Statesman Rail

I have just become aware that 'Statesman Rail' have rejoined the railtour scene ,whilst when they ran before, they offered really good day out and landcruise excursions and a couple of forays in to steam haulage, the company went bust .
They have advertised similar types of excursions starting later this year, including steam to Mallaig within in a weekend landcruise in October.
Now as with feelings of XL railtours and their association with Mr Chamberlin will the fact that people lost money in the past with 'The Statesman' (MERCO) deter them from booking and not aide the prospective prosperity of the venture .
Would the new owners of 'Statesman Rail' been better off chosing a different name for the company so that past memories of failure would not occur ?.
Whilst wishing the team at 'Statesman Rail' the best of fortune i do think that a different name would have been a better choice.

 

They have a regular Settle Carlisle by steam route starting at Lancaster every Wednesday from 29th July 2009. Sales of the first trip look positive with all First Class sold and Premiere Dining selling well too. I guess the success of this series will depend on the quality of the loco chosen for the very first trip. Putting Scots Guardsman out would be a positive signal for future runs on this route by Statesman Rail. If they get the product right, they will fill a gap in the market! Good luck to them...

 

Why when were Statesman a company?

Company Details - STATESMAN RAIL LIMITED
Registered No.06058342
(?)
Address: 31 CHAPEL BROW, LEYLAND, LANCASHIRE, PR25 3NH, PR25 3NH
Tel: We do not list telephone numbers. Click here to search for a telephone number at 192.com
Type: Incorporated
Incorporation Date: 2007-01-19
Status: Dormant
Last Accounts Filed up to: 2008-01-31
Last Accounts Analysed: -
Nature of business SIC: 60100 - Transport via railways

Reports:
As this company has either not or only recently filed they are not yet analysed by our system, so we are unable to offer a credit report. If you would like to be informed by email when the report is available, please click here.

Is that the same co?

 

Details on website are: Statesman Rail Ltd | PO Box 83 | St Erth | Hayle | TR27 9AD | Phone 0845 310 2458

Their website does seem to indicate they are working in partnership with Northern Rail and WCRC. Certainly they are posting advertisements on Railway Stations for the Fellsman and Northern Rail is the contact their too.

 

So who is the other then? :-k Two co's under the same name!? I think they have a Lancaster base too? Must not speculate!

 

31 Chapel Brow, Leyland is a firm of accountants and business consultants. Not unusal for a Registered Office to be at an Accountants address but does concern some people by the percieved lack of transparency. I suppose after Kingfisher there is heightened anxiety. Looks like the first Fellsman is selling well an the premium tickets have almost all gone. Reasons to be confident??? Spooky though... banner ad at the foot of this page is for the Fellsman!!!

 

Hmm, they've used an interesting photo on their advert for the Fellsman in the latest issue of the Railway Magazine - its of 5690 Leander.... at Greenend on its visit to the NYMR in 1983!!!

 

A bit worried. Same options of locos, Leander, Scots Guardsman and 8F listed for Scarborough Spa Express on 28 - 30 July and first Fellsman on 29th July. Both quality trips, quality routes and selling premium tickets. Demand for both is a quality loco. No disrespect to the 8F, but the Fellsman deserves Leander or Scots Guardsman. Some clarity and transparency would help. SSE run by WCRC so guess they will have the pick of the litter...

 

I agree the 8F would be quite unsuitable for the Fellsman, and the Scarboroughs never sold well when it was running. But I understood that the Scot was out of gauge for the Harrogate circle, and since steaming two locos would be prohibitively expensive, don't hold your breath for Scots Guardsman on the East Coast. I'm crossing my fingers it will be on the first Fellsman.

 

any news on locos for the Fellsman yet... three options but would be good to know which one...

 

Im pretty sure the gauging issue with 46115 on the Harrogate circle was looked at a second time and found to be marginally IN gauge.

 

Doesn't look good for the Fellsman then... Why do operators, (and WCRC are partners in this venture) bring themselves into disrepute? Joe Public and the entusiat will vote with the walltes if they feel cheated after the event and repeat business WILL NOT appear! The Ghost of Kingfisher should be a warning to all....

 

Is there going to be a roster or something available for the Fellsman ?
Already travelled behind 48151 and 5690 so want something a little different.

