'The Royal Duchy' - 30/08/20

I see the fireman forgot to put the Class A lights on the engine or don’t Saphos bother with such details?

 

This wasn't a Saphos operation it was RTC and WCR.

 

What is an enthusiast? I invariably travel with my wife in dining and it's rare not to find one or several others that I would class as enthusiasts in the same coach but a minority nonetheless.

Whether it is a problem is difficult to judge. Presumably the reasonable assumption is that different passengers have different expectations of steam excursions. But what are those expectations? AFAIK none of the rail tour companies undertake passenger satisfaction surveys of any kind. The most one can state with any confidence is that participants in NP discussions disagree about the acceptability of diesel involvement with steam haulage. Who knows what the majority of passengers think about that or anything else?

 

The majority dont care whats on the front are probably more price sensitive than gricers.

 

Thankfully the charter passed Teignmouth before the line was closed due to a gentleman sitting on a signal gantry at Sprey Point. <BJ>

802010 + 802017 1A36 20:15 Plymouth to Bristol TM
Held at Newton Abbot 20:52 - 01:39. Arrived Bristol TM 04:17, 6 hours 3 mins late.

802013 + 802014 1C91 18:03 Paddington to Penzance
Arrive Plymouth 03:15, 6 hours 5 mins late. Train eventually cancelled.

802110 1C94 19:03 Paddington to Plymouth
Cancelled from Exeter St Davids. Train returned ECS to Paddington.

800303 1A98 19:48 Plymouth to Paddington
Cancelled from Teignmouth. Returned ECS to Plymouth.

802107 1C96 20:02 Paddington to Plymouth
Cancelled at Exeter. Spent the night there.

 

Of course, I don’t know what made me say that

 

I guess (as I had forgotten also) there is a Dalesman today (46115) so I suspect BIL was needed as a standby.

 

I started stewarding in 2006 and in that time it is fair to say I have seen the passenger demographic change considerably. I do not know what it is like now, although some travelling may well have booked before the "event" and decided to not waste the money.
There are of course still enthusiasts in all classes (although what is "an enthusiast" really) but dining and first have become majorly focused on groups having a nice day out, those on birthdays or anniversaries, the "silver pound" in great numbers, and many of these are just happy to have a steam loco at the front.
However I personally believe there is a price point it is difficult to exceed in great numbers which works out around £250 dining, £150 first, £100 standard, or did pre covid.
The big unknown I guess is what is that price point in the socially distanced world going forward and will people pay it, and can tour companies survive.

 

There don't seem to be many shots of this train so I offer my efforts in case anyone is interested.