6023 + 6024 Double Header to Plymouth - 10 March 2012 - UK Steam

Heyup Ralph - getting a bit passionate!

Seriously - you and I are big enough to debate these issues and stay mates. Some aren't. Perhaps the difference is that its my money I'm shelling out, and I have this nasty habit of demanding value for it when its spent, as plenty who have tried it on have found out to their cost when they have chanced their arm with this family - one company went down for over £60k after one attempt, so I do know how to stand my ground when pushed. As on board staff its usually not so critical for you, because one with another, you usually get a good, if long day out with a bit of work chucked in.

I happen to be editing my super eight cine from 1972/3 at the moment because its the fortieth anniversary of the end of Bradford trolleybuses this month, and when I look back at the enjoyability of railtouring then, with the politically correct, class conscious, expensive, mess that it is today, I am only too happy that I was around when I was. Kyle for a Fiver with Chris Bak, and Iona too. The years when standing at a window didn't mean having to have a first class ticket; sleeping bags overnight in the guard's van and beer, curry and stereos playing our kind of music on overnight compartment runs up north, those were the days. And generally the clientele were actually interested in what was on the front. (Always remember the time at Leeds City when dictaphones came out and they were all bawling numbers - we dropped the compartment screen and started yelling 42 - 803 or 52 1017 - then all Hell broke out - hilarious!!) Days when the railway was actually sympathetic to tour operation rather than keeping times a state secret until days before and when if a route was booked you knew you would get it.

No -the shine is going off touring with the attitude to the customer seen so often - as a friend of mine who went premier dining said after his trip last November - "You get off feeling like a second class citizen" not feeling like you have had a hell fire cinders in yer hair day out!

When I have been to York during the races for the Scarborough Spa, or catch any train on a Saturday evening, you see the kind of clientele who don't care where they are provided they get pie eyed. If that is where railtouring is going to with the Steam Dreams type of drive "upmarket" then you can keep it. As the number of gricers coaches on tours declines you can see others thinking that way too, and its a damned shame when steam is an abiding passion.

 

Frank, you have posted a lot of sense above, particularly in the last paragraph. Previously I would of happily let the upmarket brigade help subsidise us in the enthusiast class, but sadly one particular operator seeks to drive us out completely. However, after sitting right behind the support coach of two black fives going hell for leather up Grayrigg and Shap the other week for £69, some of that magic you describe above is still available. Sadly though, no longer with Steam Dreams, although in this instance I am not sure there is much more they could have done bar cancelling the trip and upsetting many others. This i'm afarid is a classic no-win situation.

 

Quote:-"sitting right behind the support coach of two black fives going hell for leather up Grayrigg and Shap the other week for £69,"

Oh yea. that cost me £76. you do mean 28th Jan!

 

Don't have outward times yet but here are the "current" return times:

Plymouth Dep 17:06
Hemerdon 17:18
Ivybridge 17:25
Totnes 17:40
Dainton 17:49
Newton Abbot 17:54
Dawlish Warren 18:06-16
Exeter St Davids 18:28-19:03
Tiverton Parkway 19:23
Taunton 19:39
Castle Cary 20:06
Woodborough 20:46-21:15
Newbury 21:41-44
Reading 22:08-22:11
Slough 22:31-33
Paddington 22:54.

Cheers,
Mark

 

Just my two pen'orth,
We don't do many steam railtours, we can't afford, but we are on The Hadrian with 70013 on the 18th. I really do hope this goes as advertised because if we suffer another expensive cock up as we did last time we booked on a day tour (travel costs to London and return, hotel, etc) and the the whole lot was cancelled at short notice........loco. failure. We would like this time to get what we have paid for, it's going to hit the fan from me if we don't.
Doesn't matter a jot to us if there is a diesel loco hung on the back, we want 70013 galloping up the ECML. So please you lads at the 5303 Loco Assc. look after it THIS weekend, nurse it, oil it, polish it, and all will be well. :wink:

 

That bit of your post brought back some memories of the real gricing tours - nothing stays the same, does it? Anyone remember when F&W railtours (mostly diesel) started from Plymouth - I remember the trip overnight to North York Moors railway and Whitby back in October 1981. And another in December that year with a Deltic (not from Plymouth; it came on later) to Scarborough in the freezing cold, but unforgettable. Hope that's not too OT, well has a Plymouth connection.

 

You mean this one

KOYLI Leaves York in the Snow | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Hauled from Plymouth to York by 50010

A Hoover at York | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

You're right - it was.........................chuffing cold that day, but who can resist Deltics, sun and snow


STEVE

 

Real gricing?

In the summer of 1965 I used a 7 day SR Rail Rover to travel continuously for seven days and seven nights. The target was to get 5,000 miles behind steam in the week. I actually did 5,020.

My basic plan was down on the 08.30 to usually Wareham/Dorchester. Back to Waterloo on the 14.51 arrival. 15.30 to Bournemouth West. Back up on the 20.51 arrival. Then 21.20 to Brockenhurst, returning on the Up Mail, Waterloo arrive 04.11. 5.30 to Basingstoke and then 08.22 arrival.

That's from memory. And there were weekend variations, plus some due to late running. I timed most runs, which were mainly rubbish as it meant abandoning, "follow the good drivers" for "follow the most intensive mileage roster".One "highlight" which I thought was because exhaustion was giving me hallucinations, was watching an LMR Black 5 bringing the 14.51 arrival into Wareham, and taking the train onto Waterloo!

Aaah. Those were the days. LOL. When gricers were made of sterner stuff! (wink).

 

Ummm, Whiteball? 20 miles of non-stop climbing out of Exeter, Brewham? certainly will make to loco work with 13 on. Take a look at the Gradient profile mate!

 

Full timings now on Steam Dreams web-site. Apparently the dreaded box is a Class 66 - I can hardly wait!

 

Nope, 18th Feb with 45305 and 44932 on RTC's Winter CME.

 

Dont you mean THE HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN on the 17th?

Neil

 

Tell you what - if Victor turns up on the 18th he WILL be annoyed!

 

Going back to the roots 6023 and 6024 would have made a for a great double header.

 

:mmph: Look Neil, I'm an old man, I'm allowed to make mistakes, it's expected.:mmph:
Hells teeth, wrong train, wrong date, you couldn't make it up could you. Sorry folks, thanks Neil. :doh:

 

This thread has had over 11,000 views and the train hasn't even left London yet! LOL!

 

Football or cricket Ralph?