2012 Mainline Steam Program

34046 + 34067 are shown as double heading day 8 of GBV between Bristol and Penzance on Saturday 21April. They are to return to Bristol on RTC’s “Royal Duchy” on Saturday 5 May. It is usual for these locos to spend the intervening week on St Blazey depot. However I note 34046 is now working a Cathedrals Express to Exeter via Honiton on Thursday 3 May and on the same date 34067 is doing a Thanet Belle for RTC. Presumably these locos will not travel to London from Par LE’s and then back again.

Also on Sat 19 May 34067 is due to be double –heading with 61994 on the Highland Line with the Cathedrals Explorer whist on the same day is also scheduled to be working the Golden Arrow Statesman around Kent. So this loco is seemingly in Inverness and Dover on the same day. Hm!

I sense this means more changes to already advertised locos on tours, which has nothing to do with failures. Just how does this happen and if changes do occur why are websites not updated and tour passengers notified.

 

I would not be surprised if Vintage Trains does Copy Pit again. The trip w/5043 last year was a huge success last April.

Okay Folks, I have been told that a trip is up in the air on April 21st. I'm not giving the motive power out for this one!:violin: Guess if you like.

 

I'm going to throw in 5029 to see what a single chimney castle can do....

 

If you knew what I know............... and there's a box on the back - at first.

 

Let me guess.. The LNWRBloomer ?

 

Just looked at the Barrow - York one which looks interesting, but am I missing the point with the pricing? Its £69 standard which is reasonable or £109 for 1st class, for which you seem to get a more comfotable seat and thats it - for £50 more?

 

£109 for Barrow to York in First makes that £40 more than standard. There's less seats in first class unfortunately, which are indeed bigger, more comfortable + with extra legroom than a standard coach, hence the cost difference. We run a more frequent trolley, where practical, in first class too as most of our regulars prefer this over a sporadic infrequent complimentary service of tea and cake/biscuits and extra cost to the fare.

 

okay someone guessed Nunney Castle but is not correct, 5043 did it last year but is not this year. The panniers over Copy Pit? no
The Halls? no. That only leaves one choice. What other locomotive not listed here is located in Tyseley?

 

Must be 6201 then. Looking quickly on Uksteam, there is nothing after the double header with 5043.

 

VT hasn't posted the Spring schedule yet but I would imagine they are going to do so in due time.

I get the feeling that Lizzie's boiler certificate has already been extended to allow it to operate this year. Trips tentavily planned for March, a Cathedrals express in April to Swanage and the Crewe Pool(Cumbrians and North Wales, no Scarborough flyers).

It is also great that 6233 is going to be out this summer. 2 Stanier Pacific are going to be out in force. Big Schedule for 6233 as well.:happy:

 

Our program is going to be released this weekend!

And yes, I can confirm that we are taking the Bloomer over Copy Pit then Shap. We might have to use the 2 Panniers as banking engines!

Seriously – program will be available this weekend.

 

I would love to know why these steam trip companies seem to refuse to consider Newcastle as a starting point for steam trips.

Newcastle has everything that is required to run a successful trip. Hotels within 2 minutes of the station, somewhere for the train to stay over night to water / coal and also to turn.

The Weardale trip has ran for the last 2 years successfully and certainly seems to have been very popular. Surely it must be worth one company having the bottle to consider and actually put into action. I am sure they will find that it is worth their well. Select a good route a decent loco and reasonable pricing aimed at everyone and it should work.

Who will be the first to consider this I wonder! Probably no one.

 

Wasnt this very subject debated at great length on this thread only a couple of weeks ago? In fact I think it eventually turned into a bit of a slanging match!
One thing which I suppose goes against Newcastle as a starting point is the proximity of York which has loads of steam activity in past summers.How about tour promoters doing add-on fares from Newcastle ect. to York?

 

From VT’s point of view – we are based in Birmingham, so to run light-engine to begin and end a tour in Newcastle is simply not practical.

I am not sure if SRPS out of Bo’Ness would consider it with one of their guest loco’s….even so Edinburgh to Newcastle is still a very long way.

Nothing personal – just not practical (for VT).

 

Rickd,

I posted this a couple of weeks ago, and a know it all, knocked it down as a "non-runner" after issues selling out 30 years ago.

However marketing has moved on a lot since then, a trip starting at york, up ecml to edinburgh/glasgow, and then return would in my view be a runner.

Coaching stock already in York, after SSE or similar, 1 large area regular to steam, and 1 untapped market waiting for a return.

Dont know what the hard part in marketing that is, local paper involved, celebrity loco, got to think it could work.....

 

Isn't Tornado doing something similar to this on 6th June ?

Brian

 

Showing on UK Steam, nothing on SD website.

 

BR 60163 'TORNADO' STORMING WINTER TRIPS 2011 - YouTube

Hopefully Tornado will be doing more of this in 2012, please wait til swindon shot in the dark

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