GCR Creating New Dining Set

The GCR have announced that with sponsorship of some £175,000 in place, they are starting to overhaul carriages to form a six-coach Exclusive dining set. The coaching set will work in addition to their first class set. This is a move by the GCR into the corporate entertainment market, and a development of charter train business.

Central to the new rake is dedicated kitchen car 1525 which is already at outside contractors for overhaul work to start. The rake will also include two bar cars, including vehicle 1100, formerly part of the National collection.

The whole set will be finished in Pullman-style livery.

Posted here to report a new commercial enterprise, rather than in our "Heritage Rolling Stock" forum.

They must have identified a demand that they can fulfill in the market, good luck to them.

46118

 

Well done to the GCR for obtaining sponsorship of £175,000. However, I think fully overhauling 6 coaches will cost considerably more than that! Especially as at least 1525 is "gutted" after asbestos removal.

The Corporate Market has also been most heavily hit by the recession - more so in 2009 than the "Sunday Linch/Evening Diner" market. However, this project will clearly take a couple of years at least top get the train ready, so hopefully things will have improved by then.

Best of luck to the project.

Steven

 

http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/About_Us/News.aspx?ID=144

 

classy!!!!!!!!!

 

Echoing Bean Counter's post of a few weeks ago, the clear message to come out of the recent Heritage Railway Association meeting from several notable speakers was that 2010 was not the year to be investing in the corporate and executive market unless you wanted to throw your money away. Coach tours, on the other hand, are seeing something of a revival after years of decline.

 

It does say "The full train will be available to hire from 2011", so perhaps it could be viewed as investment now to pick up revenue in what the GCR reckon will be an upswing in the economy from 2011? Or not!

Patrick

 

Having said that when one looks at railtours there seem to be more first class and premier dining cars than ever. I was quite surprised how few 2nd class coaches were on the Royal Duchy over the weekend. Maybe the luxury thing is the way forward ?

The thing you have to consider about the GCR is that it is ideally located in terms of a corporate / Private market as there cannot be far off of 2 million people living within within a 15 minute drive of them. They have probably considered it a reasonably safe investment.

 

http://clive-hanley.fotopic.net/c1833353.html more pics of the two completed coaches 3042 and 4758, 3042 still needs to have work completed on it.

 

Bearing in mind this came about because of a substantial donation, i think it makes perfect sense - dining train's are a very useful and growing source of income for preservation, and now the GCR can now offer two services aimed at different markets.

Chris

 

Can you post photos of the finished dining set? I am excited to see the outcome. For sure it is beautiful.

 

Interesting that the new set is branded "Great Central Pullman". They look like Mk1's, and I was wondering...just wondering, not casting any aspersions, but can you freely brand Mk1's as "Pullman"?
I wonder if anyone owns "Pullman" as a protected brand name and you have to be "licensed" in some way to use it?

 

The Great Central Railway do have the license to operate the train as 'pullman'

http://clive-hanley.fotopic.net/p66560598.html

http://clive-hanley.fotopic.net/p66560605.html

http://clive-hanley.fotopic.net/p66560597.html

http://clive-hanley.fotopic.net/c1833353.html