Cumbrian Coast Express 9/4/16

Can passengers stand on charters? Well try to look through any window on any tour, and despite the pleas of the organisers the vestibules are always taken up by window hangers. That leave spare seats. So yes it is ok to stand on charters. Is standing banned in trains? Well I could post a host pf photos showing overcrowding on NorthernRail and FTP services seven days a week. Took them to ask our Transport Secretary if we were so deserving of short trains in the North. So standing for a short distance to Carnforth was viable and the poor punters at Preston would have understood.

When a problem occurs, it is not the problem that brings an organisation into disrepute - it is how they RESPOND to the problem. The coach may have been just fine when they set off. There was more than enough time to arrange for a spare coach to be released at Carnforth and negotiate a short stop in the station. It was a CHOICE by the TOC NOT to bother with this action. There is NO DEFENCE for this. Time was on their side.

Those as Preston have evry right to expect RTC to refund not only their ticket money but also compensate them for the costs incurred in travelling to Preston.

A thoroughly depressing set of events that could have been avoided.

 

So is paying by card not the norm? I always purchase by credit card, assuming that the +2% is worth paying for the 'protection' afforded. Has anyone successfully claimed for a TOC not delivering what they advertised?

 

I have found that telling the tour operator that I am going to make a claim via the Credit Card Company has yielded immediate repayment. No trader wants the bother and rik of a Credit Card Company challenging them and potentially refusing to grant access to their system in the future. Paying by Credit Card NOT Debit Card adds insurance in many ways!

 

Best hurry up or you'll miss Match of the Day LOL

 

I think you will find its the Newport-Carlisle excursion, my daughter is onboard and has just told me its a hot box on one of the coaches

 

Looks like it is the 1Z34 Carlisle - Newport Statesman that is in trouble. Has just passed Winsford at 2006 66 late. It is operated by WCRC!

Sorry to hear of the problems and disappointments with this tour, especially as 46100 has performed well. Couple of Greenholme pix here:

https://andrewstransport.smugmug.com/Northwesttrains/North-West-trains-2016/i-9fTvkqG

Cheers

Andrew N

 

Don't know who was on the throttle but LMS 7P Class 4-6-0 No. 46100 'Royal Scot' was flying through Scout Green today with the 'Cumbrian Coast Express'



Just as the rain started, LMS 7P Class 4-6-0 No. 46100 'Royal Scot' accelerates away from Arnside Viaduct with the return leg of the 'Cumbrian Coast Express', I believe GoG was on the regulator

 

Excellent photos!!
With the chance of something similar next week

 

This sorry saga is a good illustration of why I haven't travelled on mainline steam in the UK since 1993. I can believe the 2 hours quoted by WC, the threadbare rail network we now have is not geared up to anything that has to shunt, add to or reduce train formations. The obvious answer was to offer the Preston passengers standing room, but of course in the current
climate of fear I can quite understand that no one would want to make that decision.
I'm not knocking WC and it's good to see them up and running as I travel many miles photographing steam. I'm just pleased that there are enough mugs willing to put up with this sort of fiasco to enable me to do so.

 

Parton and Seascale...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/iancawthorne/26332234215/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/iancawthorne/25729480373/

 

Spades and shovels come to mind for some reason. It's a bit like following Tranmere.

Actually I was wondering about the 'climate of fear' and what would have happened in the same situation five years ago.

Tough day for WCR, the Newport train has just limped into Crewe over two hours late at 2120 and according to RTT has been Caped there.

 

Slightly off topic but at present WCRC have another fiasco on their hands - that Statesman has just been terminated at Crewe, over two hours late, presumably full of passengers heading for stations to Newport via Shrewsbury and Hereford - the next thing heading that way of any description is in an hours time and is a 158 unit heading for Shrewbury. Nothing going further south tonight!

 

Bet they'll be able to stand on that...

 

I'm going a bit off topic here, but how about that run up Shap from 46100 ! Ok, it was only 10 coaches, but compared to the last few trips up Shap, it went very well and showed us how well set up she is.

 

Just out of interest where are you stopping in Carnforth station and then accessing the WCML heading north? As per my earlier post there were all manner of logistical issues, not saying couldn't be solved but it wasn't as clear cut as suggested?

 

Passengers could travel by service train to Carnforth and 46100 with extra coach could have picked them up in the station before backing onto the special. Would that be feasible?

 

You have answered your own question - "not saying it couldn't be solved..." There has to be a WILL to solve it. Leaving paying customers to watch the train rush pass them in the station with ZERO explanation is NOT solving the problem.

To show that the will can be there, a few years ago RTC and WCRC could not run the Weymouth Seaside Express to Weymouth. Instead they planned a trip to Salisbury on the hoof. Makes adding a fresh carriage when passing base look like child's play....

 

Have you by any chance heard if there are plans to get the passengers from Crewe to Newport?

 

More to the point is who was on the shovel and what were they given to shovel.