Tornado Paddington/Penzance 29/05/17

I think you might like to rethink your calculation of the Pathfinder price in terms of ppm, because you divide the price (9900 pence) by the miles (530), not the other way round. And that works out at a shade under £0.19 ppm. Still slightly below the ppm for the A1 SLT outing (£0.23 ppm including the steam leg), but clearly this would be the wrong tour for you if the only appeal would be the Western haulage leg of the overall package.

So you might know what the best option is, but its probably best to fuel the knowledge of your own preferences and what makes "financial sense" with at least some kind of realistic view of the price that you would be paying for the privilege.

BTW if you know anywhere, and I mean anywhere, in this kingdom of ours that is offering any kind of deal for any kind of rail-tour at a price of £0.05 ppm, I'd sure like to know!!!!

 

Surely if you are afraid of the height when you reach Mr Spamcan's level, it rather implies he is at a somewhat loftier level than you, so you need to ascend from your current base position, rather than stooping, to reach such level?

Just saying ...

Tom

 

Seriously considering doing this as a) never gone beyond Par with steam and b) haven't had Western haulage for over 40 years. Perfection would have been a Deltic on the return leg but you can't have everything.
A long day out but a "proper" rail tour in my book.

 

I have no wish to take any side in any of the arguments, but I do find it somewhat intriguing that 34098 would have some interest in a ride behind a Western diesel if the price were right but has no interest whatsoever in a ride behind an A1 because it is a "northern" loco. Is that because Westerns were normal traction on that route at one time whereas A1s never were? A railtour nowadays is a significantly different experience from ordinary travel years ago in various respects, so why is it important to reproduce one of them?

 

Whilst I can see the attraction of being hauled by classic motive power over the routes it used to work, it's been a long tradition with rail tours to take locos well off their normal stamping ground. How else would we have seen rebuilt MNs in Carlisle and A4s in Weymouth (other examples are available) in BR days? A "mismatch" of loco and route has never stopped me from booking.

 

Back in 2013 we had an 806 departure off Pad and didn't get to Plymouth until 1420 with water stops at Newbury Station and Tiverton Loop. So around 1600/1630 arrival based on that I guess with a Plymouth water stop to take into account. With time in Penzance as indicated, the return won't be until 1830 or thereabouts. Wonder how quickly a Western can bring 9 back to Pad???

 

It's also a brave decision to go so far in a day and rely on a 50+year loco to get you back on time!

 

All joking aside, the hydraulic could be the Achille's Heel of this tour but hopefully not and I don't think 1015 has disgraced itself of late.

 

Odds are we'll bail at Taunton for Bristol if there's a setdown.

 

You should have been at the 1948 trials; a WC to Inverness!

 

Sorry, off topic. With a Johnston's Press voucher you can do Leeds- Carlisle-Whitehaven-Carnforth-Leeds for £10 which I reckon is about 3.3 pence per mile. Admittedly there's a bus involved and admittedly it's a touch dark coming back from Carnforth. That's the bargain basement end of the day out market. Lovely trip on a nice day.

 

In 1948 the newly formed British Railways held trials between the former railway company’s locomotives. No. 34004 Yeovil was chosen to work over the Highland main line between Perth and Inverness, with a LMS 4,000 gallon tender to provide water pick-up.

No 34004 Yeovil at Blair Atholl, Scotland, on 15 July 1948 - before the rebuild.

 

And what a magnificent performance that was. Driver Swann and fireman Hooker wasn't it?

 

I know it's nice to reminisce but that was 50 years ago and in very different times. Thought this was a Tornado to Penzance thread????

 

That's it. I had doubts when I typed Swann.

 

What's Tornado doing after her run to Penzance? Visiting Bodmin / SDR / P&D? Returning on another charter a week (or 3) later?

 

Can't be worse than the 45 minutes flat we had when RTC ran 'Royal Duchy' positioning moves to PZ before the GBs around 2009-2010. Remember having Western haulage then, too. Visited three pubs and had a half in each, including the infamous Blue Anchor Spingo Ale.