RTC 2014

I think to criticise the failure of steam excursion operators to provide reliable and up to date information is fair.

 

Agreed. As soon as something officially changes, all customers who booked should be notified (or if it is easier send out an email to everyone on their database) and the website updated.

 

We have a large overseas business and unfortunately I am often out of the country and unable to update the minute detail of our UK\ tours until later
In order to be fair to forum members I will reduce the number of tours we run to improve accuracy we will from now on not specify the route
Enthusiast tours will be the most affected as they are more complicated so less will improve accuracy so less comments about RTC

We have some enthusiasts tours in the system not yet announced so they may or may not slowly die
We do not make big profits so why run them?

Nigel Dobbing

 

Taking back what I just said

 

RYTC have continually endeavoured to run the most enterprising tours in the UK ,it is inevitable last minute changes will occur .Do we really want to return to the old days of boring repeat itineries and fewer tours ?
We are lucky in this country to have so much steam on the mainline , most of the tours are down to Nigel Dobbing ,suggest we get of his back and support him
bob

 

I have travelled on RTC tours quite a bit, more than I have travelled on anyone else's tours, and love them for their relatively low prices, and amazing routes. Stick to it!

 

I for one welcome your efforts to run the more adventurous tours and long may you continue to do so. Ok so sh*t happens on occasions but that's life. Don't let the rantings of a vociferous minority get you down. They are not worth it. Here's to an exciting programme in 2014.

 

I think that's an unfortunate tone to take, but business is business.
If RTC are taking too much grief, the tours too much effort and the money isn't in it, then I think it's reasonable they drop them.

It may give rise to a more specialised tour promoter to step into the gap who may be able to make more success in this area. There are many specialised diesel, branch, remote line tour companies out there who may find swapping oil for coal up front doesn't change there business model that much.

I think RTC do a stellar job, but they aren't in it for peanuts and we shouldn't be grudge them for it.

The forum isn't big enough to fill a tour, but may be big enough to influence a tour.
If there's a lesson learned here, maybe RTC could engage with the forum on future tour ideas and gauge feedback to see if it could help there business decide if a trip is a go'er or a failure In advance of advertising it and thus reduce the risk of such trips in the future..

After all " the tin bath" was invented on this forum and todate has been successful every time.

 

Could Nigel please provide some info on a few tours early next year?
I see the website has recently been updated regarding the Winter CMEs planned locomotives with 46115, 45699 and 45690 added alongside Cromwell & 45305. Can you tell me how many turns each loco will get and if so the planned engines for the each week?
Regarding the Wansbeck on the 29th March, is the plan to be a re-run of the fantastic tour last year but with the addition of the Crag Hall – Boulby section which we were unable to do due to engineering work?
Can you confirm 70000 is the planned loco for the 23rd March Peak Forester & 19th Dartmouth Express?

Any help much appreciated.

 

It good to see that 46115 and 45699 have been added to the pool for the Winter Cumbrian's. Please could an email be sent out once allocations have been. When the email re loco allocations/changes was sent out in October I booked on the trip with Galatea as a result and considered the run on the 26/10 behind 5029 prior to it being cancelled. I would like a run behind 46115.

 

I am travelled on RTC tours since 2006.

While some trips you do not see much of the loco such as " Cumbrian Mountain Express" , it was a 21 hour day for me( Mid-Week trip), you get to travel along lines without staying away, and travel behind locos that are not based in your area.

With regard seeing the loco, most lines seem to be too busy for the train to stop in a platform for any length of time and so watering of the loco is done in goods loops ( although certain routes there is a good change some water stops will be in station).

Both VT & SD are planning to do some shorter trips 3 hours out and 3 hours back. The SD trips with 3 - 4 hours in the destination.3 hours is the minimum required to serve the dinners on the return.

With the Network getting busier trips are taking longer e.g. Euston - Chester use to be 4 hours and is now 5 hours.

 

that would be impossible for any tour operator to confirm locos for definite months in advance, anything could happen then you all would jump on the bandwagon with complaints and criticism, for goodness sake give RTC a break, just be grateful you have steam on the nainline at all and appreciate what you've got! no use moaning if the tour companies threw the towel in there would be no steam on the mainline!!

 

Paul42's request was that "As soon as something officially changes, all customers who booked should be notified (or if it is easier send out an email to everyone on their database) and the website updated". Note the word "officially": we're not talking about something that might or might not happen, but about a confirmed change from what has previously been advertised. That request seems only reasonable to me, so I am perplexed by Nigel Dobbing's comment "unfortunately I am often out of the country and unable to update the minute detail of our UK\ tours until later". Opinions might differ as to what is a minute detail and what is significant, e.g. a different departure time that might affect the viability of an incoming connection, or a different locomotive. But, passing over that, if and when either RTC decides to make a change (for whatever reason) or information about a change imposed by some other party arrives at the RTC office, but the boss isn't on hand, does no-one else there have the authority and the means to inform customers straight away?

 

Well, that's just the trouble really isn't it. What have we actually got? When I shell out a lot of money on a trip and due to alleged fire risk in one NR region, a diesel is deemed necessary and then due to DBS incompetence and inability to provide sufficient crew, the diesel goes on the front(ahead of Tornado) then frankly, no I am not "grateful for having steam" and I don't "appreciate what I have got". I feel short-changed and bitter.

It is unarguable that RTC have considerable "form" in playing fast and loose with brochure descriptions, loco allocations ect, and I fail to see why I should "give them a break". Earlier this year they started emailing updated loco allocations which was a very welcome development, unfortunately this seems to have ceased for the moment. I do not consider it wrong to "moan" when better and more honest communication from RTC could transform this situation.

From the tone of your post it seems that you are completely happy with the current set-up. Frankly, I find that surprising.

 

Sorry, as I should have made clear, the first paragraph of my post does not relate to an RTC trip, but was more a general observation on main-line steam.

 

I'm glad that 5699.46115 and Possibly 5690 have been added to the line-up.
A. many of us fans were saying that we would like to see some of the Carnforth Locomotives on these trains last year
B. 5305 has been spending the bulk of it's time in Keighly(sp). So, I think that she might only have an outside chance only.
C. Having Ollie not on all of the trips is a wise move because she will have a bigger schedule after the WCME's are over.