Vintage Trains 2022

Sometime VT do, sometimes they don't, so it's a fair question.

Negativity, etc. only creeps in when we get into the debate about whether or not a DL is required and how much assistance it may or may not provide. Hopefully by now, we've largely moved on from that discussion. The pressures on tour operators vs the costs of the extra weight, crew, fuel, etc have been expounded at some length. In this case, Matt, you've presumed negativity when none had been displayed - yet.

For some, including Don, the presence of a DL is perhaps as important as the departure time or a pick-up close to a motorway when deciding whether or not to buy a ticket. For the rest of us, it's a point of interest, no more.

 

I'm afraid that the days of diesel free railtours are very limited. Another problem for me is not being able to stand in the vestibule next to an open window.

The reasons for both are obvious but for me the Glory Days of travelling behind steam are well and truly over.

I shall now await for someone to post a clip of Bruce Springsteen singing Glory Days

<BJ>

 

Pete, I know this, you know this, as do a fair few others on here, but why is it get the feeling that certain members on here would then get rather upset when confirmation comes through about there being ‘a bloody paraffin can on the back all day?’

I get that there are many aspects to this interest of ours and I understand why some people don’t like ‘the box on the back’
But as you say ‘Compromise’ is the key word here and I think some people really don’t understand that.

You can’t get a flight from London to New York on a supersonic aircraft anymore, yet in this little Island (and the one next door to us) you can still have a ride on todays modern network behind something built nearly 75 to a 100 years ago, how bloody brilliant is that?

 

Perhaps not too limited. There are still regular opportunities to enjoy pure steam on the repeat-itinerary trains. The Jacobite is normally 100% steam and so are quite a few WC-operated tours over the Settle & Carlisle and to Scarborough. Even in the busier parts of the network in southern England, Clan Line normally lugs its heavy Pullman train unassisted round the Surrey Hills circuit, apart from in the Autumn leaf fall season - perhaps ironic given that these trains are not aimed at the enthusiast. Even VT, the subject of this thread, is confident enough to run the Shakespeare Express trains from Tyseley to Stratford and back without rear end assistance - and apparently intends to increase the scope of this operation in the coming years.

It's the one-offs which are not often diesel-free and these tend to attract the most comments on this forum, thus somewhat distorting the overall picture.

 

Al, I understand where your coming from, but surely an email or phone call to the operator if your really so unsure isn’t difficult to do rather than go public on here?

As an aside the last time I did a tour with West Coast stock it wasn’t exactly in the brochure that there would be no heat and light on the way back between York and New Street, heaven and earth wasn’t exactly moved to sort that one out.

 

There's a UK Railtours trip over the Welsh Marches this coming Saturday 26th so we'll see if that one runs. If it does then the VT one the week after will surely be fine.

 

The Cumbrian Mountaineer on 12th March will run without a diesel from Hellifield to Carlisle. This will be 6233’s first run over the S&C in LMS guise in a number of years. Plenty of seats still available in Tourist.

 

Damn. The support crew are going to need a holiday after hauling a train unassisted.

 

Just seen that the North Wales Coast Express on the 30th of April to Llandudno has changed motive power from Class 20s to "Heritage" diesel locomotive..
Any chance of knowing which loco it will be? For some it means the difference between booking and not booking.
My guess is the 47

 

Oh dear Ross, when you Cons down under call us ‘Whinging Poms’ you may have a point!
From what I’ve read today’s trip seemed to go very well, if I were still living locally perhaps it would have been something myself and my Dad would have considered?
By all accounts bar 2 (bloody hell @Davo! and @Sheff has a valid point) VT have done something that’s their usual trademark and ran a tour that’s run like a Swiss watch.
Just out of interest how many timing logs are there to look out for of ‘pure steam’ between August 11th 1968 and October 2nd 1971?
Asking for a friend…

 

If your friend is asking to gain some perspective, then he must be a canny fellow indeed!

 

Ross, I hope you don’t mind me asking this question and I really don’t want to to put you on the spot, (DM me if you don’t want to answer me publicly)
But I do genuinely wonder what someone like yourself (who is at least 8000 miles away) thinks that when in a country that has at least 2 steam hauled charter trains operated on the same day by different operators (one using a loco 99 years old, the other named by both our head of states) that there are still people that won’t travel/complain because ‘there’s a box on the back’
Seriously mate, I’d love to know what someone like yourself thinks

 

Matt, I do not wish to answer for Ross, who I assume is another ex-pat (from his Swindon-centric nom de plume, if nothing else) as I am myself but as another who views these (many) comments from afar and have for some time held back airing my point of view.

Incidentally my ‘spiritual home’ is in Shropshire literally about 2-3 miles from where that wonderful photo of ‘Clun” was taken by Liam Marsh yesterday.

I live in Perth (Western Australia) where there is no mainline steam activity whatsoever and very limited steam activity at all. I believe the nearest would be in Melbourne (3400kms, 2100miles) or Sydney (4000kms, 2450miles). That said there is nowhere near the number or variety of locos or operating companies as in UK, which all things considered is very much ‘spoilt for choice’ in this regard.

I should also come clean and state that I have worked at a variety of locations in the Railway Industry here in Oz for over 25 years and whilst predominantly involved in Permanent Way Maintenance I am very aware of the many issues of running trains, especially if they happen to be significantly different to the majority of the other line users.

I consider it bordering on miraculous that steam locos still run at all on a modern railway system with the frequency and speed that they do in UK (and I suspect nowhere else in the world). In my mind the inconvenience of having a diesel on the back is but a small price to pay for the insurance, shunting help and heating they provide the operators who would otherwise face potentially business breaking penalties/costs. (..and as a couple of photos above show can be relatively ‘hidden’ in photos)

Those that regularly whinge should, I believe, just thank their lucky stars they get to witness steam specials at all. I am most envious of anyone that was on yesterday’s trip with 7029, diesel or not.

 

Paul, thank you for your reply, as someone (who due to the circumstances of their job did a ten hour shift yesterday) kept seeing these lovely photo’s and updates of 7029’s progress yesterday, I’m with you and a tad envious!

As I’ve said before we are bloody lucky to have what we have in this country, and whilst repeating myself I’ll ask the same question again, I haven’t seen many timing or performance logs between 1968-71 perhaps those that complain the loudest about diesels on the back could show us what they have from those years? And honestly ask themselves would they like a return to that time?
Just out of curiosity Paul where are you in WA?
I have a brother in Freeo.

 

Wasn't 1968 to 1971 when all steam locos were banned on BR?
First re-introduction of steam was 6000 KGV and the 'Cider Train'?
Followed by 7029 not long after. My then Doctor and I drove from Church Stretton to Hatton to watch it pass.
Live in a small suburb called Ferndale about 17kms, 11miles from Freo.

 

4472 wasn't banned. I can find twenty or so trips on Six Bells in sept 68 to 69. Presumably there will be logs on the RPS site or in Railway Magazine.