 

Very disturbing news. I am really concerened about the Fellsman as the same locos are listed on the same dates for the Scarborough Spa Express. I contacted Statesman Rail, a company that gives it's address at St Erith in Cornwall but is actually registered at a firm of accountants in Leyland Lancashire, to clarify. Note also they claim to be working in "partnership" with WCRC and Northern Rail. The response is worrying.

I quote from Statesman Rail reply:

"It is of little relevance to the general public and family market which engines are used, as long as they have an enjoyable day out on a train hauled by a steam locomotive and this has been demonstrated in the vast number of advance bookings we have received, with very few seats remaining on the early dates."

They seem to have no regard for Customer Value and it seems any old loco will do as they have attracted early bookings based on the promise of a quality engine but not actually committing to the same. They do not realise that if they think any old loco will do for the early trips word will spread and the later trips will fail.

Come on Statesman Rail, be transparent like other companies and tell us which locos will be used!

Kingfisher look professional by comparison!

 

I think we have to be realistic, Statesman or any other rail company will not fill a weekly service with train enthusiasts, they are looking at a family day out, to many, a steam train is a steam train. Yes, if I am to travel I would like to know which engine but at the end of the day their train is selling to the family market not the enthusiasts. I disagree with the comment that any old engine will do - to many of the advanced bookings I doubt many will have travelled behind steam on the mainline and friends having a good day will tell friends, the only people who may not take up future trips are the enthusiasts. To be honest though I feel that all the locos will have something for everyone enthusiast or not.

WCR are doing exactly the same on the Scarborough Spa, we have yet to see a loco roster but I am sure many ticket shave been sold. To some enthusisasts the route will intrigue with steam from Lancaster via Blackburn through to Hellifield a change from the norm.

We will know by late July if they make Kingsifher look professional, simple equation - if there trains runs then they have sold sufficient tickets - something Kingfisher failed to do!

 

Seems a rather harsh comment at this stage, and the acid test in making any comparison with Kingfisher will be the ease or difficulty in obtaining a refund if a train does not run.
At this stage,at least give them a chance, and accept that their target market is going to be family orientated.

 

Same as virtually every other tour promoter these days. Even Pathfinder are running to destinations these days that "normals" want to visit, albeit with interesting traction at times, trying to capture both markets.

The Torbay Expresses have very few enthusiasts on board; indeed, there have been trips with only a dozen or so recognisable enthusiasts on board, the rest of the passengers being couples or families having a day out. The majority don't care what's on the front - the first 4 TEs this year are virtually sold out, without the loco being advertised on the PTR website!

 

Let me be clear, I hope that private rail operators, particularly those who utilise Steam are a commercial success. They provide a service that benefits enthusiast as both passengers and observers as well as Joe Public as passengger and bystander. the market must be dependent on both customer sets. The former is very interested in the loco in use and will make a big decision based on that. Looking at other threads, some previously popular routes are in decline. One reason being put forward is the same loco in use all the time. The informed section of Joe Public have a similar outlook. A great route pulled by a great loco is important to them. I concede that Joe Public out for a ride may not view it the same.

What is a worry is when, as a matter of fact, two companies list the same loco's for use on the same day. Advance rosterinng will settle that one and make people feel comfortable.

The level of concern can be seen by the length of the Kingfisher Thread - teens of pages on this forum. The market is sensitive. Whatever happened to them is a mystery, but at least they posted the rostered locos well in advance. Most other Rail Operators do the same. And looking on UK Steam I don't see the same conflicts.

I want to ride the Fellsman and I want it to be a raging success. But I also want to know what I am buying...

 

Kingfisher may have announced what was hauling their trains, but like the case is with the Torbay Express, the Cumbrian Coast Fellsman tours last year never seemed to be filled with enthusiasts - 90% "normals" at least on most trains. (I travelled on 6 out of the 7, so can confirm this). In my opinion Statesman are playing it sensible and not committing to giving out loco details months in advance when all could change three or four times between now and then.

 

I think its hardly worrying, there is a pool of locomotives that "can" be used for either of the runs therefore its not worrying because its not the same locomotive listed for two runs on the same day in two different parts of the country. You may have Leander on the SSE's and the Scot on the other train, or the other way around, etc etc. I hardly think its worrying...

Alex