2010 Steam Tours

Ok... I've got my tin hat on and the trench is well supplied for the expected onslaught!

Just a plea to the Tour Operators for 2010 - for those using a pool of locomotives; can you please try to set a roster at the start of the season indicating the "intention" to run a particular loco on a given date. This means that potential customers can plan which tour they would wish to do behind a particular loco or even better book multiple trips knowing the potential for duplication is reduced.

Yes I know how fragile the stock is and that mechanical failures represent a high risk to loco at least 50 years old. Any reasonable person would accept that if a particular loco failed at short notice it would have to be substituted. This is an inevitable risk.My point is about intent and giving customers the opportunity to choose.

It may not matter to Joe Public who just thinks it's a good day out, but perhaps it does to a core of the business no matter how small in number. On some trips, that small number may represent the difference between profit and loss. Margins are tight.

Hope this is viewed as a constructive proposal.

 

I think it was made quite clear in the railway press that the use of pool's, despite a few grumblings, was a great success. I really dont see the problem; for those who are desperate to ride behind a certain engine their use tends to become clear days or even weeks in advance anyway.

Chris

 

No, I agree with dp266 on this. We don't all have unlimited cash at our disposal and also many people work on Saturdays so to be able to forward plan and budget, ie save up, as much notice as possible of your favoured loco is the way to go.

 

I just hope that us down south get something other than Tangmere. Every year most tours are with Tangmere. Clan line usually does 1 or 2 tours and we usually get something prestigious such as 70013 or in 2007 6233. But I hope charter operators use 34046, 30777 and maybe 6100 ( i dont care about regions), plus 34067 and 35028.

Dont get me wrong, we all love to see 34067, but it just gets a bit samy IMO, maybe if it werent just the green train it hauled it would be better.

 

Here Here !, sadly for the enthusiast Tangmere's making good money and it's passengers probably only ever ride behind a steam engine every blue moon.. so they don't notice ! Hard to knock a success story even if it's not ideal for the enthusiast, but you know all power to them and good job !

With all the money made by 34067 I guess it's next overhaul and return to steam will be a quick one too ! Still whilst I just can't force myself to go to Victoria just to see it any more.. I still want to catch a ride behind it before it's overhaul comes... maybe it's next return would be in Southern Green ?

Maybe WCRC could be persuaded to let Tangmere have a run on the S & C and we'll take 46115 on a southern vacation

 

According to Graeme Bunker a passsenger survey revealed less than 10% of passengers on Steam Dreams trains read anything in the railway press. When asked which engine they most wanted ( options Tangmere, Gresley, Cromwell and Tornado and no preference) , most people ticked - no preference.

30777 has been used by Steam Dreams before, but has limited route availablilty. It was reported that it did not cover the haulage costs due to the only hauling 2 tours, rather than the planned 5(2007). It is also not powerful enough for the routes it is gauged for e.g. Waterloo - Exteter( Stalled on Honiton Bank), Waterloo to Gloucester ( Diesel assistance ) Steam Dreams trains require a Class 7 or 8 due to the loadings.

 

Just recieved the excellent autumn/winter brochure from RTC (I don't have any connection to them) and I must say congratulations. Each tour has a great description and specifies the loco(s) it is intending to use on each tour.

Have to agree the southern tours are very Tangmere!!! However No 7 and Oliver do feature too.

This has helped me to plan a couple of trips behind a specific loco and route. I may have thought otherwise if I was uncertain of the loco.

 

Yes there certainly are a few trips that I will be looking at doing. A big well done has to go to RTC for continuing to run interesting one off tours. I’m already booked on Southampton Docker and Sussex Belle. All that is left is the Rutlander, Broadsman, Lincolnshire Express and Kentish Belle!

 

It's great to see Tangmere come down to the south east in December and next February on the Sussex Belle. We get so few steam specials down in this part of the country. To put it in some perspective, the wife and I visited York in the first week of September, on the first 3 days 70013 came through on the Scar. Spar Express, then on Friday 6201 was on the Scar. Flyer and then on the Saturday 46115 went past on an excursion. Now those 5 steam specials in that one week in York is more than what we've had down in Eastbourne in the last 3 years!
So for me it really doesn't matter what steam loco is pulling the train. It would be just nice to get some more steam excursions down to either Eastbourne, Hastings or Brighton areas as it really has become a rarity to have steam specials down here.

 

like this one myself along with the cotton mill & the waverly but with the heritage press reporting that leander may be spending the winter at the gcr, the question of which locomotive will end up working the tour is more or less anyone's guess.

 

Less than a rarity, more of a distant dream.....

 

Just shows you how good/well maintained a locomotive 'Tangmere' is. No-nonsense (since the Rugby oilbath incident in 2006) running makes for a high-demand locomotive that is so regular on the network that it seems to fade into the background somewhat. I've had two trips behind her, and I still want more (hence I'm interested in the Royal Duchy trip for next year). I swear that despite her being fairly near the end of her ticket, her performance has improved somewhat (Upwey single-handed with 11 on, Sole Street at 42MPH, Gomshall at 42MPH, Folkestone Harbour Branch without diesel assistance, turned GBII into the 'Tangmere Tour of Britain' and others...).

 

Tangmere's tour of Britain was some feat ! London-Bristol-Penzance-Bristol-Preston-London in a week !

Though Bittern's hot on it's tail.. what is it 5 tours in 10 days in December

 

I agree and especially the Brighton Line which gets about 1 steam tour a year. I'd love Tornado to do a tour more or less the same as Ollie C when it did the Hove, Chichester and Portsmouth trip back in July but I'd take anything really.

 

With gauging on some sections of the Southern the field is fairly limited is the problem, take awaye Bulleids, Standards and 60163 there isn't much that will fit round Kent for instance.

 

Even if 80% don't care as long as it's steam you can cater for 100% by stating the intended locomotive. Also it's that 20% that are likely to be the ones who do the most tours and not just the occasional day out. Give the punter the information and then they can make an informed decision.

 

Steam Dreams always state the loco they intend to use.

Vintage Trains ditto.

RTC state the loco on most of their tours( except some of the ones in August - Their website is not always up to date, although UK Steam Info, usually had the up to date info)

 

Well the Brighton Line can handle A4's as proved last December but only Balcombe Tunnel, Haywards Heath Tunnel, Clayton Tunnel and Patcham Tunnel are the only ones to worry about south of Redhill.

 

Yes I would agree with that and certainly the East Sussex and South East Kent mainlines are very busy commuter lines during the week. But on Saturdays and definitely Sundays it's much quieter and would be the best days to run steam specials. I think the first steam we got down here to Eastbourne was 30777 back in 1994, since then we've had Bodmin, 73096, 45231 and Tangmere. The last steam we had down here was Tangmere about 3 years ago now and when you see the mainline steam itinerary and look at all these mainline specials going on all around the country it is frustrating we're getting so few if none at all down in this part of the country.