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Clan Line in 2020

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by derby2, Jan 10, 2020.

  1. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    If your tour has been cancelled though where would you prefer to hear from ? the tour operator or an unconfirmed source ? So I don't think it unreasonable for the all parties involved to manage the information release and have a social media policy which leaves sanctions for those spilling the beans so to answer the question actually yes ,at least until the tour operator has had a chance to contact attendees . Frankly I couldn't give a hoot about those travelling to see the event as they are not customers of it . They chose to consume without contribution of their own volition and do so at their own risk
     
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  2. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    My view is that this is a forum for all elements of the hobby and is not designed for professionals, although many contribute valuably. Those who happen to want to see (rare these days) steam on the main line may well have contributed in the past and will probably do so again. Then there are those who go to see it and are inspired to become involved too. To demean and dismiss 'linesiders' as (effectively) parasites is to be short-sighted at best. Incidentally, the train in question was fully-booked so no more fare-payers could be accommodated anyway, meaning that those wanting to watch it were not in a position to add to the revenue whether they wanted to or not.

    This is also a forum where members should be free to discuss and speculate on events without censorship (unless offensive, defamatory, etc., obviously). It is pretty obvious that the degree of so-called 'fake news' here is tiny and that unsubstantiated claims are very quickly stamped on. I don't imagine that many who have paid to travel on a tour (and who aren't enthusiasts anyway) will take their news from here, and if a few do latch on to rumours here, that's a part of the much larger way in which modern information sharing works. Removing some posts will always leave those that cause doubt, unless entire threads are removed. Other sources will always play their part too, especially in these times of extremely short notice changes.

    If we simply exclude speculation from discussions here we will lose a lot.
     
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  3. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I'm with the post above this one at #181. A few of the comments made over the past 15 hours or so plus those that were not allowed to remain just bear out that there are people who really don't deserve to be able to enjoy any of the benefits of heritage steam because they have a misplaced sense of entitlement to know the ins and outs of every last thing that happens and ideally to know it first.

    It's a really small minority but sadly because they can talk to the world at a moment's notice they get their place in the sun without any thought of the consequences that might ensue.

    Sorry to be direct but it has to be said.
     
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  4. D1002

    D1002 Resident of Nat Pres

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    What I don’t understand is the suppression of the news that Clan Line’s trip tomorrow had been cancelled. Reliable sources were quoted and it saved a number of well known contributors from making an unnecessary journey to photo/film the train. Surely one of the functions of the forum is to keep members up to date with what’s going on.
     
  5. evilswans

    evilswans Member

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    Surely a simple we're sorry its cancelled and will release more info when we can will be fine? Don't get the big cover up personally

    Matt
     
  6. D1002

    D1002 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Before the posts were removed, a perfectly valid reason was provided......this bl**dy virus.
     
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  7. evilswans

    evilswans Member

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    Yeah saw that earlier like I say I don't see what the big cover up is. Is it going to get to the point where people are only allowed to add info if they are booked on a certain tour?

    I'm sure many times people have found out from this section a tour has been capped or a loco has failed its ftr

    A confused matt
     
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  8. 46223

    46223 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Yes, and the reason for the cancellation was reported on Faceache this morning.
     
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  9. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Twenty four hours on and before possibly things start to kick off again perhaps it would help for everyone to reflect on the really difficult circumstances that companies, operators and loco owners are having to work under at present.

    We all know that this pandemic has tipped many businesses over the edge and for many individual people and families this year has also been horrendous. When a business is trying to keep going and do its best to provide a service for others whilst safeguarding its customers and also its own employees, only those actually doing such things can really understand the pressures they are under. If you don't trust what is happening then you won't engage and that is bad for business as confidence is lost. Within all that the message, together with how and when that is transmitted must make a difference.

    Yesterday was probably just about timing, not secrecy. When we were formally asked to take down messages and speculation about today it must have been something much more to do with yesterday's non-steam trip, that was cancelled, than today's. Either way, and it was a judgement that maybe other social media platforms would be less bothered about, it seemed the right thing to do whilst those directly responsible for the Belmond trips managed a rapidly unfolding situation with their customers.

    Whilst NP is independent of all heritage and main line steam it wouldn't wish to be seen as accidentally or deliberately making life difficult for those who provide the pleasure and enjoyment that many on here take advantage of. You can't "bring the heritage community together" if at the same time you work against the people who provide that dimension to our lives.

    As the path for today has not been activated on RTT, it seems clear that Network Rail is not expecting anything to leave Victoria at lunchtime. That's all we know officially until any statement from a known source is made.
     
  10. 16Ventnor

    16Ventnor New Member

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    I’m not sure if I’m reading this correctly so forgive me. I noticed earlier that the journey from Victoria to Oxford Parkway and return have been activated on RTT at 07:30 today along with other moves to and from Stewart’s Lane. I have known moves from Long Marston near where I live to be activated when nothing came. Does this look similar?
     
  11. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Could be. RTT experts will know. The Chilterns path is a special one so maybe it works in a different way from the Shalford 'Q' paths that sit there until they go live.
     
  12. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    Ian , don't put words in my mouth that I never said . Remember I also go out taking pictures of main line and preserved line steam . The tour operators obligations and the contract is with its fare paying customer not anyone else . That we have the ability to know real time generally is very helpful but it is not an obligation, the other factor everyone is ignoring , is that if the reason is as said then there is a whole extra level of protocols that need to be managed that affect not just this tour but also anything that has run in the last ten days or so . This being I believe the first time the scenario has unfolded. I struggle with the lack of understanding that this may just be bigger than telling a load of steam starved linesiders that their trip out is off.
    The sorry state of all of this is the operator probably only needed a few hours to get their house in order before information release to the wider community and all of this could have been avoided.
     
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  13. Jeremy English

    Jeremy English Member

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    I think all we wanted to know was whether the train was running or not. The reason why is of no interest whatsoever.
     
  14. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    If it has been cancelled many of us would like to know why, though we have no entitlement to know why. Anyway it remains unclear to me whether it has been cancelled. RTT still shows it as due to depart less than an hour from now.
     
  15. TheModster

    TheModster Member

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    The ECS move from Stewarts Lane hasn't shown any movement and it's due in Victoria around now. Would assume cancelled
     
  16. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U55386/2020-12-12/detailed indeed shows no movement, and yet, like the tour iteself, it was activated early this morning.

    Edit: I should have looked at the Railway Herald site: that apparently announced the cancellation on Friday morning.
     

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    Last edited: Dec 12, 2020
  17. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Apropos linesiders supporting or not supporting railtour operators: in recent years (apart from this year) I have averaged about eight railtours per year and I have gone out to see/phot/video just four (if I remember aright) over the last ten years.
     
  18. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Good Lord, whats all this old pony about. The train was cancelled at late notice due to Corona Virus. Surprised? No of course not it was a known risk, anyone booked would have known it was possible. As for how they were told, it doesn't matter if they read it on Social Media or an official personal notice, the company would want the pax to know ASAP by what ever means.

    What do we get on here? Overzealous power crazed moderators slashing great swathes of a forum to bits because "the industry read this". Cobblers, get off your made up ivory tower, this is a social media site, not unlike twitter that Donald Trump uses. World leaders with fingers on nuclear buttons read it. Do they take it seriously? We are all still here so clearly not.

    Of course it didn't take long for "linesiders are leaches" to appear did it. Pathetic.
     
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  19. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Perhaps you missed the bit where Big Al said, "Apologies that this comes over as rather cryptic but we are responding to an official request and would advise no discussion at this stage".
    Are we, the 'overzealous power crazed moderators' to ignore such a request and further alienate those who we rely on for input to this forum?
     
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  20. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    Yes, you dont rely on those you mentioned. You may like to think this forum is the hub of the industry, it aint. Its here to make money for the owner via adds that the audience you alienate may no longer see.

    No doubt this post will go the same way as the rest.
     

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