The Britannic Explorer (Belmond Trains)

The outward journey of the Britannic Explorer from London to the KWVR terminated short at Bedford St John’s yesterday evening. <BJ>

''This service was cancelled between Bedford St Johns and Keighley & Wvlr due to a problem with the on-board safety systems (M0)''
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U44808/2025-08-01/detailed

 

Not having much luck with it are they.

 

I imagine the disastrous start for this train must be extremely costly for Belmond, I don't know how much they have spent already, but I do wonder whether they might consider abandoning completely to cut their mounting losses (both actual and reputational), or are the issues now resolved? It seems bizarre that two successive major failures have hit the train, when it must surely have been tested fairly exhaustively before trying to run in service? Odd.

 

Just something else that does not work "out of the box"
Seems to be just about everything these days, SWR 701's, B787, A380, B737-800 max, HS2. And just look at those third runway plans for LHR including the infamous M25 tunnel. Years of pleasure yet to come for us all.

 

However, this stock is not brand new - it had previously run successfully in Ireland and (as far as I know) just had to be re-gauged for UK. Maybe an overhaul with new/revised electrics has gone very wrong?

 

There's been quite a lot of work done on the interiors, including new cabins fitted. Not just a simple regauge and repaint.

 

Head in shame, the empty stock returns to Eastleigh.

Realtime Trains | 5J03 0900 Wellingborough Neilson Sdg to Eastleigh East Yard | 04/08/2025

66.748 leads with 66.744 on the rear . <BJ>

 

RTT says it is planned for 33mph max - perhaps an (optimistic!) omen...? So this is the return to base of the ill-fated K&WVR trip?

 

Indeed, but this rake is not new - it has been modified significantly. I don't know if it's passenger amenity stuff that has been failing, or railway operating systems (or both). Either way, the costs must be mounting rapidly for Belmond, as I imagine some of its wealthy customers will not be shy about legal action.

 

I apologise for the thread drift, but something else that has not worked "out of the box"
Well the product may have done but aviation's answer to the ORR seems not to have got their finger out yet. Of course a conspiracy theorist may suggest a Trump Federal Department and an EEC airline.
I could not possibly comment.

https://www.linestotake.com/p/lufthansa-allegris-business-class-the-seat-map-from-hell?img=https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/76104ee9-ff20-49f4-85e7-f6e7eaf31b9e_2999x1875.jpeg&open=false

 

Sorry, but as I said, it isn't "out of the box" (implying a new train) - it's a re-worked old one.

 

It's not a rake of tatty Mk1s dragging around a bunch of enthusiasts who paid £50/ticket and would be happiest if they could stand up the whole journey with their heads out've the window getting showered with soot.

At £12600 per passenger for a six day wobble around Cornwall and Wales, Belmond is presumably wisely taking significant care to ensure the experience matches up to the ticket price, by testing, refining, testing again and refining some more…

Whilst he's not going to be on the train, the fact they've tagged Simon Rogan's name onto the whole shebang suggests they're not messing around in terms of passenger aspiration.

False starts and delays to launch of the service are likely to be far less costly than early, highly-publicised reviews talking about Cross Country Voyager-esque toilets, Top Gear at the GCR levels of safety, or APT-P reliability… poor onboard experiences will kill the thing stone dead, so they'll want it to be right first time, and dependably so.

Simon

 

See also: Donald Trump.

 

Who?? I clearly don't belong on that train...

 

I'm probably alone here, but I find that price an obscenity, pandering as it does to those who like to be seen to be indulging in not just conspicuous, but contemptuous consumption.

 

Simon Rogan is a restaurateur.

https://www.simonrogan.co.uk/restaurants

 

He's a world renowned Michelin-starred chef, first found fame (or at least, I first heard about him) from his restaurant L'Enclume in Cartmel…

Has been a winner of the Great British Menu, and took over from Gordon Ramsay at Claridges with a restaurant called Fera… I was lucky to have a birthday dinner there and it was genuinely amazing.

I agree that the cost is pretty obscene, but it's just more visible than most of these luxury experiences. People are spending thousands on luxury boxes to watch football or tens of thousands on small scale luxury yacht cruises – it's a sign of our times that where some people can scarcely afford a roof over their heads or food on the table, others can blow thousands on a rolling gin palace.

Simon

 

I'm not sure I'd go that far but I remember looking at the website and being very clear that, even if I could afford it, I would not get value from it.

 

Out of the box does not have to be new.
Qualified engineers will have designed and worked on it, a bit like upgrading the interior of a commercial airliner or the cockpit or the engines.
It should all work, but rarely does.
To me for more embarrassing if everything is new like a 701 or A380

 

You're not alone there.