Saphos Trains

Royal Scot at Stidham Farm Saltford

 

Price rise for all trains in 2022
std£155
first£195
Pullman dining £325.

 

At least it seems like the compulsory table for 2 supplement is no longer required.

I was tempted by a couple of tours (English Riviera and Welsh Marches) which pick up from my home station, but at that price, I'd expect a decent steam mileage and those only have steam on for Taunton-Kingswear and Bristol-Shrewsbury respectively.

 

yes they are quite dear prices and they do not provide many starts/ pick ups for Yorkshire customers

Neil

 

£365 for dining.

The Inter-City tours with diesel traction are £129 first class only. Surely the use of steam isn't that much of a premium? Bearing in mind most of the locos are owned by Hosking or one of his trusts.

I had thought about a Fellsman in the summer, nice and handy when staying at my parents, but when 6 standard class tickets for all of us would cost more than a week in Centre Parcs, there's no chance.

 

The 2022 tours also allow single bookings as well by the look of it. I'll probably book on the Dartmouth one that goes from my local station, purely for the convenience, and I quite fancy the Cumbrian Coast one from Birmingham as well. I'm surprised they're even offering Standard Class tickets to be honest. If you look at all the other LSL brands - Statesman, Midland Pullman, Inter City - all of those trains are First Class / Dining only.

 

I understand that Inter-City charters use the mk.3 raspberry ripple stock which is designated first class.

Not the best (visually) when hauled by a pair of class 40s this coming Saturday. Whoops, sorry, livery debate. <BJ>

 

Not sure I agree - a smart matching rake in any livery looks good as a train regardless of whats on the front. I feel more for the passengers, they surely aren't going to hear a thing in any but the first couple of coaches?

 

Won't rather than can't pay those prices. If other operators follow suit same applies I'm afraid.

 

When you consider that Saphos were offering trips at just £65 a couple of years ago, that is quite the hike. Sorry, but I won't be travelling.

 

Does anyone remember the Pilkington set? <BJ>

 

Yes, only hauled by steam once as far as I am aware.

 

Also, now at fully capacity. Seems strange to up the price. £105 extra for premium compared to 2020. 40% increase!

 

I remember a 4-coach version being hauled by the M7 on southern metals.


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I've got one word for it, greedy. There is no doubt they have a premium product, but that sort of increase is quite frankly astounding.

When you also consider they have locos, stock and crew all in house too.

It is a shame, as for me they are local operator and I would normally book on one or two.

However, if their tours continue to sell out they will consider themselves justified.

 

Not so. I have a picture of the same loco on apparently the same stock a week later at Hemington, between Stenson Junction and Sheet Stores Junction. My notes say it was working from Stockport to St Pancras, and it carries a 'Palatine' headboard, but there is no record of such a train on Six Bells Junction, and UK Steam only started the following year.

One of the Pilkington coaches was also part of the four coach rake used behind the M7 on the Yeovil Town - Pen Mill and Maiden Newton trains on 8th October 1994. There were probably other examples also.

 

I would pay £155 for a good trip behind SNG with any diesel on a separate path. That would be fair value in my book. That apart, I will have to be content with happy memories of the Welsh Marches Express with 34046 and the Lakelander with 70000 and 45231.

 

Yes, but... that was their 1st season of operation. They said at the time it was a big discount while they got themselves sorted out. IIRC someone compared it to a theatre preview performance. The proper comparison is with RTC, Steam Dreams & VT today. What are Saphos charging compared to the competition and are their trains worth extra? For some passengers, the very smart coach interiors and / or the choice of routes and destinations will justify the difference. It will be interesting to see who has judged the market post-covid correctly.

 

As the price is the same for all of them I think the trick to get the best value for money is to look just for the ones with the best steam mileage. Consider their White Rose trip on 6th April which is steam all the way from Bridgnorth to York and back. 30 miles after Bridgnorth it then goes through Birmingham,which is where the Vintage Trains trip to York would go from. So that's already 60 more miles of steam haulage than the closest equivalent Tyseley trip.

Tyseley to York £99 or Bridgnorth to York £155.

That one might just about be worth it I think. An extra £56 for 60 more steam miles.

 

It is only one standard class coach, TSO 5991, in the Saphos rake though. There is an Intercity standard class coach as well, 12171 but it looks as if they have decided not to use it.