RTC 2021

I was tempted by The End of Southern Steam, but I'm not sure why they don't have a Southern locomotive hauling it.

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Clan Line does very few trips besides those for Belmond, and BIL seems unlikely to stray down south very often. Is Braunton at all likely to be available for operators other than Saphos? Are any other Southern locos likely to be main line registered and operational next year?

 

E-mail from RTC (the website still shows it running from Bristol):
We are pleased to announce that we have successfully secured alternative dates for our Royal Duchy trains to run in 2021. The tour will run on Sundays 11th July, 1st August, 29th August and 12th September 2021.


Please be advised that we have been notified of a pre-planned engineering block at Bristol station. Therefore, our 2021dates have amended pick up stations as follows: Slough, Reading, Newbury, Westbury, Taunton and Exeter. This trip will be diesel hauled from Slough to Taunton where the steam will take over, collecting passengers at Exeter en-route to Plymouth and Par.

 

Just had a succession of Emails from RTC informing us that their January and February tours have been cancelled. I'll be surprised if anything runs until after Easter.

 

In agreement also there with you shireman that nowt will run from R.T.C. at least until march ive only booked the C.M.E. 30 Jan from man vic and cotton mills express 27 Feb 2021 the cotton mills express has no new date as of yet but the C.M.E. ive had a Email offer to transfer my booking to the C.M.E. 28 Aug 2021 a washout for steam on the mainline in the winter season to early spring due to the seriousness of the covid 19 pandemic
Davo 56F

 

If the GB2021 runs in April it looks like those of us wanting to head home by LNER after trip will have to plan carefully to avoid the London Engineering works.
https://eastcoastupgrade.co.uk/planned-closures/

 

I think the easing of restrictions for April will be a tight run thing and then you'll still need the whole of the UK to be in tier two.

 

Yes plus the vaccinations 2nd round and any associated safety periods.

 

Email received Wednesday, while they still hope to run in April, they have provisional dates later in the year.

 

Would that be in the Autumn? Would like to see a GB rail tour in September/October with all the autumn colours.

 

They just said "As a precaution we do have provisional dates ready for later in the year should a postponement be necessary" We can only guess right now it may be September as mooted last year.

 

An article in this week's New Scientist includes this:
"When will vaccination campaigns allow life to return to normal?
"Not any time soon and maybe not fully for years."

It therefore seems likely that railtours for most of this year will run (when they can run at all) under similar conditions to those in the latter part of last year. Some of us considered those conditions tolerable for a day, some of us did not. How many of us would consider them tolerable for a week?

 

Do you have a link to the article?

 

Sorry for delay in replying.
https://www.newscientist.com/articl...onavirus-vaccine-dose-protect-you-and-others/

 

I see the Yorkshireman (March 6) and CCE (March 13) are not (unsurprisingly) still on the RTC website.

 

It is now advertised as 35018 BIL.

 

The Buxton Spa Express on 5th June is advertised as reaching Buxton via the Peak Forest line. (Assuming it runs) that suggests a diesel on the back for the reversal from the sidings into Buxton station, which in turn suggests the likelihood of rear-end assistance on the hilly bits.

 

Why? The run round siding at buxton has recently been extended. If the route stays as is it seems possible run diesel free. But I'd be happy for any steam around about now..