The Great Britain VIII

8 coaches. Surely there's no need for assistance over the Devon banks

 

Word on the street is locos as follows:
"Diesel Thursday, 46115 on Friday, Diesel on Saturday, Black 5s Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, 46115 Wednesday." I suppose 46115 could do the Shrewsbury-Grange section on Thurs? I'll bet that, even if this was the plan when it, it will probably change before the tour finally gets home. At least it's going ahead.

Edit - hadn't seen the Grosmont - Shrewsbury move on Wed when I posted this. Presume it will be Black Fives from Shrewsbury on Thursday.

 

8 passenger-carrying coaches plus kitchen, support and luggage/admin would make the usual 11-coach formation. I suppose the DL could follow with non-passenger vehicles, but that means re-marshalling the set at Plymouth, which is probably over-ambitious, even for a GB!

 

I certainly do not regard getting a return steam trip to Helmsdale a bonus, especially as a similar steam mileage had been advertised for that day anyway and all of it over new territory. Given the reduction in steam haulage elsewhere makes it even less of a "bonus". The claim that it might be a pathing issues simply does not make sense as clearly these issues would have been sorted long ago. Hopefully it is only a typo.

I have emailed RTC for clarification but have so far only received an automated response promising a substantive reply within 48 hours. Given my past experience in getting a follow up response from RTC, I am not holding my breath.

One thing that concerns me about the tone of some of the posts on this issue is that GB8 passengers should be grateful for what ever crumbs we get. I have been actively involved in the preserved railway business for over 50 years and one thing that makes me wince is when I hear a fellow volunteer say "But we are only volunteers" to justify a situation that has gone wrong. Our passengers pay good money, some would say very good money, to travel on our trains and it is our duty to provide the service advertised in a "professional" manner. Whether we are paid or not is irrelevant.

This time I am on the receiving end and I expect the product advertised or a reasonable reduction in the price asked.

 

Hardly ever. The exception being 61994 a couple of years back in the far north on a cath ex?

 

Unfortunately, this sort of issue is very often not sorted out well in advance. Most of the previous GB tours have involved late changes when it became clear that what RTC had originally proposed turned out to be unworkable for some reason, and the Far North line has had more than its fair share of them.

 

Has anyone heard where things are with West Coast? There's nothing in the public areas on Network Rail that I can find, nor on the ORR about their suspension being lifted. There isn't even a statement on WCR's own website yet they seem to be carrying out the LE movement from Grosmont to Shrewsbury?

 

When there is news to be broken, or those involved wish it to be known, you will be told. Till then, anything anywhere by anyone is speculation.

 

I don't think you can assume that WCRC will do the Grosmont-Shrewsbury move even although it is currently shown as such.

 

So expected to be DBS? Rules out the possibility of 46115 then, so guess motive power on the northern legs will be Ian's black fives with possibly 46233 or 60007?

 

It's hard not to echo these sentiments. Most of those telling us to be happy haven't shelled out over two grand!

And as for being us all being volunteers - we aren't dealing with a volunteer society running railtours - RTC is a large, internationally known, heavily marketed profit-making concern with paid employees.

 

That's true but the K4 was through piped for air so the train could be rescued by an air braked diesel loco in the event if a failure if I recall correctly. EWS also operated 3440 with a hired vac brake diesel in attendance back in May 2003.

 

Is there now a good case for carrying suitable air hoses in the support coach of vac only locomotives, for emergency 'through piping' use?

 

The amount of work to sort alternative locos, crews and positioning moves, together with all the associated paperwork in such a short timescale is mind-boggling.

 

46115 isn't air braked.

Don

 

Yes, we know Don, see #204 & 211, this page

 

No one has said WCRC aren't involved in the GBVIII so 46115 might still be used


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