"The Atlantic Coast Express" Sunday 7th.April 2013.

Also agreed,glad i'm not a steward on Sunday,feel for those that are,won't be traveling down from Yorkshire.

 

Just asked on wnxx Mark and was told 47245,57316 and 57601...

 

As far as I'm concerned, they've made the best of a bad job, so I'm just going to enjoy the trip for what it is; a day out in the south. It's nearly 'as advertised' as far as Exeter Central on the return, anyway. Glass half-full and all that...

 

I guess it goes to show how spoilt we have become that 8 hours of high speed steam haulage with a Bulleid over third-rail lines is now apparently such a terrible thing!

 

Precisely. I've not had much mileage behind 34067 myself, so am glad of the 'bonus' of a trip from Salisbury to Waterloo. It's not as though it won't be doing anything between Exeter and Salisbury, anyway, as I'm sure the box would be grateful of a helpful shove on some of the banks. I guess you can't please everyone, though.

 

I think it's fine for those who have had little luck in getting a successful trip over these lines to see this as been a good trip.

To those like us who have done many a brilliant trip from Woking-Exeter etc it's rather parp. Sorry,it just is,regardless of who's fault it is. Especially to what I was expecting,even on Tuesday,I believe that to be the issue here,certainly neither of us would've booked on this and doubtless a number of others if it was advertised as what it is now....

Exeter-Yeovil behind a diesel is/was the norm but going to Salisbury and then turning on the triangle,potenially meaning that all you may hear all day is the washing machine at the back,is just not worth the effort for those of us who saw better days.....and i'm only talking about just in the last 10 years or so.....

 

I have just taken a look at the official paperwork for this trip.
* Waterloo to Exeter SD, 34067 on the front and class 47 on the rear.
* 34067 to be serviced in Exeter Riverside.
* Exeter SD - Laverstock South, Class 47 on the front and 34067 on the rear.
* Laverstock South - Waterloo, 34067 on the front and class 47 on the rear.

Although it states class 47 it has been substituted before so a wailing class 57 may be utilised instead.

I think the only alternative would have been take Tangmere off at Yeovil on the way down turning it there picking up the train on the return leg. This would have left the bottom end of the WoE line diesel hauled in both directions. Ok, it is not perfect but at least Tangmere has the chance to attack Honiton bank with (hopefully) no assistance from the rear!

On another note raised above, unfortunately a loco change cannot be made at Laverstock as this is not authorised. Any loco change would have to take place at Salisbury.

 

Edit: misread previous post.

 

The timings are fine, but I woulden't trust the categories at the top too much(I hope most are aware by now it just says Diesel as there isn't a category for steam) I highly doubt 5043 took over 700 tons on it's test run last week, and I think the traction the train starts with is what the speed is set for (so it's the 47 doing 95MPH, not the Black 5 coming on later!).

 

Hi Mark

Could not agree more with your comments.

As you know I have been off the mainline steam for almost 3 years because I have spent a lot of money and time building a large model railway. But I had this sudden urge this week (Wednesday to be precise) to get back out on a steam tour and the trip to Exeter seemed perfect - as long as the itinerary was as published. I phoned Railway Touring Company and asked if the locomotives were as advertised and was told yes and the only changes were to the pick up timings. On that basis, I booked the tour.

Mark knows that I will avoid at all costs, any tour with a box on the back and look what has now happened. It may be Railway Touring Company's fault but it will reflect very badly on them nevertheless. Any confident in booking with them in the future is shattered by this. Over the top? Some will think so but I simply would not have booked on this tour had I known the revised schedule and diesel involvement. And I repeat, I did not book until Wednesday of this week.

I do not care what others say, but what is sure is that the wonderful anticipation of a Bullied climbing over Semley and Honiton banks not to mention other banks, is shattered. Reality is that Tangmere will not climb these banks with the weight of a diesel on the back and the diesel will be obliged to push. Yes, lot's of steam mileage but at no time is it on its own. If the tour is running behind time, the diesel will even push the train away from station stops. How do I know? Because I do, and have witnessed on dozens of occasions. You only have to look at You Tube clips to see what I mean.

It all amounts to an unmitigated shambles. Maybe someone in the know can advise me if it is too late for me to cancel the tour and opt for another one later in the year.

And as for those folk who are unaware of the changes, I feel sorry for them because they could stay at home and enjoy a restful Sunday reading the papers and walking the dog!

 

I totally sympathise with you. I can't speak for RTC but morally you should have every right to cancel as even on this forum it was being reported by midday on Wednesday that 777 had a problem with NR & Guage,so it is difficult to believe that RTC didnt know this and by a process of elimination that there was not going to be any other loco that could substitute. Unfortunately,I have suffered from this kind of thing from RTC more than once before and am extremely wary of booking with them.

They would argue,no doubt,that they could not possibly cancel the whole thing and I suppose from their point of view that is correct. There are no easy answers to any of this,I suppose it just demonstrates how sad and frustrating the whole business of main line steam can be.

In a way you would be doing a lot of people a favour by insisting they give you a credit for another trip,I would be most interested to hear what happens if you decide to do this.

 

I suppose they could hide behind their T&C's but I don't expect they'd do that. Given that you rang RTC on Wednesday to ask particularly about the locos, I think you'd have no problem changing to another trip later in the year. Ask for a credit note, though, rather than choosing a replacement tour now. Be nice to them and I'm sure they'll be helpful.

We have noted on here before that, sometimes, the last people to know about late changes to tours are the people who answer RTC's phones and update their web-site.

 

Should I decide not to go, I will of course be courteous to the staff at RTC. They are in the firing line and I will respect the difficult position they are in. I just wish it hadn't come to this especially after my many years in the mainline wilderness.

My God, how I was looking for to the window hogging days of the past and, as Mark (Alberta) knows, a good old wind up or two!!!

Nick

 

"The Atlantic Coast Express" Sunday 7th.April 2013.

Fully agree Nick,real shame the times have changed so much,those on here who in the past were railtour travellers on a regular basis will know exactly what I mean,it's the main reason you can go on some tours these days and just see one or two of the familiar faces,rather than the 10,15 or 20 that used to turn out.

 

Re: "The Atlantic Coast Express" Sunday 7th.April 2013.

Perhaps though that also has something to do with the much greater number of tours running on a given weekend now?

A great shame for this tour which would otherwise have been something special. Why gauging problems only get flagged up at this late stage though really is ridiculous. Are steam locos assigned modern route availability codes?

 

After todays lineside fires with 5043 and also 8f on wednesday I hope Network Rail allow tangmere to be used for sake of passengers tomorrow....

 

Wondering what will be the diesel, as 47245 is heading north..with 5043, and it's a bit of a big load for a 33, I guess this could be a 57...

Though 34067 + 33 + train + 57 may not be the worst combination.

2 trips in a few days with fires... will NR allow a 3rd ?

 

Not sure how much it counts for, but Bulleid's do have a much softer blast than a 8F or Castle.

 

It's only going to Birmingham, could easily run back tonight.