Cancellation of Bath Spa with 71000 20/06 & resulting ramifications

The Duke has been undergoing some minor repairs. As a result, TBEL have had no choice (no available locomotive) but to cancel the tour tomorrow.

The Duke will (should) be in action next on the Torbay Express on the 8th with 70000 Britannia hauling the trip on the 1st July.

James at SVN

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

Cheers for the heads up, saves me getting up early tomorrow, hopefully UKS will be told. On a side note, can anyone tell me where Eastleigh GH yd actually is please? Been trying to work it out as was going to see The Duke for its pre-tour movement but couldn't find the GH yd on the track plans or any other info on the net. Cheers.

Latest News - Torbay Express Limited

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

That's the first and second TBEL 'Bath Spa Express' trains this season cancelled because of the lack of a steam locomotive.

It must be very frustrating for TBEL and the passengers. <BJ>

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

Shows as cancelled on UK steam now - TBEL are having a rough time with trains from Poole this year -only 2 out if 5 have run so far DH

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

2 out of 5? Correct me, please, if I'm wrong but there has only been 1 tour so far out of 5 - the Diamond Jubilee Express from the other week?

James at SVN

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

Thanks for posting the bad news.

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

Sorry, it should say Eastleigh Yard not Eastleigh GH ! ie just north of the station.

David at www.uksteam.info

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

That is 3 FTR failures within 5 days. Not the best way to present preservation's face to NR.

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

And 5 failures in the last 20 days! 70013 (twice but suffering from the same problem - leaking tubes), 60163 (stuck safety valve), 44932 (can't remember what the problem was) and now 71000 (repairs completed but required testing before a ML run).

James at SVN

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

Cheers for info - that makes sense

Looking from a glass half full perspective, at least that's 3 failures noticed before the tours & not during - that would have upset NR more. Goes to show that the FTR tests are being done thoroughly which must be a good thing, and hopfully stopping little problems turning in to much bigger ones by spotting them early. Of course that won't be any comfort to the majority of the people who were booked on this tour, but going off peoples comments in other recent threads, it could have been a lot worse - they could have made this tour box hauled instead :tape:

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

This all bad news for main line steam generally,but its interesting that TBEL have done the decent thing and actually cancelled the train,thus ensuring the hapless punters at least get a refund,whereas RTC under similiar circumstances(loco failure on day before travel) have run diesel hauled thus presumably saving themselves a lot of money and avoiding giving refunds...

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

Sorry James - mixed up my tours and counted a non TBEL one - yes correct the April one never happened as well so one out of five 5 for this season which has to be concerning for the operators.
DH

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

The loco on the Easterling failed Saturday afternoon. Office closed and you would need staff available to go to the office and call 350 passengers.

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

By the sounds of it 71000 is not a FTR failure but just loco not ready for the tour.

Locos failing FTRs won't upset NR one bit. The only thing that will upset NR is if the loco fails whilst on the tour. J

Jamie

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

As Paul42 has already said, 44932 failed late Saturday afternoon - too late to notify all of the passengers. Also, I suspect that, as TBEL are owned by Riviera Trains who supply to stock etc, it will won't cost them as much to cancel a train as it would for RTC who might still have to pay West Coast for the stock even if they don't use it.

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

Already been linked to, but seems it was a FTR failure. Repaired but not tested.

Latest News - Torbay Express Limited

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

It might not upset them but we are playing into their hands by giving them the sort of statistical evidence that they want to prove that steam is not reliable and does not have a place on the national network.

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

How are we playing into there hands? Failures will happen and you can't always predict them. The only statistics they will be interested in is when a charter fails including diesels which there has been a couple this year as well and delays other operaters. If NR wanted to prove steam was that unreliable they would have done that over the past x amount of years steam have been back on the Network.

I think it's being blown out of proportion that a couple of locos have failed there FTRs but at least as others have said before they have not failed whilst out on the main.

Jamie

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

I think in terms of failures out on the line causing delays (as opposed to not leaving the shed or being somewhere else out the way) TOC's are in not position to moan as their figures are not much better in some cases, stones and glass houses.

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

I do not know if you have ever been involved with main line steam and the organization of charters, however some of your comments seem a little naive.