Vintage Trains: Plans for 2018

The latest news from Vintage Trains.
First trains should be operating late Autumn:

https://t.e2ma.net/webview/ojmfo/5263cc7d97ec74ae5d935354a148b59d

 

Email this morning to Shareholders has this in:

We have hired drivers, both steam and diesel, and are going through the procedures to re-certify them to be licenced to drive for us, on our routes and with our locomotives. We are pleased that driver Ray Churchill has agreed to come out of retirement and drive our top-link steam expresses for us; it is comforting to know that our trains will be in a familiar and safe pair of hands. Ray has also agreed to assist us with training the next generation of steam drivers; something the mainline steam movement has been lacking recently. We are so happy Ray has returned to the mainline with Vintage Trains that we even named our bear after him.

What about the first trains?

The immediate question that everyone naturally asks is when we will run our first trains. Being granted the licence is a huge milestone but there are many more pieces to this intricate puzzle. We want to share more of the steam experience with you by running more trains. But, to do this we have still much to do. We are working through the processes and expect to have some dates for you to consider shortly, with the first steam operations starting in late autumn.

 

I think that anyone who has had even the slightest connection with VT in the past will be delighted at this news. I wish them well and await with interest their new programme. I now live rather a long way from VT's catchment area, but have extremely positive memories of both the VT trains on which I travelled - one hauled by 5043 and one by 4065.

As for Ray,

I guess he will regret not having one final fling driving it under the new set-up before its overhaul, but 7029, I am sure, will be a worthy substitute.

 

Echo that and WC were required to institute "traction inspector" as a third crew member as one of the "improvement actions" arising from enforcement action. As I recall it had been standard practice but lapsed over time.
It's probably no bad thing that VT and LSL have likely endured greater scrutiny during their set up than might have been the case had they been applying say 5 years ago, although they might not be so thankful! If the process has had to be more robust, I think it augurs well for the resilience of their status.

 

Does the VT release actually say anything about 3 manning footplates, I interpreted it merely as confirming that they would be also instigating a training programme to ensure sufficient crews going forward, a process that any company should be undertaking anyway as part of its business plan, WCRC seem to be regularly training and passing out news drivers/firemen?

 

I wouldn't bet against VT copying Saphos in their opening year, so it wouldn't shock me to see diesels on the rear until they get their first year of operations under their belt.

 

With VT’s stock being vacuum braked and the fact that they will probably now be fined for any delays caused to other trains, I would be extremely surprised if they don’t have a diesel in the formation of most, if not all, of their longer distance tours (i.e. Shakespeare Express excepted), but I will be happy to be proved wrong.

 

We wouldn't have bought shares in it for that. It's never been mentioned.

 

Having diesels on the back is not the VT way, I honestly don't think it will come to that. VT trips have almost always been pure steam, and I have seen nothing so far that would lead me to think that is changing. Both Ray Churchill and Bob Meanley hate having diesels on the back.

 

Correct, but this a new dawn for VT, so they'll want everything to run smoothly, even in the rare scenario of a loco failure. Saphos don't need to use diesels on the rear, they have a generator car.

 

As I said, I would be happy to be proved wrong, but VT tours in the past have been operated by WCRC and it is WCRC who would, initially at least, be the ones who have to pay any penalties when other trains are delayed. Are VT really going to run a vacuum braked train to York, Carlisle etc and leave the only means of recovery back in Tyseley? The other option would be for a vacuum braked diesel to shadow the train, which adds to the costs.

 

Has anything ever been mentioned by VT about using diesel assistance, or is this just another NatPres hare? It would certainly take the shine off my enthusiasm for them.

 

Not that I can see, seems to have started around post #87 in this thread?

 

You know NatPres, good for speculation, rumour and I know something but I can't say. So take your pick.

Dave B

 

Movements out of Tyseley...

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...18/10/09/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

Route following the Shakespeare circuit twice in the day with intermediate runs running to/from Small Heath. Timed 35 out and 60 return suggesting steam is on the front running tender first and chimney first respectively.

Promising signs, although would be wise not to take as gospel in the early days...

 

Has an operator code been assigned for VT yet, couldn't see it in the list? "VT" is the designation for Virgin West Coast.

 

Appears to be ‘TY’, but as with the early days of ‘LS’ it’s being listed as ‘unknown operator’

 

My money would be on a test run for Clun Castle, that is the next logical step before running any steam charters. Or maybe for Bahamas, though they have said the loco will be moving back up to their base at the K&WVR so presumably is not going to be part of the Tyseley 'stable'.