Borders Steam 2016

Wind was a pain today, as was the dullness! However, I have come home with one shot of No. 46100 'Royal Scot' heading off in to the distance, on the last stretch of the climb to Falahill Summit :

No. 46100 'Royal Scot' - Falahill by Jonathon Gourlay Photography, on Flickr

 

Managed to get a shot of the Scot on the first run of the day at Borthwick Bank..
https://www.flickr.com/photos/iancawthorne/28215306294/

 

Just seen a video from last Sunday and the train look virtually empty !

 

It appears that lessons are being learned from the current pricing of the Borders trips, and currently a respectable discounted offer is being made available on all afternoon trains for the remainder of the program:

https://www.itison.com/Edinburgh/events/borders-steam-train-trip

Also, was a hit and miss day again for the sunshine, but here's No. 46100 'Royal Scot' climbing Borthwick Bank this early evening :

Rebuilt Scot No. 46100 'Royal Scot' - Borthwick Bank by Jonathon Gourlay Photography, on Flickr

 

Wonder if there was a degree of 'novelty value' in last years operations? or bad choice of day but understandably done to fit around the timetabled services...

 

Crackin shot Jonny a Scot in Scotland gets the light

 

My effort from near the summit yesterday

http://www.crozierphotography.co.uk/picture.php?/2716/category/583

Steven

 

Very nice Steven

 

Scotsman - Alastair Dalton: Plans for steam services have hit the buffers

 

Not surprised. I went along to Waverley a few weeks ago with my 7 year old son to see the Royal Scot departure. Was early morning and despite the train being virtually empty and seemingly more Scotrail employees there than passengers, we weren't allowed to go down the platform to see the train. Kindly asked a Scotrail official if I could take a quick picture of my son in front of the train as he'd been looking forward to this all summer. But very rudely told to go away or he would alert one of the 3 police officers there on duty! There were around 5 fellow enthusiasts, mostly of an advanced vintage, who were told the same.

Terrible attitude and decided there and then not to take the family on any of the Scotrail steam tours.

 

Scotrail are never going to meet those steam franchise commitments unless they use WCR - DBC simply don't have the resources and the flexibility to run the kind of service Scotrail promised, which was based on a partnership with WCR (they are probably more expensive too, which might explain this years price hikes). Just how much say P. Verster has in the running of Scotrail I don't know, but I was surprised to see him on Reporting Scotland giving a statement on the recent strikes....got the impression he wasn't a man I would want to do business with. If he is involved in day to day running then it's time he went given the staff shortages/cancellations that have beset Scotrail this year - bus substitutions on the Mallaig line with the train running empty stock because of a guard shortage (I had to explain to my fellow passengers on the Jacobite that the 4 coach empty train at Arisaig was not due to a lack of custom) for one example.

 

Unlikely that the said P Verster will be keen on asking WCRC to rescue their steam programme, given his contretemps with David Smith over the summer running of the Scarborough Spa Express during dry conditions a few years ago.

Peter in Manchester
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/

 

Bet he would if the price was right!

 

But if he doesn't (although I don't see why he should have any say on this in any case, I thought he was just some grossly overpaid glorified liaison officer between Scotrail and NR) then he will personally be responsible for Abellio being in breach of their franchise contract.
I think I took offence to him on the tele because he reminded me of Eugène Terre Blanche

 

You are David Smith and I claim my £5.

 

It is perhaps worth bearing in mind that in the time since Scotrail submitted its original proposals the context within which steam charters operate generally has changed considerably. As @BigAl has mentioned elsewhere, outstationed stabling etc is less straightforward than ever. Maybe some rethinking will be done.

 

Concur: Re fares - For my wife and I when I checked a few days ago for today's run the minimum price was 2 x £55 and at £110 therefore too expensive and without the food. Parked at Shawfair to watch it and realised we could do the route up to Tweedbank (Not done previously) upfront of the tour for £11 return the pair!! Rode up to Tweedbank, had a cracking meal in the excellent Herges on the Loch restaurant plus seeing 46100 in and out for £48 all in. Fully appreciate that steam is expensive to put on the mainline but this highlights the excessive premium currently if you have only a normal income.
Steam today 46100 Diesel was 67008

 

PS to earlier post- what's the duck mascot all about on 46100?

 

Totally different today at Tweedbank, lots of posing by the engine and all totally friendly. Perhaps the issue is the staff at Ed W specifically. Have also on occasion (But not always) found the staff at EW to be the most bolshy B******'s on UK's railways when just passing through as an ordinary, confused, pax transiting the station!