Torbay Expresses 2017

Problem there is, I believe there's still a cap of sorts on delay minutes payable by charters even if some TOC's have wanted the goalposts moved recently, If you want Delay Repay NR may well demand the removal of this cap in return.

Course the sensible thing to do would be to scrap the whole delay minutes farcical merry go round altogether, I understand why it was brought in, So no operator could consistently be causing delay without repercussions, But as we seen with WCRC, NR can withdraw a licience of anyone they are not happy with, This would be a better way to keep TOC punctuality in check rather than delay payments constantly going back and forth between TOC's where the only people making any money are those employed to send it back and forth in the weekly ping pong match.

 

If the penalty for consistently causing delays were suspension of the TOC's licence, that would be bad news for a lot of ordinary travellers. A financial penalty seems much more appropriate, so that the more delays any particular TOC causes the more money it loses.

 

I doubt any of the current TOC's are consistently causing anymore delays than the others, So unless one is head and shoulders miles worse than the others, They'd have nothing to worry about, Delays happen, We accept it, It's when one is continually worse than everyone else and nothing is seen to be done about it that questions should be asked.

 

Northern would never be running trains if that were the case, although as they seem to see passengers as a genuine hindrance that would probably suit them.

The fact that it seems to take on average 3+ months to get anything back via their delay repay system say it all really!

 

Try TPE delay replay. They told me they had no details of my online claim by email. They had got my email address from my online claim! Took six months...

It's one thing when a TOC causes delays but when the cause is NR then charters should be covered too. NR should pay up.

 

The TBE FTR's have always been carried out on the Saturday as far as I can remember. Clearly on this occasion it wasn't ideal for the passengers but at least it shows that the "on the day" examiner is carrying out his duties to the expected levels and depending on what fault/s are found, depends on the level of repair/s that may be required. Remember as well that the engine hauling the train should have also had a pre FTR by its own engineering team prior to the examiner starting his examination. Again, it goes to show that the examiner is carrying out his duties responsibly and correctly as he is authorising the engine to run, if anything happens then he will be answering any questions that get asked by hierarchy! Decisions on FTR failures aren't taken lightly and if repairs can be made in time then they generally are but clearly this is always not possible.

 

Here's hoping for a good unassisted and trouble free run for Tornado, Torbay Express Ltd and passengers tomorrow!

 

At least the coaches were in place an hour ago!

 

At Yatton in the rain.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16582147@N07/albums/72157684098851041

 

Does anyone think I’d have much luck trying to pay-on-the day for the return trip today?

 

Third time lucky today for the Torbay Express. Tornado had it's new automatic spark arrester in action as it departed from Bristol, namely torrential rain , and boy was it heavy. Despite the weather the train was certainly motoring when I saw it at Flax Bourton.

After the Torbay Express it was a steady drive over the Mendips to inspect Ivatt 41313 at Cranmore and then on to Upton Noble to see Union of South Africa flatten Brewham bank.

A good day all round.

Many thanks to all concerned for both of today's main line steam charters. <BJ>

 

that sounds like a brilliant day

 

did u mange to get on?

 

Never mind the weather. This TBEL ran and that is to be celebrated after the unfortunate problems on the last two. I for one hope that everyone has had a great time and the rest of the season runs without hitches.

 

Haven’t got there yet! Return is at 16:50, right?

 

As I was waiting for the 1850 Taunton Leeds train, Tornado rolled into Taunton on its return. Lovely to see a well loaded train and loco looked a treat. Train arrived 18L after a 12L start at Kingswear. It was however smartly away from Taunton 3L at 1903 - I decided to get the next northbound departure after Tornado left Taunton!

 

It was a great day out, thoroughly enjoyed by my friends and I, and, as far as we could tell, by everybody else in our coach. Tornado was in sparkling form.

 

Indeed. Last trip was behind King Edward I but a rake of BR Maroon stock. This one will be a Southern/BR Classic with GWR chocolate and cream.