Christmas Cheshireman

I was just looking at the Christmas Chesireman on RTC and have notcied that 35018 is possible motive power for the trip.
Does this mean that 35018 could be possibly due a return this year ? or is it another copy and paste job that hasn't been updated ?
The link is here : http://www.railwaytouring.net/uk-day-trips/the-christmas-cheshireman

 

Did RTC say which year 35018 is booked on that train please?

 

I'd assume its cut and paste, although the suggestions that 35018 is close to steaming have only really been doing the rounds this year. Would be nice to have another Packet floating around the network sooner rather than later, though. However, the likelihood is that it will be 70000 or 34067, or whatever else is lurking down south at that moment in time. Might be tempted to have a couple of jaunts at that time of year, as hopefully things will have calmed down a bit.

 

70000 is on the Cath Ex Euston to Chester on that day.

 

Wouldn't mind it to be Mayflower that day.

 

'Mayflower' does seem to be punching above its weight at the moment. Not really my place to comment/offer advice, but I hope it doesn't go the same way as 34067 a few years ago and 70013 more recently, when both locomotives in their turn propped-up the entire programme in the south to the extent that they became tired. In the case of the latter, the first four years were fantastic, but reliability issues started to creep in around 2012-13. Would be interesting if 46100 turned up at the head of the train, though.

 

RTC's loco' allocations do seem to be rather optimistic at times, isn't 6023 still allegedly down for some tours that are not far off ?.

Is 70013 likely to be back anytime soon ?, having the tyres turned seem to be taking rather a long time.

 

Yes but according to the latest GWS Echo received in the last week " We have been approached by tour operators but until we are sure that everything is performing to our and the VAB's satisfaction, we will not even contemplate anyone booking the loco. If you read anything in the railway press or in publicity it's pure conjecture at this stage. Once we have agreed to operate, a train confirmation will appear on the DRC website."