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35005 Canadian Pacific

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by siquelme, Oct 23, 2013.

  1. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    Is Belmond going to be as strong a brand in the future..

    Its history is based on selling itself as the VSOE.
    However once SNCF put their VSOE offering together, the focus will shift away from Belmond onto the real VSOE and this will just be an expensive train, that has to compete for space with the Brighton Belle and the real VSOE..

    However hopefully SNCF will see steam appeal and look for operators for it's trains ?.. though sadly I doubt it, nor do I expect them to do it in the UK.

    in short unless they resurrect another famous train brand from the past, the market for British Pullman will probably shrink once the VSOE labels have been peeled away and re-badged elsewhere.

    Look at it from the paying customer perspective... for example:
    The Blue Train in Johannesburg... is what is it.. world renown and covered in history.. should the carriages be re-badged the "Belmond Train" and someone else start running a "Blue train"... which are you going to be looking for ?
     
  2. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    Agreed - Belmond seems a distinctly unexciting name for such a superb product. Perhaps if the market for the British Pullman in its present form shrinks as you suggest then the carriages might be of interest to someone like Mr Hosking to add to his empire. After all, he already has two MNs in his stable
     
  3. goldfish

    goldfish Nat Pres stalwart

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    Pullmania.

    You're welcome.

    Simon
     
  4. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    You are forgetting that the secret of the Surrey Hills is that it is a short dining trip that fits well within the day. I don't know but my guess is that:
    a) Belmond isn't interested in marathon trips (timewise)
    b) Steam is an acceptable (small) part of their business model but not their raison d'être.
     
  5. siquelme

    siquelme Well-Known Member

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    Spoke to a lovely chap at the gala who was working on the CanPac sales stand at Ropley on Saturday and who said there was lots of interest and donations for the beast, so just a big thank you to those who contributed towards CanPacs restoration costs.


    PS You can now buy a very nice CanPac mug from Ropley shop which is highly recommended and currently drinking from mine as I type this. Profit raised from the sales will go towards its restoration cost.
     

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  6. siquelme

    siquelme Well-Known Member

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    Her blue livery is now a thing of the past. The last of the top side paint was removed from the frames today when the final layers of Green, Blue and Black paint were needle gunned off. There is now more BR express blue paint in my hair now then on Canadian Pacific.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  7. 34007

    34007 Part of the furniture

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    Thanks Simon for the update.....Do you have any photos of this?
     
  8. siquelme

    siquelme Well-Known Member

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    Will be posting a blog post in the next couple of days. Stay tuned.. Safe to say lots of progress.

    We have also received a couple of Bulleid coach bogies to strip down as well. The only minor issue we have at the moment is the boiler is on a well wagon in Eastleigh Yard as the boiler shop doesn't have any room for it yet.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  9. 34007

    34007 Part of the furniture

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    Excuse my ignorance - But why the stripping down of a couple of Bulleid Coach bogies?? And what are they from?
     
  10. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    They'll most likely be from the 2nd Bulleid coach being restored at Ropley, the number of which escapes me, though work has started in earnest!
     
  11. siquelme

    siquelme Well-Known Member

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    The railway has 3 Bulleid coaches, they own one which has been nearly completely restored and 2 we have a 25 year loan from the Bluebell. The 2 bluebell Bulleid coaches are part of the heritage lottery bid we applied for. The reason we have them at Eastleigh now is becasue we have a good team working on CanPac(some of us are unable to get to Ropley) and we are quickly running out of jobs to do on the beast as we cant actually do any restoration on her until the lottery bid is decided one way or another. This way we can countine working whilst hopefully the Heritage Lottery decides in our favour and us younger chaps (myself included) can keep learning new skills.
     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2014
  12. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    99 years? I thought it was only 25!

    "In 2012 the carriage was placed on a 25 year loan to the Mid Hants Railway. This is on the basis that we do not think we'll get round to overhauling it in the next 25 years (given that we have another 4 Bulleids, 4279, 1481, 2515, and 4227, all awaiting major attention), but wish to retain a fourth (and our only original SR) Bulleid open third for the long term, since we consider we are likely to want it for Bluebell service as part of our collection over the very long term time-scale. The MHR were looking for a third vehicle to go with their two Bulleid brakes, and now have the retoration facilities to be able to undertake this sort of work. It is clearly also in the best interests of the coach that it be overhauled and used, rather than sitting unused on our sidings for 25 years. A win-win-win situation for both railways, and the carriage itself."

    From http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/1456.html

    Tom
     
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  13. Hurricane

    Hurricane Member

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    Whilst the information is excellent and its great to see hard work going on at the MHR outpost Eastleigh… I do believe the 99 year lease to be incorrect as I believe them to be on a 25 year loan with the payment being restoration.
     
  14. siquelme

    siquelme Well-Known Member

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    I stand corrected ;-) Most things on the railway seemed to be 99 years I assumed this was the same :) Thats great news for me in 25 years I might be able to blag free entry into the Bluebell ;)
     
  15. Hurricane

    Hurricane Member

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    Siquelme as previously mentioned you should by now be entitled to a MHR volunteer pass, which would give several benefits such as free travel on the MHR. However a real bonus is the reciprocal arrangement with several other major railways for free entry including the Bluebell.
     
  16. siquelme

    siquelme Well-Known Member

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    I'm finally got around to working on that thanks for the info :)
     
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  17. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    You can probably travel free on the gwsr too Simon, I get free travel on the mhr, yet to be used though.
     
  18. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Going slightly OT - I must admit that when I travel on other lines (such as the MHR) I tend to pay rather than use any reciprocal travel arrangement, simply because I feel that the railway probably needs the money more than I do, so it feels like a donation!

    Tom
     
  19. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    Likewise, its the same as giving a donation where there is no charge.
     
  20. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    If I'm travelling for free then I'm far more likely to buy food out than if I pay for the journey in which case it's a flask and a packed lunch, so swings and roundabouts!
     

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