"Open Train Times" website - detailed train times online at last!

Campainr,
My comments were addressed at Ben who I understand is involved with Vintage Trains.
I don't know who you are so therefore your comments are not valid.Please leave it to Vintage Trains to answer the question.

 

He says from behind an alias, Campainr's views are just as valid as anyone elses on here.

I also believe my version of events regarding OTT are quite correct, I refer you to post #27 in the Winter CME thread dated 17/01/12 In which i state I have seen the Trains Path, it was via the Open Train Times site that i saw this path, some time before National Preservation was aware of the sites existence.

Next I refer you to post #1 in this very thread dated 29/01/12 In which a suspicious WCRC light engine path is cited on OTT which started the panick about a possible Diesel on the back of a tour.

Therefore my version of events is quite correct as the dates show OTT existed some time before accusations of a possible Diesel on the back started, and I stand by my opinion that someone at Carnforth got hacked off by results and requested the removal of WCRC times from OTT.

 

RalphW
That is just my point.Vintage Trains are being hampered by the TOC who keeps changeing the goal posts at the last minuate.
Why do you think that Steam Dreams have decided to move to another TOC.There fed up with the changes that occur.
I still stick with my view that if a change in an advertised tour is unsatisfactory to a passenger that he/she should get a cash refund and not a credit note.
If most are happy with the change then thats up to the individual.Just don't critisise anyone if they have a different opinion.

 

I assume that you have direct evidence (straight from the horses mouth so to speak) to fully support your first two points?

 

Be careful “palace gates”. I am going to (try) and make one thing VERY clear.

We at Vintage Trains use WCR as our TOC – I’m sure you know that already. I want you to give me ONE instance when WCR has hampered VT’s operations in ANY way! (at least in the last 3 years that I have been involved.)

Routing changes are NOT caused by WCR. Why would they care whether we go this way or that on the way back from Hellified? It doesn’t make sense. It VT has a last minute (2 weeks is last minute?) routing change, it is due to water-stop availability, gauging or track-maintenance. We don’t change things “just because.”

WCR do an excellent job for Vintage Trains. I am not going to comment on the relationship between Steam Dreams and WCR as I don’t know the details, nor do I want to. I suggest that unless you are either Graham or Marcus, YOU don’t have a clue either!

Remember; this is a public forum and making statements is a very dangerous thing, unless you have the truth to back you up.

If you are on the VT Tour over Shap and S&C on Saturday 10[SUP]th[/SUP] March and feel so slighted at not traveling DOWN Miles Platting, how about I move you to the Red Rose trip on April 21[SUP]st[/SUP] and give you an upgrade, so you can travel UP Miles Platting and Copy Pit instead?

I resent the inference that the Tour Operators and/or TOC’s are somehow “out-to-get” the train enthusiasts and con them out of their money. Most of the staff on VT’s tours are volunteers and train enthusiasts who work exceptionally hard both during the week and on weekends just for fun and the love of steam on the mainline. What’s with this “us or them” attitude that seems to be prevalent with a few very vocal members on here?

To all who tuned in for a bit of light bed-time reading, I apologise for the rant!

 

No need to apologise, Ben. It needed to be said, and you made your points with admirable restraint.

There is a bit of education needed. The steam rail-tour business is quite complicated, and few of us passengers and observers appreciate who does what. Sometimes we see changes from the published itineraries that puzzle or confuse us. Posts here from people like yourself and Bob M help to spread the knowledge around. Please keep up your good work, both with the trains and with educating, informing and entertaining the rest of us.

 

Seconded

 

That's rather an odd statement. In any field of retail if the supplier advertises something then offers a bit extra for no extra cost, then of course you would accept it gracefully, but if they advertise something then don't provide it, you have a right to feel aggrieved and demand recompense.

 

I haven't got the original tour details to hand, but wasn't it advertised as returning from Blackburn to Crewe via Manchester, which is UP Miles Platting bank.

 

Dear Ben,

as Steamage and 46233, I too think that you are a fantastic bloke and if the sun failed to shine, I am sure that you could do something about it.
Can I have a free ticket now?

Yours humbly,

 

Who's to say that the re-route that takes us down the WCML isn't better? Instead of Miles Platting IN THE DARK, we've added extra high speed running down the WCML.

If there is ANYONE on here who feels VT have cheated them out of Miles Platting, I will gladly move them off the Shap trip on March 10th and onto the Copy Pit trip (Red Rose 21st April) instead. I have the confirmed route for April 21st and it includes Eccles, Man Vic & Miles Platting.

Is that an acceptable solution? If so, send me an email to ben@vintagetrains.co.uk and I will take care of it.


Drifting a bit off-topic here - sorry!

 

Flattery will get you anywhere nowhere! lol

 

Well said Mark
H

 

Maybe I’m reading my rail atlas completely wrong, and I do not claim to be an expert on the railways around Manchester (Cheltenham to Paddington is my line!) by I don’t see how the path from Blackburn to Crewe via Manchester goes anywhere near Man Vic or Miles Platting!

Hellified>Blackburn>Bolton>Moses Gate>Salford Crescent>Ordsall Lane Jctn>Deansgate>Man Oxford Rd>Ardwick Jctn>Slade Lane Jctn>(either Mauldeth Rd or Stockport)>Wilmslow>Crewe.

The wording in the brochure / website before it was revised said (cut-and-paste from the draft document) “From Hellifield, our route takes us through Blackburn, Bolton and Manchester to Crewe on our way home to Tyseley.”

At no point did it mention Miles Platting OR Manchester Victoria!

If you want to come at me with a gripe about not going through Bolton, then fire away, but enough about Miles Platting! It wasn’t ever mentioned.

Now, can we get back to the OTT debate?

(If someone tells me Miles Platting is between Bolton and Moses Gate, I'm really going to feel like an idiot!)

 

WHAT?! it was originally going via stockport?! Now I am really mad! :mmph: Guess there'll be no vintage trains for me this year! :caked:
But unlike some people on here, there is others (the more sensible) that do appreciate the work that VT, WCRC and NR put in to make these tours go ahead! Even if You wont come anywhere near me! (I just wanna see the earl! :Cry
Thanks
Matt

 

True, it didn't mention Miles Platting OR Manchester Victoria, but the usual steam route from Bolton to Crewe via Manchester IS via Vic and UP Miles Platting bank. Had it gone via the route you suggest (i.e. Oxford Road and Piccadilly) that would have been a first for steam in preservation which if that was the case is an bigger loss than Miles Platting.

 

I kmow - but I'm not holding my breath. It was also advertised by HF Railtours for their trip from Crewe to Glasgow last year, but that went via Vic (and didn't come back via Manchester at all).