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Cath Ex Thursday 11th June

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by mrKnowwun, Jun 9, 2015.

  1. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    I'm a confused bunny.

    We have Steam dreams saying this

    http://www.steamdreams.co.uk/Execut...r=71706&Route=1&Adults=2&Children=0&Infants=0

    This trip will now will be diesel hauled throughout and terminate at Minehead due to pathing difficulties.

    We have Railway Herald saying this

    Thursday 11th June 2015
    The Cathedrals Express (Steam Dreams)
    • WCRC 47/57 poolCheam (pu) - Epsom (pu) - Leatherhead (pu) - Effingham Junction (pu) - Guildford (pu) - Petersfield (pu) - Havant (pu) - Salisbury (pu) - Westbury
    • To be confirmedWestbury - Taunton - Exeter St. Davids - Newton Abbot - Torquay - Paignton - Kingswear
    • To be confirmedKingswear (pu) - Paignton (pu) - Exeter St. Davids (pu) - Taunton - Westbury
    • WCRC 47/57Westnury - salisbury (sd) - Havant (sd) - Petersfield (sd) - Guildford (sd) - Effingham Junction (sd) - Leatherhead (sd) - Epsom (sd) - Cheam

    We have UK Steam info saying this

    Thu 11-Jun THE CATHEDRALS EXPRESS - [​IMG] (04/06)
    [​IMG]​
    Cheam-Kingswear [wcrc]
    60007 61306: Westbury-Kingswear Bristol-Kingswear and return
    [61306 replaces 60007 which is unvailable. Steam now from Bristol vice Westbury]

    And we have these paths

    http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50538/2015/06/11/advanced
    http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50539/2015/06/11/advanced


    (edit - can't find a path for Mayflower to Bristol from Southall WCR)


    I guess its just diesel West Brompton to Minehead, but what a load of confusion!
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2015
    mrKnowwun, Jun 9, 2015
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  2. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    and the SD site says:

    YOUR DESTINATION - Kingswear & Dartmouth
    [​IMG] A charming maritime village, perfect for a summer getaway.

    Kingswear is located on the opposite side of the river Dart to Dartmouth in the South Hams area of South Devon, just south of the English Riviera.

    Its most prominent feature is the privately owned Kingswear Castle, a 15th century artillery tower, built to defend Dartmouth Harbour.

    Kingswear is also the terminus for the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway, where trains are run from Easter to October.
    YOUR ROUTE
    This trip will now will be diesel hauled throughout and terminate at Minehead due to pathing difficulties.


    There, perfectly encapsulated, is why the promoters get such bad press. It is terribly terribly shoddy and lazy communication. They can clearly update the page to change destination, but not the rest of it with the old destination on. The communication/marketing managers of Steam Dreams and RTC need a seriously good ass kicking.
     
    mrKnowwun, Jun 9, 2015
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  3. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I think you have probably got that right - i.e. a day trip to Minehead by diesel. This is a good example of the almost impossible circumstances that a tour operator has to contend with. I presume that what is going on here is that SD is trying to salvage something out of the mess thrown at them. Let's hope that they are able to use a vacuum brake rake of coaches as that will allow the WSR to provide a steam locomotive for the leg beyond Bishops Lydeard?
     
    Big Al, Jun 9, 2015
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  4. alastair

    alastair Well-Known Member

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    Agreed,I think the kindest thing would have been to cancel this one,once it was clear steam was off. The timings are dire,people getting on at,say,Cheam are going to be on the train for 12 or so hours and the whole trip is nearly 17 hours.And ending at Minehead which to be polite is a bit of a dump. Can't think of many "normal" non-diehard enthusiasts that is going to appeal to,indeed it might put some off from travelling on railtours again.
     
    alastair, Jun 9, 2015
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  5. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    RTC went ahead with GBVIII in the hope that it would turn out not too different from what had been offered. The result was "unfortunate", though the alternative of cancellation would also have been far from ideal for some of those who had booked, and for RTC themselves.

    Do SD really consider that their T&C allow them to change both the traction and the destination, long enough before the date for the changes to be known about, and yet not allow cancellation for a full (or almost full) refund? I hope not, because it they do believe that who will ever dare to book another trip with them?
     
    MellishR, Jun 9, 2015
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  6. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    Also conflicting information about whether Epsom is a pick-up point or not. What a mess.
     
    Deepgreen, Jun 10, 2015
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  7. Bean-counter

    Bean-counter Part of the furniture

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    All I can say is I am very pleased it is planned to "terminate at Minehead" (or indeed Kingswear, if that is a mis-print), as any attempt to continue any further would be very messy! :) :Wasntme:

    Sorry!

    Steven

    (Seriously, I do wonder if that is meant to say Paignton, which would make more sense)
     
    Bean-counter, Jun 10, 2015
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  8. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    If UK Steam is correct - and it usually is - then this trip is diesel all the way to Minehead. So it seems as though defeat has been snatched from the jaws of victory on this one. It's hard to imagine that the WSR would drop everything at the last minute to find steam traction for the punters even assuming that the stock is vacuum braked which it wasn't on 28/5.

    A disappointing day out for many, methinks.
     
    Big Al, Jun 10, 2015
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  9. simon

    simon Resident of Nat Pres

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    Unfortunately it has a lot of detail plastered over the website about Minehead so it looks like an expensive day trip to Minehead.
     
    simon, Jun 10, 2015
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  10. malc

    malc Part of the furniture

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    Since this is obviously a very late change, what is the point of going to a great deal of effort to update the website? How many potential passengers are likely to book on the basis on what it says on the website the day before the trip? Much more important to provide a full explanation of what's going on a passengers who have already booked (and past experience with SD suggests that's exactly what they will have been doing).
     
    malc, Jun 10, 2015
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  11. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Because its the professional thing to do. To do anything else (and its not hard to do) is exceptionally poor communication, especially in your main face and portal to the public.
     
    mrKnowwun, Jun 10, 2015
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  12. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    Agreed.
     
    26D_M, Jun 10, 2015
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  13. nanstallon

    nanstallon Part of the furniture

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    Whatever the rights and wrongs, this is very offputting to the punter who may be faced with a layout of £100 or more, by the time allowance is made for connecting services and maybe hotels, which may not be refundable.

    There is a general atmosphere of uncertainty as to whether any particular steam trip will run as planned, and not everybody is prepared to risk that sort of money.

    John
     
    nanstallon, Jun 10, 2015
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  14. richards

    richards Part of the furniture

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    And because updating a website is usually a quick job and let's you get an urgent message out to people quickly - in addition to email etc.
     
    richards, Jun 11, 2015
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  15. steamvideosnet

    steamvideosnet Well-Known Member

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    47760.222.jpg

    47760 approaching Hedge End this morning, running about 8 minutes early.

    James
     
    steamvideosnet, Jun 11, 2015
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