RTC 2019

Can't please some of the people ever.......

 

It's one less thing to be able to complain about in terms of the T&Cs...

 

"Hopping mad Easter offer! Code EHD gets £30 off a daytrip, use EHW for £150 off a holiday. Valid until 23/04/19, no usage limit".

 

Just noticed the Bournemouth Belle is now starting from Victoria (instead of Waterloo) and is continuing onto ... Weymouth. So it'll be a DCE in all but name.

 

And no doubt will have a diesel on the back

 

Shown via Clapham Jn, therefore via Staines. ( Before anyone asks, there is no connection from the Down Ludgate Line to the Down Main Line.) Reading further down the tour specification, shown as diesel hauled from Weymouth to Southampton.
I seem to remember that 35028 is banned on the Up Line at Tooting which removes the problem of getting across the Down Line at Wimbledon West Jn/ Wimbledon "C". Another dreary slow end to the day via the Windsor lines unless the train is late enough and the SWR service has reduced a bit...

Cheers, Neil

 

Shame that either the Belle or the End Of Southern Steam trip could have not got an MN into Waterloo even in the evening. But from a quick glance at RTT I am not sure that 20:44 FL path from Woking that was the old DCE path would be available any more either.

 

In 2017 not only the Bournemouth Belle but also UK Railtours' Waterloo Sunset four days later ran from and to Waterloo. The latter was booked to arrive at 22:45 but got stuck behind a stopper on the Portsmouth Direct and arrived at 23.13½.

 

Been trying to book on the Scarborough Flyer (15/06/19) over the weekend and all seats shown as unavailable which seemed strange as I had an E Mail offering a £40 discount. Rang RTC this afternoon to be told this trip is going to be cancelled. As it was 35018 outward only I assume it was a positioning move which they were using as a passenger train. Presumably that they have not got enough bookings

 

A shame, as it would have been good to have 35018 on its move south. I await the cancellation letter with interest.

 

I see UK Steam thinks the Belle is going to Swanage, although getting beyond Corfe on a two train service day would be a challenge.
I did think though there would be a certain synergy in terminating a tour at Corfe, where Parliamentarian actions destroyed the place, when it started quite adjacent to where modern day Parliamentarians are trying to do the same thing now!

 

On a two train service day, an incoming rail tour actually reaching Corfe would be a challenge let alone getting beyond there!
However, RTC's Swanage Belle is scheduled for Thursday 12th September - a Blue (single train) timetable.
So may be UK Steam thinking is right - Mr Randles generally is - but it can work only on information supplied of course.

 

RTC's website currently says "Our steam locomotive will continue to Weymouth to be serviced whilst we have time in Bournemouth before we return to London Victoria by way of our outward route. We will be diesel hauled between Weymouth and Southampton on the return with our steam locomotive at the back ready to haul us from Southampton to London."

It can't be both "have time in Bournemouth" and be "hauled between Weymouth and Southampton". A possible interpretation is that passengers will have the choice of getting off at Bournemouth or continuing to Weymouth. With the steam loco at the back from Weymouth to Southampton, presumably the route after that will be via Romsey and Laverstock, as with some other trips, so not "return to London Victoria by way of our outward route".

 

Although I seem to remember Steam Dreams were planning to terminate at Corfe on July 29 last year (which I think was a two train day) but it the end it was diesel hauled T & T and it ran through to Swanage. I do not know enough about the signalling procedures but could a tour be stabled on the extension and the loco serviced in the road rail interchange, which would be more support crew friendly than Jersey Sidings.
When the SWR service operated the service trains used the up platform in both directions at Corfe, so I assume a tour could be passed by a service train heading in either direction during passenger unloading at Corfe

 

Now I agree with you Corfe would be a challenge as I see it has been announced that SWR are operating their Saturday services again.

 

Is it too much to hope that the diesel will run in a shadow path as it seems DB have been doing and Saphos has tried recently too?