5043 - The Seaside Flyer -23-05-15

Well, not once did, I, see anyone looking out of the windows on both tours yesterday, which, I, can safely say, I, have never seen before.

 

Also has a sticker on the windows which ORR might spot which say "do not lean out", luckily a blind eye is usually turned in this respect, prob best to just tolerate it in the short term, ORR will be sastified and not on every trip after a while, as someone who's not adverse to seeing a loco work hard up a hill from a droplight, I'm not exactly thrilled about it either, but it's not advisable to give ORR anything.

 

Please. After the anxious few weeks the rail enthusiast market has encountered, are we really stressing about a limited number of passengers not being able to don their goggles and lean out of a window? If it secured the long term future of steam rail tours, I would be content to lock them shut forever. A small price to pay affecting a minority of passengers.

Well done to VT for getting this out of the blocks after a period of serious uncertainty.

 

Here in my vido from saturday nights adventure at tamworth:

 

The voice of sanity.

On previous VT trips I have usually managed a spot of window hanging. But let's face it, there are only so many drop lights to go round. On yesterday's trip there were only 2.5 standard coaches, so that's 10 drop lights assuming the centre ones are blocked off. As VT and others will generally not allow window hanging in first class as it causes draughts and interferes with the waitress services etc. So how are these divided up amongst the 'I must have a drop-light' fraternity I wonder? If you luck out, how is that different from yesterday's situation - does that mean you won't travel again?

I'd also point out that on yesterday's run up the WCML we were battered by the usual swarm of Pendo's, worse on the way back when the down lines were closed, so we we were passing oncoming Pendo's on the adjacent line, the shockwaves from which were severe enough inside our compartment with the window open. My fall back position is to use my camera's foldout screen, so at the worse you lose your camera, not your head.

 

Dear buseng of Reading. This is absolute nonsense. The only time that toilets are locked-off on our trains is when they are out-of-order. The most common reason for this being they are out of water. We have NEVER locked off all the toilet 'just because'. I invite you to ride on one of our tours and experience our apparent cruelty to passengers firsthand. Surely you could join us at either Banbury, Oxford or Bristol? I will even offer you a special fare from Bristol to Minehead on 13th June if you are available.

To all others: There has been a sign over the windows and drop lights forbidding passengers from leaning out since the coaches were built in the early 1960's. The rule has always existed. There have been occasions when this has not been enforced, but alas we now live in different times. I was reminded that some charter sets used to have bars over the windows to stop this; let's not go back down that route! I personally wrote the wording on the first page of the route notes reminding passengers not to lean out or stick anything out of windows; repeated failure to comply could cause you to be removed from the train. Yes, it's that serious. I briefed all of our volunteer stewards in the week before the trip; this issue was the one that they were most concerned about as they knew it had the potential for conflict. I must say that the vast majority of the passengers understood and took it in their stride. To them we offer out thanks.

It was a Herculean effort by WCRC and ourselves to get us back on the rails; to those who worked tirelessly over the last few months we offer our sincere thanks. Without this effort, our future Saturdays would be very different indead!

 

Very good point regarding window hanging, it's always been a no no, just not enforced. Personally, Ive never been into it, but have found it highly annoying having to dodge certain bodies while entering / leaving the train. There's also always been the risk of injuring someone standing in a doorway while opening the doors between coaches. Very welcome move by VT then, and I hope others follow suit,

 

I live in Greater London and have travelled with them several times; sometimes making an early start to get to Birmingham, sometimes spending the night before in a hotel in that area, sometimes joining at Oxford. All less convenient than joining a railtour that starts in London, but the trips concerned have been sufficient justification for the inconvenience.

 

I live in West Sussex and have travelled on a number of VT trips joining at a number of diferent locations including Tyseley, Snow Hill, Moor Street, Bristol, Cheltenham, Oxford, Liskeard, and Crewe. Most have involved an overnight stay, but if you book up in advance you can get a good deal, even with Hotels that you can cancel and get a full refund at short notice. There are a number of Premier Inns a short drive from Tyseley. I have driven up the night before, stayed for one night and driven home after the trip.

 

Please Note!
The toilet business is what I read elsewhere & NOT my experience! Only passing on the info, why would people say these things that if there wasn't anything behind it?
Not worth posting the link because not everybody can access the original source.
By the way, a HAPPY bank holiday to you all - NOT!
Seems people have nothing better to do than come on here & quote/attack me.
Well, I've got better things to do than to read the sarky/nasty comments on here.
Thanks for the offer by the way, but despite what others might do or not do I think travelling to Bristol is a bit far (& expensive train fare wise, I certainly don't want to drive) to join a rail tour from Reading.