Sherborne Carols 15th December

With no steam involved I thought a good blast of a Christmas Carol might be appropriate: that was the purpose of the trip!

 

Bit of a shame a few people decided to throw £90 away just because there wasn't Steam,
I;d love to be able to throw that much money away,the train ran so don't get the problem.

but anyway after all of the you know its not steam questions I was asked.Its amazing how many people dont understand diesels have a following too , even Duffs.
Yesterday made a change from Tangmere.

West Coast Class 37 37518 Departing Sherborne 15/12/15 by , on Flickr

West Coast Class 47 47854 Diamond Jubilee Sherborne 15/12/15 by , on Flickr

West Coast Class 47 47854 Diamond Jubilee Departing Sherborne 15/12/1 by , on Flickr

 

I think it's a big problem for those who wanted a steam hauled train and paid for it, but ended up with haulage by two poison gas machines. It's happening to often now.

 

Poison gas! I know WCR are considered bogeymen by certain people, but even they wouldn't use Xyklon B!

 

Run it with diesel or cancel the train.. T&C state........locos subject to availability...

 

Fair comment Nick .....but then I wonder how you would feel if you had paid good money to travel on a railtour behind Western Champion but after arrival at your local station you found that the loco on the front of the train was a class 67 diesel. I'm sure that you wouldn't be very happy and it wouldn't be what you had hoped for.

I hope I have explained the other side of the argument as to why folk who travel on steam charters prefer to have a steam loco at the head of their train.

Have a good Christmas mate,

Bill. <BJ>

 

v

 

And could you imagine the howls of protest from the diesel neds if a tour advertised as Class 37 hauled turned up behind a steam loco?

 

You might be a bit suprised that the diesel fraternity are more tollerant of kettles than those who follow steam with a dislike of diesels..

 

I think you mean a diesel in the formation, there is not normally an intention for the diesel to do any work. When I photographed the Duchess either side of March the tin box was only ticking over and was just another 80tons for the loco to pull, not a problem for Sir Williams finest.

 

In your dreams.

Instead of the Duchess pulling an extra 80 tons around the March area, let her pull an extra 80 tons over the Devon banks. I'm sure that the Duchess would be assisted by the diesel at Hemerdon. <BJ>

 

Totally agree, find the way people on both sides refer to the opposite traction pretty obnoxious, but the anti-diesel comments from steam people tend to be more vicious and it can make this forum a depressing read when you appreciate all heritage traction. Feels like there have been more diesel-tolerant comments from posters here of late at least, and that's really appreciated.

Personally I decided against getting an afternoon off to follow this one down my former home line as it was Tangmere again and I'd done that last year, but if I'd read that it was classic diesel traction on the route instead I'd have made time for that, especially the 37. Bulleid/47/37 - all a nice change from a 159 (which in itself is a pretty comfortable unit for a modern era machine).

That said, I do understand that if you've paid for steam, you want steam - and that this year in particular a LOT of people have paid for steam and got diesel. But as someone whose ideal main tour is probably a GWR express engine one way and an English Electric diesel back the other way, I was very, very pleased to read Woof Mk2's post and get very, very, very bored with all the 'box' noises made around here.

 

Of course I would be gutted Bill, I wasnt trying to be funny or rub salt in the wound, its just a fact of life on tours, especially nowadays.. I must be in minority who is happy with both steam and diesel, yes 1015 is my favourite but im also helping with 6024s overhaul so I can see both points of view.. I just react to the vitriol spoken about diesels.Diesels will be part of many tours in the future otherwise they will not run. Thankfully one of the few trains that doesnt have a diesel is the Torbay Express so there are trains out there..

Merry Christmas to you Bill and lets hope 2016 is better for Steam in the West Country...

 

Some may be but not all and not all steam lovers are intolerant of diesels.

 

Things are far from perfect, and many passengers must wonder whether it's worth booking again, but be careful what you wish for. That sort of legal challenge might be enough to send a tour promoter into financial trouble after the very difficult year they've all had. Or RTC might decide that the UK market isn't worth the outlay anymore, and concentrate on their overseas tours instead. As Peter's Grandfather would say, "then where would you be?"

 

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Actually, with a number of caveats which should be obvious, a failing market is when a competent new entrant is likely to succeed.

 

One journey I am most looking forward to undertaking in 2016 will be not just a diesel but a DMU and will only involve about 1 1/2 miles on the national network, but having followed the Swanage Railway's progress in reinstating a regular service to Wareham for some years, I am thrilled that their fulfilment of their objective is finally only a few months away. Of course, I'd prefer top and tailed steam and I have already done Norden- Worgret Junction behind steam in both directions on a railtour , but even as a steam lover, whatever main line trips I might book on during 2016, this DMU journey will be a real highlight of the year.