Cathedrals Express to Alton, 2/12/17

My comments were not specific to the train in question but in response to the general point raised by @Gladiator5076 as to what general responsibilities tour providers might have as compared to TOCs.

 

So if I go on holiday and the weather's bad can I expect compensation from the travel agent? When if comes to compensation we should get back to the concept of negligence. Were SD or WC negligent, no. Was NR negligent, who knows but you'd have a job proving it. Your last sentence is right sometimes unsavoury smelling brown stuff happens and we have to get over it.

 

925 at the head of the tour.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/27033982329/

The Duff in charge on the return.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/duty_druid/38779317012/

 

The ECS is returning to Alton this evening for the Tuesday outing to Bath:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U54185/2017/12/03/advanced

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

The comparison is fatuous because the weather is not sold as a feature of the product, is it?
If however, a flight delay occured that might be grounds for compensation even if it was the fault of an airline or tour operator other than the one you contract with. Purchases are made on the basis there is a sliding scale of compensation, backed by a bond scheme?
It seems to me SD and counterparts are in a vulnerable position if they have to rely on nobody being disappointed enough to seek redress when things outside their control go wrong, if no contingency exists to cover potential liabilities.

 

To me there were three things that spoiled my enjoyment of the trip yesterday.

1. The late start. Unavoidable with the emergency possession at Willesden.

2. Arriving at the destination at around the same time the train was due to leave for the return leg. Again accepted as a consequence of part one.

3. The lack of any heating on the train in winter. Now that is the part that is completely unacceptable and the blame for that can only be aimed at one party, it's not like it is the first time this has happened.

My piece said, I await correspondence from Steam Dreams with interest....

Andrew

 

Virtually every holiday I go on mentions wonderful weather, but you miss the point, who has been negligent and the answer here is none of the parties involved so tough.

 

The last SD trip I travelled on with my Dad some time ago suffered the same problem as point 3. There was no heating throughout the day. On the return journey the light above us blew with a large bang. Someone from WCRC was sent to fix it. The guy couldn't fix it and exclaimed in front of the passengers "these bloody carriages should have been scrapped years ago!" We were given emergency lights which lasted about 10 minutes before the battery went flat. After this the SD stewards vanished from our carriage never to be seen again. We spent most of the return trip sitting in the cold and dark. We decided that we would never go on a SD trip again after that.

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Yet you book in full awareness the weather is not "arranged". Does a tour customer book in the same position as regards operational contingencies?
Neither is it a requirement for negligence to have been a factor in sub standard provision for compensation to be payable.
My point is the tour operator has obligatiins and potential liabliities to mitigate unplanned events so ought reasonably to cater for it. I am not saying they don't, its a general observation.

 

Ah you were one of the chaps on the bridge. My two lads enjoyed the run through Bentley even if it was a little chilly!

 

Actually parked in Alresford headshunt now with 47580 at the head

 

Good day to you! Yes, guilty as charged!! Have put some photos on Flickr and noted the other chap has done the same!

 

A few of this train on the Mid Hants and one of 45212 at Ropley

Special on the Mid Hants by Arle Images, on Flickr

Cathedrals Express at Medstead by Arle Images, on Flickr

45212 at M4M by Arle Images, on Flickr

Essex in Wessex by Arle Images, on Flickr

On shed by Arle Images, on Flickr

 

Had a pretty extensive email from SD today offering apologies and a substantial discount valid until 2020, which I probably will use at some point next year. It explains that a later return path was sought, but NR were unable to do this due to no path being available, and so the activities during the layover had to be cut to suit. Whilst it didn't affect me as I was planning to leave the train at Alresford anyway, apparently Winchester was packed-out.