Polar Express in Birmingham

There was an interview in Steam Railway a few years back with the owner of the Churnet Valley S160's, mainline was being considered then. I guess commercial opportunities would be limited, but once the connection to Stoke is reinstated perhaps it is something that would be looked again? The Ffestiniog branch was another option mentioned.

 

The Polar Express locomotive was based on this one: Pere Marquette 2-8-4 Berkshire type.

 

Looking at VT's Facebook page, looks like the rehearsal runs they did on Saturday were well received by those on board. However, also looks like they have been late sending the tickets out and therefore been inundated with phone calls from worried customers! Not great seeing as they've got a set number of trains planned and therefore a finite number of tickets to sell, so surely you can plan and resource to meet that demand? Hopefully those attending will be won over by the experience, seeing as it's clearly attracting a different group of customers to the usual rail tour market. I say all this a shareholder so I want it to be a great success.

 

Yes im booked on this xmas special from moor street tyseley return. the V.T. staff have announced to me if you dont receive your tickets by the 30th november just bring your comfirmation form or by email and you will still have proof your aboard with this and find your seat number on their guest list i assume and this applys to all who have booked and not received their tickets the days leading up to the event and futthermore my ticket would have to arrive tomorrow and not friday cos i live in cleckheaton nr bradford w.yorks and take me nearly 3 hours birmingham and cant wait in 4 the postman on fri 30th nov cos they dont arrive until aft 10am on my estate and im booked on the 3pm performance of the P.E. that day. Not really a good start 4 V.T. But understandable the amount o booked tickets they have to send out anyhow the P.E. Should be a good money spinner 4 V.T. if its a sell out!

 

For on-line bookings there is surely no need to rely, these days, upon sending tickets by post unless the customer requests it? Sounds like a ‘learning from mistakes’* opportunity for VT

*management-speak for what used to be called a bollocking.

 

I think part of the issue is that they are special 'Golden Tickets' , with the idea that the magic starts before the family sets out. I still prefer a proper ticket when going to see a band rather than an e-ticket and I'm old enough not to be so fussy.

Jon

 

Looks like it's selling well. The web site shows 37 of the 68 trains booked out.

 

hello
a few pics of the first run at small heath with polar express name plate and some kind of lamp on the front !!
www.flickr.com/photos/15931796@N00/

 

you were right - not that big but a lamp all the same

 

Birmingham Live covered the arrival of the first train into Moor Street. 4965 renamed as Polar Star. There's a 26 minute video here.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=526362837845767

It looks like it was a resounding success

 

I was expecting the loco to be done up like a Xmas tree !

 

I wasn't expecting the leg from Moor Street to Tyseley to be diesel-hauled. It never occurred to me that there wasn't a run-around on the bay platforms. From the video it doesn't look as if anyone minded though!

 

A nice touch putting on "POLAR STAR" nameplates.

Cheers, Neil

 

Any 1 know which month of 2019 R.A.H. 4965,s main line ticket expires and what happens to her then?

 

https://warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/moorstreet.htm
This photo shows the traverser that was once at Moor Street. The Warwickshire Railways link shows more.

 

It’s a such pity they didn’t renumber it 4005

 

Well, all Western engines look the same...