LSL Ltd / Icons of Steam fleet

Will be interesting to see how they go about operating and who will be crewing the trains.

 

WCR continues to provide conductor drivers for tampers etc

 

May be the case, but it would seem a little perverse commercially to essentially help a direct competitor get established (even if they pay for the 'borrowing' of staff), doesn't show much commitment from DBC to build their steam business if this is the case, gaining one TOC to lose another?

In the case of the second bit isn't that basically reverting back to the zero hours model that WCRC were (rightly) criticised for after RWB?

 

It might suit DBC to let LSL utilise DBC staff - especially if (a) it releases resources that DBC can better use (e.g. training staff, diagramming crews etc) and (b) lets LSL take on a responsibility that DBC might wish to relinquish. WCRC has already accepted that resources are scarce hence its pre-Christmas about cutting back on some activities hence DBC might have similar problems but now alleviated by LSL involvement.

 

From the thread on WNXX it would appear that a number of DRS employees have joined LSL Ltd, including drivers with charter experience.

 

DRS don't operate steam though do they?

 

LSL Ltd have diesels though and they could well be a plan to train the new drivers on steam.

 

They might be diesel men with steam experience from elsewhere. If they have current quality route knowledge, good knowledge of charters operations and possibly steam knowledge that doesn't have to be mainline then that could work well.

 

there will be no more locos from third parties anymore hence the patriot boiler move to swanwick junction for completion.

 

Apparently not but the question I raised, some time ago now, related more to which of the fleet would be next in line.. Since then 45231 has been through, 70000 it seems being readied for 2018 ops plus 60532 in progress. One hopes an MN can be fitted in eventually.

 

Or better still, both of them!

 

The assembled management team seems to have a wealth of industry experience which perhaps offers some confidence a suitable driver recruitment strategy has been devised during the set up. Naturally a good network of contacts too I would guess.
As has been mentioned above, getting drivers with current route knowledge is crucial, they may well have steam traction skills developed elsewhere too.

 

I am guessing there would have to be some form of secondment involved if the DBC crews went to "work" for LSL. That may of course not provide a rostering saving, maybe even extra costs if secondments are involved. Anything else would presumably be "moonlighting" on a zero hours contract and I understand that ASLEF will not provide legal assistance to drivers on zero hours contracts, for SPAD's etc.
Secondments of course are not unusual, I did three months in Sydney at Qantas back in 1994 when I worked for BA. But of course we did own 28% of Qantas at that time, but I remained on BA T&C's which I guess would have to be the case if DBC loan crews to

 

Sure it will all become clear in time, but it certainly sounds like they are going about it the right way.

 

Surely, surely, no one can possibly think we need more Bulleids?!?!?!?

 

Surely there are...

 

From a purely practical point of view, a mainline steam company would be well served by having a fleet of Bulleids in traffic, surely? It puzzles me why so few have made it back onto the network, especially the rebuilds. Other folks money, other folks choice I guess.

 

Ask yourself which type of loco has been involved in some of the worst heart stopping moments, each of which could have seen steam summarily thrown off NR for good...............