Cathedrals Express 15th October 70000 to Stratford on Avon

Yes October was looking good, just 5043 left to hold the fort. BTW I think the CE with 70000 is now Saturday 17th Dec not the 19th.

 

How can anyone have confidence in making a booking when the dates are now constantly changing?

 

It might look good against the snow though!! (Snow? Who said anything about snow?) Anyway I won't have the chance to see it as I'm in North Wales that weekend.

 

On the upside, things will be busier steam-wise in the South East in the run up to Christmas.

 

I think Sidmouth has hit the nail on the head here.

 

I was going to head out to see the trip on Saturday. Still, I can get my "Brit" Fix with 70013 heading to Swanage

 

OK so trip more or less cancelled with letter announcing it arriving TWO DAYS before the trip? Acceptable to us maybe for what were once occasional loco failures but today you honestly cannot book on anything. And why does this seem to affect Steam Dreams more than others?

 

It's not the only WCRC operation postponed this weekend. The annual Scottish photo charters were due to run this weekend, but last Friday an email was sent out saying they were postponed to later in the month. Ok, so there was only around 140 or so people booked on it, unlike 400 plus on the Steam Dreams' trip, but I would've thought most people on the railtour would be local(ish) to the pick up points. With the Scottish bash, many people were flying up to avoid taking leave from work. Others had planned holidays around the charters. B&Bs and hotels had been booked for the weekend. Some people will have lost a lot of money with the change of dates, and to get an email a week before it's due to start stating it has been put back due to "operational and resource problems" isn't really on.

 

I was thinking exactly the same thing Martin. Was definitely DBS a few days ago because I remember thinking "damn, it will be the rake of many colours again"...

Regards,

Dan

 

Now going to Bath for the Christmas market.

 

So not actually "postponed" than cancelled with a new trip advertised for December. New destination, route and date does not equal the same excursion!

 

I noted the tour in my diary when it was first announced. The stock mentioned at the time was 'WCGN'.
I presume that it would have been a West Coast turn. <BJ>

 

According to the e-mail sent to us passengers yes it was a West Coast turn. DBS were approached last week but couldn't cover the job thus explaining the fairly late notification.

Another change for the replacement trip is it's booked for 60163 not 70000.

Andrew

 

Uksteam.info has reason for "postponement" as a "resource issue" - they're getting as bad as normal rail companies.

 

so that is two West Coast jobs they 'Could not resource' this weekend - curious.