WCME & CME 2025

At this time of year I check the websites of the steam operators and compile a list of trips in my part of the country that I should/could watch or travel on. I was in need of something with which to occupy myself so I did it today.

The program for CMEs is relatively unchanged since last year; in 2024 there were 10 but in 2025 this has been reduced to 9. Perhaps the "missing" CME has morphed into The Blackpool Steam Express (22 Mar).

For the record the WCMEs run on 1 Feb, 8 Feb, 22 Feb & 29 Mar and the CMEs on 10 May, 21 Jun, 12 Jul, 2 Aug & 11 Oct. All except two follow the usual format, originating in London with steam from Carnforth-Carlisle-S&C-Preston. The WCME on 8 Feb starts from Man Pic, whilst the trip on the 12 Jul originates in Crewe then via Liverpool. Both have the same steam hauled section as the trips starting from London.

I note that the first 7 or 8 pages of last year's CME thread were filled almost exclusively with posts about CDL/Mk1/Mk2 . . . This year we can be fairly certain what the rolling stock will be and, whilst we may not like it, it is mainline steam and long may it continue.

 

Storm Arwen caused a landslide near Dent Head Viaduct on 29 November 2024 resulting in severe damage and the carriageway being undermined. The road is CLOSED between Dent Head Viaduct and Cowgill. This will be the case for a considerable period of time.

Access to Dent Head Viaduct is only possible from the B6255 Ribblehead to Hawes Road at Newby Head. You will get no further along this road than the viaduct. There is no access from Dent or Cowgill.

Access to both Dent Station and Arten Gill Viaduct is only possible through Dent and Cowgill or alternatively over the Coal Road from Garsdale Head. There is no access from the B6255.

 

All well and good David, so thank you. But no Diego in 2025.

Bryan

 

Surprised this post hasn’t been moved elsewhere young Whistle, thanks for the heads up

 

E-tickets arrived for the upcoming WCME next Saturday, looks to be a very light load with just 2xStandard 2xFirst and 3xPremier (plus include support coach, kitchen coach and staff coach)
Steam haulage expected to be 34067 Tangmere

No different to last year for RTC kicking off the year

 

I admire your optimism, Al, but I still make that 10+diesel, equivalent to 13.

Prospects currently look a far cry from the first series of winter CMEs in 2012 (cue a hundred comments about how time moves on )



But who knows what the future will bring...

 

Feb 8th bitten the dust

 

The schedules are still live on RTT, so it may be fully booked.

Cheers, Neil

 

Les Ross was cleaning Les Ross at Rugby this afternoon so presumably he is expecting it to be used soon.

 

Sadly not, the 8th February CME was confirmed yesterday as cancelled due to low bookings. 45212 was listed as motive power just prior to the cancellation.

 

Saturday it is down for the first London CME

 

I'm not surprised to be honest. 13 years of the same half a dozen trips in the first three months of the year. It was a novelty at first, but after getting close to a hundred identical tours, you can see why people are getting tired of it. Almost certainly it's going to be a Black 5, it's aircons, and it's going to have a diesel on the back pushing. It's the same price as the majority of their other tours as well, so there's no financial incentive to go to Carlisle in February for the umpteenth time.

 

Bit ironic that the 8th Feb trip wasn't a "regular" CME but rather one that was starting at Manchester Piccadilly. A less popular route perhaps?

 

Well it was regular every year I can remember, and usually preceded the first Euston originator. For many years almost guaranteed double headed Black 5

 

It’s hardly surprising really that the 8th has been cancelled. When you look at that trip it’s predominantly aimed at the enthusiast, whereas the London CME targets much of a different market. In my eyes more of the enthusiast based trips will fall away, as the Air Con coaches/Diesel shoving/Same locos situation takes a greater hold.