4965 - The Valentines Dinner Express - 14/02/14

I feel I must say one thing about the times and why we show a deprature 10 minutes before Network Rail, and subsiquently Mr Randalls' excelent UK Steam, shows us appearing on the network.

The time shown by Network Rail is when we are required to transition from Tyseley Loco Works to Network Rail, NOT the departure from our Tyseley Platform. Hence to make sure we are ready to make a timely transition past the Tyseley #1 box, we allow ourselves 10 minutes.

Sorry for any confusion this causes.

 

Mr Hanley

I feel that it is worth pointing out that it is Vintage Trains who are running the train, not David Randles' web site (which has nothing to do with our operation), so I would advise that if our passenger information says that the train departs at 5.20, delays debarring, that is the time that it is going to depart and as with all train journeys you should aim to arrive at the station in good time to join the train before it departs. I would suggest that a sensible target would have been to arrive at Tyseley no later than 5.10 to give enough time to park and walk on to the platform and join the train. The overwhelming majority of the passengers who elected to join at Tyseley did get there on time. Having said this we do use Coleshill because it does offer an easy alternative for passengers from north of Birmingham who are travelling in on the M42 as it is only 10 minutes from Junction 9 and the parking is free, courtesy of North Warks Bourough Council (one of the better councils).

The real morals of the story are to set off in good time, to anticipate that roads in Birmingham at 17.00 hrs on a Friday are likely to be slow at best, and most important of all disregard any published times that appear elsewhere than on our passenger information letter.

Regards
Bob Meanley