Jacobite 2024

ECS movement tomorrow.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K12050/2024-06-14/detailed

Presumably diesel hauled as there are no obvious water stops and 44871 is otherwise employed from Southall.

Cheers, Neil

 

Youd think 44871 will have to go up at some point 2 trains a day with only 2 locos will be a stretch. But that would leave only one loco for all the work in england

 

They are only fitting cdl to mk2 stock not mk1,

 

Quite so. Would be very difficult to manage otherwise when it comes to washouts and so on up in Scotland. Gotta feel that if they’re confident two trains can run, they must be confident about sending 871, and in turn be confident that either Tangmere is the most reliable loco ever or they can finally use some of their other engines.

Either way all very positive steps.

 

Or so you think. What 10A do behind closed doors is very much anyone’s guess!

 

Wasnt it the case that a fair amount of MK2 stock was 'CDL Ready' when bought by them but needed other remedial work ...

 

Who knows, it worth noting that the podcast gotcha posted above stating that the ORR had responded to WCR is over a week old so its strange that nothing either way from any party has reached the public domain, one would assume that if ORR had said a straight no they would have publicly announced it sharpish to draw a line.

 

Am I missing something here I thought WCR other locomotives was not air braked and could not be used with MK2?

 

The Black 5s owned/managed by Ian Riley have dual brakes, as does 34067.

 

yes I know that but 4 locomotives to do all the work that RTC normally has don't give much room if things go belly up

 

If a Clan wasnt suitable for the Mallaig road then Tangers certainly isnt... looks like LSL have a black 5 and at a push a B1... ah, so.

 

That may well be, my question is but how short of motive power would WCR have to be before they approached LSL for one of theirs? and how amenable would LSL be to that . ?

 

Like they’re going to reveal their true intentions in an interview accessible by all.

 

If you listen to that interview it is very carefully worded and all answers were given in respect to another operator being in situ and LSL being respectful of them doing their thing. As long as West Coast are there that is very likely correct - West Coast have the paths, the assets and the infrastructure - LSL could not make a rival operation work.
If West Coast were to exit and those paths, assets and infrastructure became available - the economics become very different and you may find some flex in LSL's business plan. I don't think this situation is likely, but you can bet LSL would be all over it if an opportunity became available to acquire the 10.15am path off Fort William..

 

I’m not so sure they would be all over it. It’s a huge undertaking to operate the Jacobite. Even an outsider looking at Riley’s Operation of it proves just how much of a commitment it is. Minimum 2 locos, rake of coaches, etc. That’s never going to be an easy thing to manage. Effectively they’d be committing the B1 and Black 5 up there all year, and if I’m right the B1 can only do 6 up there?

 

Its worth remembering as well that much of the appeal (especially within the foreign market) is the whole wizard boy connection and WCR have a pretty good relationship with WB's who despite putting their foot down regarding direct branding do seem comfortable with the more general relationship/linkage that remains etc, would WB be so accommodating with an entirely new operator.

 

I would predict an LSL operation would be lower frequency and higher price, built around the 10.15 slot. It's part of the reason I would much rather West Coast sort themselves out than throw in the towel.
At the end of the day, this is all wild speculation which I doubt will come to fruition!