The Great Britain VIII

ok

Here it is https://www.national-preservation.c...uld-you-run-mainline-steam-excursions.480548/

 

Please read what I have said. I have criticised RTC for two things only. Firstly for advertising in the tour brochure that a luggage transfer service would be provided without any mention of restrictions and then, at the last minute, imposing restrictions. If the restrictions had been mentioned in the brochure, then fair enough - but they weren't. The second is the cutting short the tour at Helmsdale and not making this clear to passengers in the pre tour information or providing any reasons for why the tour is being cut short. I am not as fanatical as some members of the Branch Line Society are in getting to the very end of a line or siding, but when a tour is advertised as going to the end of the line, when my ticket says so and when I have paid for it then I expect it to happen. If not, I expect to be told so and a clear explanation of why it is not happening.

In the distant past I was involved in organising mainline charters and I do appreciate the issues involved in that sector of the railway preservation movement. My main memories are of the sleepless nights wondering if we would get enough passengers to make the tour viable. However the issues involved in running a fully vertically integrated railway are far greater than running a charter on the mainline.

 

Not to sure of all the lines and junctions in north London ,but if its going via Willesden( high level) SWS, won't 70000 be on the back out of Victoria with a reversal at Willesden HL.

 

Could it be down to route knowledge why it's only going as far as helmsdale, with db or drs working the trip if it's not wcrc?

 

The Train leaves Victoria with 70000 leading and travels via Willesden SW sidings to the GW main line at Acton Mainline. It doesn' t go through Willesden High Level, and there is no reversal enroute.

 

Does anyone have times for the 70000 LE Exeter - Plymouth move on Tuesday please.
Its shown at Exeter St. Davids 14:57 and turning (presumably) at Plymouth 17:40.
Any info much appreciated. Thanks.

 

Making up for it this weekend. Hammering down just North of Inverness yesterday and snowing in Ballater for the last two hours.

 

As one who is booked on GB VIII the arid conditions were a concern before the WCRC situation came to the fore and fears of an all diesel tour looked very likely.
I have been following this forum with great interest and while I can hardly claim to be delighted at the emerging Riley International Rescue situation which is emerging, I have had many excellent trips behind the fives, which certainly beat having a box on the front. I can only imagine the amount of work put in by RTC to salvage a tour with at least some steam on most days, albeit with the loss of Wick, a destination I have looked forward to reaching for years. I will bite the Bullet and lobby for some refund or concessions, but will try and make the best of a bad job and enjoy the trip which beats sitting at home twiddling my thumbs which I would have been doing had it been cancelled, though my bank manager would have been happier!
If there is a bright side, at least I will spend more time in my comfy seat instead of standing in a draughty vestibule all day!!

 

Yes, I think you are on the right track. On checking RTT, there is a series of trains coming into Inverness on Monday morning which means that the earliest path out of Inverness to Wick is at about 09.10, other than a very early start. This would then mean quite a late return to Inverness. One solution to the problem would have been to reverse the days of the trips to Kyle and Wick. That is, to have run the longer trip to Wick on the Sunday when there is much greater line capacity, and the shorter trip to Kyle on the Bank Holiday Monday.

It now seems to me that the real reason for truncating the tour at Helmsdale is nothing to do with the WCRC situation. If so, RTC must have known about this some time ago, and hence this reinforces my concerns about RTC's lack of transparency when dealing with its customers.

 

I have no idea when RTC was told about Wick, but without it, I would not have booked - that was the big draw - to finish Penzance to Furthest North.

 

Not so long ago running trains on the sabbath north of Inverness would have been a real no no. I can remember staying in a B&B in the North West where the TV had a cover over it on Sundays.

 

It's on UK Steam Info, if you click on the correct Real Time button
1Z82 which gives the tour's timings to Exeter.
Now click on Exeter St Davids, which will give you all the trains at Exeter around that time.
The LE working is an hour or so later, so you must click on the "Plus one hour" button (top right)
If you look down the list, you'll see the LE working at 1538 (it's marked "STP"
Click the train number 5Z86

and "Hey Presto" you have the full timings for the LE.

Don't thank me, but a certain gentleman from Andover, who told me how to do it yesterday!

Don't get in my shot please, as I'll be getting off the tour at Exeter, to reduce the box mileage I have to suffer!

 

Reading your post I personally would just be really thankful that this is running at all in any form. Just my opinion.

 

Many thanks for the info

 

ECS for tomorrow's tour??

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55361/2015/04/27/advanced

Edit - just seen there is a path from arpley sidings to go and fetch it....

 

This light engine move suggests it's a DB Schenker job.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55362/2015/04/27/advanced

 

Yes cheers rule55, i just noticed after i posted and re edited my post to prevent any confusion. Appears its DB doesn't it

 

Whatever happens wasn't it likely to be the case that the ECS etc would be a DBS job anyway what with the first few days of the tour being confirmed as DBS operated, I cannot see WCRC taking the work back if it has been arranged with DBS as I would suspect they would have to pay to do so.

I think the real test will be Tuesday/Wednesday to see if WCRC class 47 emerges to meet the tour somewhere or who moves 44871+45407 to Shrewsbury to meet the train.

 

Well, I've had SOMETHING for my £2,200. Just photographed 70000 plus support coach on the FAST line at Deepcut Bridge in glorious sun running ten early!