LMS 45690 Winter CME 21st Jan 2017

Err... where are the facts and when is the fun? Opinion by the Tender Load and long may it continue!

 

Fair point Henry , but can't see what Shep said was that bad as all he said was the rumour mongers were at it in saying no steam with no official evidence to back it up other than rubbish told by others ! If a post has been deleted then I stand corrected .

 

Steve his attitude was aggressive and stupid (It was deleted) and completely unnecessary towards an innocent member.This is a hobby but he takes it to seriously, he needs to get a life.

 

Agreed. Big clue in the New Member. Too many on here shoot from the hip but then whine when they get shot back. Thin skins...

It's not as if JS is a national celebrity... But those who know who he is do appreciate his occasional and factual posts on here.

 

Leander was purring along as the train headed through Leyand on a clear, frosty morning. The passengers, at least the non-hard-core-steam-enthusiasts, probably appreciated the (very shiny) class 37 on the rear - no doubt providing some heat (and hopefully not too much shove).

 

Wcrc 37's can't heat !!!!!!

The gen from a mate onboard is that it's bloody freezing, I'm sure the normals will appreciate that and remember their experience and travel again, especially as they're paying £109 in std class for this

Also load 10 including support coach with std class at rear on outward

So a tour advertised originally with 2 black fives, going via the Cumbrian coast and no doubt originally with no diesel on the rear delivers none of these when it runs......

Afraid as I mentioned elsewhere punters will be more wary about booking in future

 

why on why do we keep going over the same old subject ie diesels on the back lack of heat gauging issues

 

It is cold on the train, but the sun is shining down on us !

 

lets be honest the cost of overhauling mark1 to a decent standard is horrendous how much did the west somerset spend on one coach the heat on these coaches has always been hit and miss even in br days you could walk through a train and certain coaches would be freezing and others would be like a sauna are mark 2a better in this respect or do the same problems exist to bring a rake of mark 1s up to a decent standard will cost millions something the charter operators do not have i note that the tin bath has been cancelled due to low bookings is this people fed up with this issue if so i can see the demise of winter steam

 

As Big All says heat is a basic requirement especially on a cold winters day

Would you sit at home in winter with no heating on ?

Here punters are paying for the privilege of sitting in the cold with not even having been offered a free complimentary hot drink for their pain !!

 

It's not a coaching stock issue here, it's the fact that there's a diesel loco on the rear which has no capability to heat the stock, thus its only purpose can be to shove or shunt the stock

 

RTC website still showing it as available to book and its also still shown as a runner on uksteam

Where've you heard the gen re cancellation due to low bookings ?

 

Locos like this used to come in handy on days like these.............



Cheers,

Alan

 

21/01/2017 - 4-6-0 Jubilee Class 45690 "Leander" rushing up the WCMl leaving Bilsborrow with a running of the Winter Cumbrian Express from Manchester to Carlisle and return. /ATTACH]

 

my mistake buxton spa express cancelled due low bookings

 

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the people running the steam tours are not charities but are running a business and selling a product at a premium price to make PROFIT. Maintaining stock is a crucial part of any business to retain quality. Once you abandon quality, then the business is on a slippery slope.

RTC T&Cs - "In adverse conditions the train operating company, West Coast Railways, may feel the need to run with a diesel locomotive attached to the rear as a precaution."

What are today's adverse conditions???? Or is it exceeding the NR Guidelines for a Class 6 which should only have 7 on at this time of the year.

As Big Al states, this behaviour is affecting sales.

 

I was unaware that none of WCRC 37s could provide heating. My experience of winter tours that rely on steam heating is that it is usually freezing. Today, with 45690 + 10 northbound over Shap the temptation will be for whatever is on the back to push, surely if the diesel has to be present then something that can provide ETH would have been more suitable.

 

According to on train announcements, the ETH Class 47 which should have been heating the train failed last night and no other vacuum braked ETH loco was available, hence the no heat 37.

Fitters attempted to fix the steam heat problem during the water stop at Carnforth, but, apparently, its a fractured pipe which can't be fixed without lifting the coach. Plan is to turn the train at Carlisle to allow as many coaches as possible to remain heated.

We were also told that RTC and WCRC were still in negotiation with Network Rail during the week about running via the coast as a Jubilee has been that way before and so they were disputing the gauging issues at Workington.

Lots of very noticeable assistance from the 37 south of Carnforth, but not so much since then. I wonder whether it was a water issue south of Carnforth.