RTC 2020

I think you're right and it was originally Scotsman, which would explain the price.

Dave B

 

The C.M.E. 29 August 2020 from Crewe via Man Vic to Carlisle return has been postponed due to low bookings to 28 august 2021.
Davo 56F

 

And the waverley on 23 August now will run with 45562 Alberta so obviously work on 60163 tornados support coach isent going to be ready in time. And the fares have been reduced back to the normal fares so anyone who has booked on this also when advertised as tornado will get some money back on their account for their next tour with R.T.C.

 

Also vanished from the RTC website is 10th September's Swanage Belle. No surprise here - in the current environment with social distancing requirements, etc, I can't imagine that the Swanage Railway would want to have to handle a visiting railtour on a day when its regular services to Norden will also be running. Still, the previous week's Weymouth trip is still shown on the website. Currently scheduled to be 6233 outward with 31806 taking the train back to Southampton.

 

Another one bites the dust.

Email from RTC confirming cancellation of 13th September's Weymouth Seaside Express, due to lack of bookings.

Have asked to transfer to The Cheshireman on 14th November instead.

 

Makes me wonder if R.T.C. are putting travellers off on their tours by making wearing of facemasks mandatory unlike saphos who give passengers a choice about wearing or not wearing fasmasks, and that alot of elderly passengers do not like the idea of been couped up in a MK.1 ironclad coach for hours on end in facemasks and only been able to remove it whilst eating or drinking aboard one of R.T.C. tours
Davo 56F

 

3rd September wasn’t it?

 

The cheshireman september 5 2020 dep Norwich to chester has also been postponed by R.T.C. to september 4 2021 due to lack of bookings, and due to the covid 19 pandemic putting travellers off daytripping at a guess.
Davo 56F

 

You will be lucky bleeder if you book the cheshireman bleeder on 14 November from Bristol via the welsh marches, R.T.C. may pull it due to lack of passengers booking who go on it like whats happened on the C.M.E. 29 August 2020 and the Cheshiremam on 5 September been pulled by R.T.C. what i tried to book on both the latter 2 but if the goverment fully lift the covid 19 restrictions in October you may be in luck by then.
Davo 56F

 

If its not the different rules then R.T.C. and W.C.R.C. have about wearing facemasks a mandatory requirement while on board the latter 2 T.O.C. and saphos giving their passengers the choice to wear a facemask or dont bother if you like rule. Is it the capacity issues then saylike R.T.C. W.C.R.C. will only run their trains at saylike above 60% capacity and saphos will run their tours anyhow cos their making their money by selling 1st class seats only and allowing no more than minimum of 2 passengers. If not thease 2 reasons could it just be that saphos tours are more popular than R.T.C. and W.C.R.C. tours?
Davo 56F

 

Every company will have its own cost base (which is likely different) to decide what is profitable, or if you run at a loss which no one can do long term unless you have private funds.
Masks may or may not make a difference but tours are leisure travel and the passenger profile is normally on the older side of the population who may not want to take the risk. As I have said before I personally would not travel Saphos because of the non mask policy. But then I would not go to a pub or restaurant either.
Remember the old airline joke, how do you make a £1M?, answer, start with £10M

 

Of course its a business decision by Saphos, but are you suggesting it's an unsafe one? Are Saphos taking a lead here where other operators should be following? I don't know the answer to that, but can at least speak from personal experience.

At no point in Wednesday did I feel unsafe and the measures Saphos had put in place were very clear and very obvious. The use of spacious first carriages, limited numbers, at seat service and requirement to wear a mask when moving about a train controlled any point where distance was less than 2m. It felt far safer than some shops or pubs I have been in recently.

The Welsh First Minister was questioned why he was delaying opening up households to more friends and family this week, when different groups could meet at a shop or pub. His response was that businesses are controlled environments which make them inherantly safer, whereas in a home environment people will let the guard drop. The Saphos experience is a controlled one still.

Of course, profitability is going to be questionable, but the Devonian was sold out, as are several other Saphos trips. Are they making a profit? Only they know that, but they are in full control of costs, unlike RTC and Co.

 

September 3rd's Dorset Coast Express now removed from the website- another with low bookings?

 

Was booked on this, it has been cancelled by RTC:

 

The waverley 23 August confirmed as running the tickets are been posted and emailed tomorrow according to the girls at R.T.C. when i rang up this morning to ask, still no times up yet on R.T.T. the 6 september waverley tour is still showing on R.T.C. though as well.

 

Yes they are...

James

 

Out
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55089/2020-08-23/detailed

Return
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55092/2020-08-23/detailed

 

I have been advised from a friend of a friend "in the know", that 6233 "definitely won't be" hauling the The Royal Duchy at the end of the month.

Another likely cancellation? Or perhaps a day out behind a box for those who have booked tickets?