Vintage Trains: Plans for 2018

Latest update from VT is on their website at http://www.vintagetrains.co.uk/newsitem/adrian-shooter-on-staffing-the-new-toc/8.aspx.

All very promising so far, a recruitment drive for new drivers and firemen is never a bad thing; although they are still just less than halfway to their £800k target for April.

 

Latest Update: https://t.e2ma.net/webview/wd7dn/e311e527ab6cceae1e54858876327dd6

 

A video of Ben interviewing Adrian in a Class 230 DMU is available on YouTube at

We're treated to a tantalising first glimpse of their initial planned 2018 railtours in a brief image, which I've attached to this post. The drawings are fantastic and very professionally done, they really evoke the romanticism of steam. The regular trip to Chester appears to have a new name - Grosvenor Express - and they're also planning the S&C trip to Carlisle in Autumn, so they must be confident that they'll have drivers with route knowledge by then.

 

More good news on the new TOC:

https://www.stratford-herald.com/87194-full-steam-ahead-new-train-company.html

 

Anybody have any more info than this recent update on their website?
Update - 21st June 2018
We at Vintage Trains are in the process of obtaining our own Passenger Licence. We are working with the Office of Road & Rail (ORR) and are making significant progress. We hope to run The Shakespeare Express later in the season but, until we have our passenger licence in-hand, it would not be right to take bookings and your money.

 

That's quite a recent update then, five days of which two were a weekend.

 

There are a couple of articles in the latest Steam Beano about VT. The gist is what you've quoted: they're aiming to run Shakespeare Expresses mid-August to September but there's a lot of formal paperwork still to complete. Happily, their Sunday paths are baked into the national timetable so there's no need to wait 13 weeks for a charter train application to be accepted (or not). There's also the small matter of running-in and acceptance tests for Clun Castle. Reading between the lines, I'd expect a couple of light loco and/or ECS test runs before passenger services start.

BTW, although the share issue has passed the minimum target with a bit of a margin, VT still need to raise a considerable sum over the coming months. If you've not already done so, have a look at their prospectus and consider how much you can offer to support this independent TOC. See http://www.vintagetrains.co.uk/csoffer1.aspx

 

Spent the morning at the Tyseley Open Day, excellent as always. Can anyone identify these three locos please?

1. The saddle tank behind Kinlet Hall.

UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_mini_d8e4 by longdogs posted Jun 30, 2018 at 2:19 PM

2. This 0-4-0 engine outside, behind 4588.

UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_d8cd by longdogs posted Jun 30, 2018 at 2:18 PM

3. This green saddle tank by the turntable.

UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_d8eb by longdogs posted Jun 30, 2018 at 2:18 PM

Thanks.

 

Vintage Trains at Tyseley 29 June 2018

The cruel hand of fate descended on Tyseley Locomotive Works and the Vintage Trains operation earlier this year. Just as the magnificently restored no 7029 Clun Castle was ready for the mainline, alongside classmate no 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe which is nearing the end ofnits main line ticket, the West Coast Railway Company declared it could no longer provide drivers for Vintage Trains mainline operations. Were we to lose the opportunity of these two beautiful machines running together on the main line?

Undeterred, the powers that be at Tyseley pushed ahead with their ambitious plan to form a Community Interest Company to further its many ambitions in railway preservation and operation. Chief amonst the objectives was to become a Train Operating Company which would be self-sufficient in operating on the main line.

Nearly a million pounds was raised in just a few months, with hundreds of members of the public becoming shareholders to support these bold objectives. The company hopes to begin mainline operations towards the end of the summer.

Meanwhile these two beasts are caged within the confines of Tyseley, with only occasional opportunies to be seen by their admiring public.

One such was the open weekend on 30 June / 1 July. Martin Creese of 30742 Charters secured the chance of an exclusive photoshoot on the Friday evening, when the sun shone strongly from a cloudless sky to show these very special engines at their best, along with some of their shedmates.

Many thanks to all at Tyseley, and to Martin, for enabling us to contribute further to the new company's coffers, and enjoy a wonderful evening in the sun with these iconic locomotives.

40 photos are at http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/p62784574

Peter on yet another warm sunny afternoon in Manchester
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com

 

Great photos there

 

The first ones an Austerity, not sure which. The second is P 1722 'Rocket' from Telford, the third looks to be HL 'Pony' ex Chatham Dockyard. The website UK Locos might help you with the works numbers.

 

Thank you.

 

Nice set there Peter. I was on Martin's charter too, have uploaded a selection of photos to Flickr:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/djcs_trains/albums/72157698045579174

 

Thanks David, your photos are excellent.

The one of Kolhapur is knockout - that rich crimson lake! I'm cursing the traffic on the M6 which made me half an hour late, by which time Kolhapur had already been put away in a corner.

Peter on a hot Manchester evening
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com

 

Thanks, yes that was an added bonus to be able to capture it being shunted on to the turntable. Would be lovely to see an operational Jubilee in those colours again!

 

Thanks for posting these photos. They serve a a reminder to us of what we've been missing these last few months with the VT fleet confined to base. Hopefully before too long, there will be some news regarding the date when VT will be running as a new TOC.

 

It's no longer "Early 2018", but this thread is still receiving posts while one of the others concerning VT in 2018 (https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/vintage-trains-2018.998155/) has had none since last September and the other one (https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/vintage-train-operations-2018-and-beyond.1057070/) is closed, so this seems the best place.

On the Royal Duchy 2018 thread

Does this kybosh VT's planned double-headed Castle trips?

 

From the same article, "We are committed to double-headed 'Castles' so it needs to come back in a reasonable timeframe. It's unfortunate it can't be this year, but we're committed to doing it."

And, " I don't see it being a protracted overhaul - maybe 12-18 months, though I can't see us starting it before the end of the year."

 

Also, in 'Steam Railway', VT hope to run the first 'Shakespeare Express' on August 26th.

ORR declared on June 29th that it proposes to give VT an operating licence following a mandatory consultation period which ends on July 27th.

 

This is the ORR Notice: