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CathEx Windsor to Faversham 26 July

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Deepgreen, Jul 24, 2015.

  1. 99Z

    99Z Guest

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  2. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    In this instance that first coach is the brake, it sometimes happens that it's at the 'wrong' end, but if that is the case it's only used if the rest of standard is full.
     
  3. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    The name isn't "Shove It" by any chance? :)
     
  4. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    More like "Scrap It".
     
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  5. 99Z

    99Z Guest

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  6. VirtualSteam

    VirtualSteam Member

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    29 late off Faversham according to RTT
     
  7. bonniville

    bonniville New Member

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    P1050413-crop (Medium).JPG my shot at a very wet redhill this morning
     
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2015
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  8. parowozy

    parowozy New Member

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    Not wishing to digress from this thread but I suspect the diesel is there for insurance given 61306 is running a vacuum braked train. 70000, I suspect, was running on air brakes yesterday and so in the eventuality of a failure it could be moved - not so easy with a vac train - where's the nearest dual braked diesel these days? If that's what's required to keep vac only steam operating so be it! Rather that than none at all...what short memories we all have!

    FYI on your last post, when a diesel is in the consist and the train is in vac mode, the diesel has to be running to supply air for it's own brakes via a translator, so being shut down and unmanned is not an option.
     
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  9. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Can I try to explain this 'Catch 22' situation yet again?
    • The load for this train was 10. That's about the limit for a B1.
    • The diesel was needed for shunt moves so it goes with the train (and adds 4 more equivalent).
    • The consequence of both the above is that it has to assist even if the reason for its presence is for something else.
    Another post has explained why the diesel needs to be 'live'. Either way it is just an unavoidable consequence of the diesel being needed with any motive power less than a Class 8, imo.

    For steam purists it's simply a trip to avoid, as I suspect most did. And there will be more like that I suspect but there will also be a small number (like the WSE yesterday) that are different.

    It's not all that difficult with standard routes to work out what may happen so you choose accordingly if it is an issue for you, as I did yesterday.
     
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  10. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    Al, I totally agree, but I guess sometimes someone still gets caught out as buseng must have been in this case.

    I wouldn't suggest this every time, but can I suggest that if SD don't give him a full ticket refund that we all consider clubbing together on Nat Pres and refund buseng the price he paid for his ticket?

    If we do go ahead with that it has to be on the basis that if in future a diesel is on the back and doesn't push the train at all during the trip we can't be expected to repeat this for unhappy diesel gricers.
     
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  11. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    It would help if the organisers were up front regarding the planned presence of a diesel and what it's there for.
     
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  12. Southofthethames

    Southofthethames New Member

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    Four shots from a rain swept Brixton
    1 Brixton 61306.jpg 3 Brixton 61306.jpg 5 Brixton 61306.jpg DSC_2447.jpg
     
  13. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Thats seems fair, if there's an operational need for a diesel, fine, but be honest about it and let the customer decide for themselves, trying to decieve (deliberately or accidentally) is unlikely to inspire confidence in future booking.

    I know WCRC are on something resembling probation currently, but looking at tour programmes, I can't see myself booking anything more steam wise until well into 2016, too many uninspiring, repetitive itineries, with increased timings, shorter steam legs and more diesel shoving, being prudent is one thing, but you still need to attract the customer, the Bristol - Weymouth for example is putting many off this year with the lack of unassisted steam haulage.
     
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  14. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    I think you have your wires crossed, I wasn't on today's (or any other) trip. Far too risky.
    Saying that I wouldn't of minded being on yesterday's tour, solo steam on the mainline & an over 20 mile each way heritage steam ride.
    I did a few WSR tours years ago back in the days of Daylight Railtours. Yes, back then the return from BL to Westbury was box hauled due to the lack of turning facilities on the WSR at the time.
    At least you knew up front when you booked & that was it box wise.
     
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  15. Where's Mazeppa?

    Where's Mazeppa? Member

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    For the perfect illustration of how/when to do it, look no further than the Vintage Trains 2015 thread and Ben's posts (roughly 61-68/ Page 4) that date back to mid-March. No ambiguity whatsoever about how they planned to set up their planned main line steam excursions and the general direction of their thinking on the diesel assistance issue. And their whole approach and open-ness has proved consistently helpful to me personally in planning/ deciding on participation in their tours or otherwise.

    So, if VT can do it, why can't the other (so-called) leading players? Is it that they don't judge it to be sufficiently important to communicate on this topic to (what they perceive to be) their customer base? Or maybe they just can't be bothered (as with the total lack of proof-reading that is so often remarked in the posts on this forum) ? Or maybe its in the nature of the state of communications within their own supply chain that they just don't find out enough, soon enough.

    Whatever the root cause, getting clarity back into the presentation and communication of the detail of the specification of main line steam trips, including proposed traction, simply has to happen to regain and inspire the confidence in future bookings that david1984 alludes to above.
     
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  16. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I think you are missing the point with VT against SD and the RTC.

    When VT use a diesel it is their diesel and this is factored into the thinking at the outset so they can say. With SD and the RTC, they probably have no idea what will happen until WCRC decides, By then it may well be too late for most people who have already booked....or not.

    Anyway, back on topic, it will be nice one day to see something around Kent that doesn't take a diesel. The Christmas Black 5s is all I can think of.
     
  17. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    As a TOC, do WCRC not give them some idea of what to expect from the rough spec they have submitted before thr Tour Promoter goes public with the tour ?, granted the goalposts can often move nearer the time, but there must be an idea at the planning stage that a diesel shunt is needed here, the loco cannot turn there, etc.
     
  18. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Last edited: Jul 27, 2015
  19. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Never let it be said that the Studios of Knowwun do not not listen to their target audience and produce a range of films suitable for all tastes.

    Here then is the Directors cut of the Faversham Cathedrals Express for those who appreciate the aesthetic finer points of the ass end of a Mk1.

     
  20. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    I read about this on WNXX last night, never realised it was so closely connected with 61306's trip though.
    Hope your last comment doesn't ring true & proven!
     

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