Northern Belle 2023

The Northern Belle website currently shows 13 steam hauled trips are planned for the S&C.

They appear to follow last year’s formula with steam on at Carnforth for the run north over Shap and then south over the S&C. The website is not explicit where steam will be detached. (It probably depends on the route back to the day’s boarding stations – see below. Last year steam came off at Preston, Blackburn or Hellifield. RTT should clarify nearer the date.)

Something to note in the blurb: trips before June will provide ample time to explore Appleby, whilst trips after June provide ample time to explore Carlisle. (Not sure what happens in June).

01 April boarding from York thro’ to Wakefield
22 Apr Telford/Chester
29 Apr Coventry/Crewe
27 May Darlington/Newcastle
17 Jun Leeds/Manchester
24 Jun Coventry/Crewe
29 Jul Coventry/Crewe
12 Aug Leeds/Manchester
19 Aug Lincoln/Wakefield
02 Sep Hull/Wakefield
16 Sep Liverpool/Preston
23 Sep Telford/Chester
28 Oct Nottingham/Sheffield

There could be dates to be added, deleted or which are already fully booked and not shown?

The marketing blurb also includes the following,

Flying Scotsman, Princess Elizabeth and Tangmere are just three of the famous steam engines that have operated this route with the Northern Belle. [My emphasis]. I hope that prospective customers have read this carefully as, unless something has changed significantly, the big red loco, featured in the marketing photos, will not be heading their train.

More seriously, patrons will get a grand day out for £495pp (with £30pp refund or £75pp voucher if a steam loco is unavailable), whilst “we” get to watch a steam locomotive (and a tail gunner) for free. I hope that the trains load well as it is this end of the market that keeps “our” end of the market in operation and at more modest prices.

 

Works relating to Carstairs remodelling will leave capacity at Carlisle from April until the summer at a premium. Charters during this time will be amended to suit.

 

Hope all those operators using Appleby (not just NB) have some oxygen on standby for those members of the Grey Pound Brigade walking back up that hill.

 

Is it Tornado or Tangmere for the steam ones?

 

Probably Tangmere as West Coast won’t want to pay other fees for loco hire I would say.

 

Grey Pound Brigade...that's a new one to me..love it..

 

A one-off trip with Flying Scotsman from York to Edinburgh will run on 14th September. A glorified positioning move to get it to the Strathspey Railway to where it will continue light engine from Edinburgh.

 

Do you know who the tour operator will be for that trip? TIA

 

Northern Belle are the organiser and West Coast Railways will be the train operating company. As for tour operator I don’t know what you mean?

 

See
https://northernbelle.co.uk/search?...m+Special+-+Royal+Yacht+Britannia+-+Edinburgh

 

A good example of a tour operator or promoter is RYTC, or Pathfinder, it all gets a bit blurred when the toc and Northern Belle are part of the same 'group' either way £695 York to Edinburgh is way outside my budget !!!

 

DUFF info.

 

Does anyone know if there is any steam allocated to today's Northern Belle

 

No steam today,running with diesels today

 

Diesels from York to Carnforth but why no steam from there?

 

34067 Tangmere not available
and no other air braked locomotive available

 

Thanks for clarifying.