Cumbrian Coast Express 9/4/16

Might be hard if you'd had the benefit of that accommodation, depending on the precise policy wording. I still think the key point is RTC's decision to breach the contract they had entered into - I think the circumstances of Saturday go beyond "cancellation", though it would be a grey area.

I am pleased that Mr W has had what he considers a satisfactory settlement - and trust that RTC and other operators have learned from the way that they've lost one of their future customers.

 

I think its fairly clear that once things had got into the perfect storm scenario on Saturday there was little other outcome likely than what happened. The question now is whether lessons can be learned to improve things for the future. Clearly that is in part a commercial decision - balancing the costs of additional contingency matters against the potential longer term erosion of business if there are further incidents that end up on the pages of various review sites.

Having a spare coach available at key starting locations like Southall and Carnforth should be a sensible measure - its not going to cost much if anything given that there will be a need to have spares in case of mechanical failure earlier than the discovery this week. For example if it turns out that the carriage that got left behind needs parts that will take two weeks to obtain, there is going to be a need to replace it before that rake is used this week. There must be spares around - having them at the back of the yard behind stuff that isn't going to be needed urgently is something that needs to be reconsidered.

Similarly having tour staff joining the train with passengers at intermediate pick up points sounds like it is under consideration and given that this sort of trip will be a premium experience for most non enthusiasts it is probably what the customer expects.

Lessons do however need to be learned. There is only a finite market and if the review sites start to rack up stories about being left behind because of lack of carriages or spending hours at Crewe because of a breakdown then its going to affect everyone. WCRC might not be the ones fielding the irate phone calls from punters on a Monday morning but they'd be very foolish to think that this weekends incidents have no bearing on their own business. Heaven forbid this ever ends up on a programme like Watchdog which I suspect would have a lot of "fun" with terms that allow the supplier so much latitude in changing what they originally offered at the point the contract was made. As a weekend taken in the round it wasn't the finest hour for rail charters - one train with severely curtailed steam mileage, another leaving 10% of its customers behind and another suffering a breakdown and substantial inconvenience to its travellers. We might have the show back on the rails but it still has plenty of work to do in getting to the premium experience people think they are paying for.

 

Just received letter from RTC written Saturday and posted first class. Let's hope lessons are learned and we all move on. I'm I coach F for the Scot Commemorative (I hope!)

 

whoops, finger problems.

 

Out of professional interest, had a quick nose at the Companies House data on "Warren Travel Ltd" (which appears to be the only trading company at present). Whilst the ATOL bonding should keep customers money safe if they book trips, its not the healthiest looking set of accounts I've seen. £108k loss in the year to 30/11/14, the following year will have the first round of WCRC problems in it (including last years GB disaster). Balance sheet £80k in the red. To be fair in a small company like that, the accounts won't tell the whole story as there can be directors transactions that distort things but it will need to get back into the black if its to survive long term.

 

Also in today's post was the leaflet from the Government saying why we should remain in the EU and stuffed in the back was the following flyer.



You've got to admire these entrepreneurs, might be worth a try, you don't think that it's a scam? Can someone lend me £20 . . . and an envelope . . . and a pen . . .