 33104. Around that time also there were shuttles between Tonbridge and Maidstone. I would love to see these repeated - I would have thought there is a market for trains such as these provided they were well advertised locally..

 

I always wondered why there are never any trips down to Eastbourne Airbourne as it would appeal to people interested in Steam Locomotives and Aircraft. I've always thought that trains on the Brighton Line could stop for Water at Haywards Heath because of the Ardingly Freight line which is not electrified and backs on to the fence of the car park where the hoses can be pulled over but they go to Preston Park. I remember the days when The Brighton Breezy trips used to run between London and Brighton on 2 return trips. IIRC they stopped at Haywards Heath for water.