RTC Great Britain: 24/4/27 to 1/5/27

The GB now has dates sent to 'travellers' but no route details yet.

 

Some interesting bits in Scotland:

Steam Rail Day Trips | The Great Britain XIX | UK

 

Great itinerary but price wise??? Single person (supplement and optional day included)Dining £6025, Non-dining £3815.00.

The optional day, presumably because they have a captive audience already in Chester is £435 Dining, £325 non-dining.

Looked at another way there is a price differential of £2210 for 15 on board meals.

Even with a mixed Mk1/Mk2 rake I can't see it filling at those prices.

 

It's an interesting tour, but I'd say that once in Scotland, it very much becomes a Routes and Branches/Branch Line Society style tour rather than the usual GB we've known.

Is this the first time that the tour hasn't been advertised as travelling North of the Central Belt? Definitely a change when the furthest North station traversed is Leven....

 

Great itinerary in my opinion. When did steam last go to some of those spots!

 

.... and in other news
for the regulars in First Class the base price and single room price are exactly as 'this' year

 

As far as Epsom-Leatherhead-Dorking is concerned, the last southbound trip must have been a good while ago. I recall going out to photograph 45231, which had earlier taken this route, near Amberley and a quick trawl of Six Bells Junction reveals the date to have been 2005. How time flies!

Incidentally, the RTC GB XIX webpage extols the scenic nature of the Arun Valley line. I would say that if you want to take a wiggly route from London to Cardiff showcasing some attractive scenery in South East England en route, the Portsmouth Direct Line would have been a better bet. It beats the Arun Valley line for scenery (although I would not deny that both lines pass through some pretty countryside) and it's much more interesting performance-wise. There is a 1 in 90 climb from Dorking up to Holmwood, but after that the Arun Valley line doesn't offer much to test the loco and - unless they have been lifted since I last did this route by steam - there are a number of speed restrictions over the various river bridges. By contrast, the Portsmouth Direct has two 1 in 80 climbs up to the summits at Haslemere and Buriton, with the possibility of some pretty lively running on the downhill sections.

Still, I wouldn't want these comments to deter anyone from booking on this trip. More to the point is whether or not Carnforth will turn out a rake of CDL-fitted Mark 1s for this train.

 

I'd have thought the CDL-fitted rake seen behind 46115 earlier in the month would be a perfect match for the needs of the GB next year.

 

I'd have thought the most relevant thing operationally is that the CDL fitted Mk1 s (dual braked), if used, will result in a larger pool of available locos than in recent years.

 

So excited that the Great Britain is going over the Arun Valley! Weird to think since 2024 we've had no steam down the Arun Valley then suddenly 2027 comes along and both RTC and Steam Dreams plan trips down the line a month between each other!

Personally predicting Eddystone for the traction for that day but time will tell on that one. Would be fitting as there's a picture of Eddystone inside the ticket office at Billingshurst where the tour will pass!

 

Surely the CDL set of Mk1's would be prioritised for this tour. With that in mind I could imagine 48151 being used to Blaenau. Interestingly enough the suggestion is for just one loco to Stranraer rather than two on every other GB that has gone there. I just hope the legs in Scotland (outwith Stranraer) are hauled by something a little bit bigger than a black five.

 

Blaenau Ffestiniog is also likely to require a diesel locomotive now, as the Trawsfynydd end points are no longer operational for the run-round loop.

 

Is the bridge condemned at that end of the station?

 

Yes