15/12/2011 4492 The York Yuletide Express

There are skeleton actual times on RYTC site:
The Christmas White Rose

See also the thread on this Saturday's ECML trip for James Shuttleworth's explanation of the non-availabiltiy of 4492's second tender.

 

News to me, although probably fair to say that any steam delay, as with all performance, is being monitored (by ourselves, DBS and NR).

The circumstances behind today's trip I have explained on another thread, so I don't think it is fair to attempt to point the finger at one operator against another - although, of course, we do operate rather more steam ops than DBS.

 

In WCRC's defence, what option did they have if the 2nd tender was knackered ?, there was no intention of deception as some claim in this case, just an unfortunate failure of a rather important piece of kit.

 

Even so, based on recent practice I think that if you want Steam Haulage, on the route you expected and with the loco you anticipated you should avoid RTC tours operated by WCRC!

 

Now being reported 4492 has come off the train and is staying at York before working back south on Saturday's tour.

 

On that occassion (30/10/10, IIRC), there was a serious delay at Waterloo at the start of the tour (all the gory details are in the archive somewhere), so in order to retrieve as much of the lost time as possible, and to give the passengers a decent length of time in Exeter, the class 37 on the back gave a lot of assistance.

 

If I had been on this tour I would be looking for 100% refund.

 

Very cold and very windy out there today (hence the exhaust) but a blast on the chime from the driver was nice! :thumb:

"The York Yuletide Express"

 

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Good picture there. Strange, that even though we do not expect to see diesels 'inside', the photo reminds me so much of early 60's at Paddington, seeing a Hall or Castle arrive with an express passenger with the 'failed' Warship inside !!! and we mocked then !! Never saw the diesels on the back though.

 

I thought she'd done pretty well this year over a variety of routes. I can't remember much problem....but then memory......used to be better !

 

You wouldn't have got it before Hell freezes over matey!

 

Don't get me wrong she did have several great runs on the Dorset Coast, The Great Britian Tour, and Bath Spa expresses. Today was rough though.

 

I have the exact same memories but at Reading. How many times did I see a Warship or Western arrive at Reading on one engine? Or if it was a Hymek you were stuffed. How many times did the Reading steam pilot take over a conked out hydraulic? I let you work it out, I know what I saw.

 

How is it a rough year for Bittern? I've seen her half a dozen times this year, and she's behaved faultlessly every time, even running early on occassion. Today, there was a last minute problem with the second tender (see other thread) and diesel assistance was required. Sad, but survivable. The passengers got to their destination and home again, though not in the style they expected. Most tour operators offer a discount off a future tour, or something of the sort, when this sort of thing happens.

 

Mike1522, even from the perspective from 5000 miles away you do spout an awful lot of erroneous, nonsensical drivel.

 

Not with Dobbo, I know (at least without resorting to the courts) which is why I won't travel anymore with RTC.

 

I have removed my post and I regret in what I said. Sorry everyone.

 

Well done mate; best way.