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Great Britain XIV 2022

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Bulleid Pacific, Aug 2, 2019.

  1. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    I thought there was already a thread on this, but it wasn't coming up in my searches.

    Anyway, GB 2020 is now available to peruse:

    https://www.railwaytouring.net/travel-tours/the-great-britain-2020

    Looks good as usual, with Oban a clear highlight. Will have to wait and see if I can do a repeat of this year for that leg.
     
  2. jackshepherd

    jackshepherd Member

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    Looks a good un. Tornado on the EC, 6233 in Scotland and 6201 over the Devon banks. No mention of Scotsman though.
     
  3. Waterbuck

    Waterbuck Member

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    Tempted again, enjoyed 9 (11) days this year so much
     
  4. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Brilliant to see that the RTC and West Coast are taking the brave step of offering this tour again. It really is quite a steam feast and a massive undertaking with plenty to offer on the main line. And there are many of the big locos as well.

    At the risk of even daring to say anything negative, the strength of this tour is that it covers all the tried and tested routes, but that is also its weakness. Nothing original or unusual for any regular travellers.

    If you live near to interesting destinations then, of course, there are day trips that can take you to such places. But if you don't then it's something like a GB that gives you the opportunity of travelling these lines. So in this case it's Wales that's been given a miss. For example: no Central Wales, no Blaenau, no Pembroke/Fishguard. And in Cornwall, no Falmouth.

    I believe that Falmouth may now be impossible but I'm less certain about the others. Yes, as @Bulleid Pacific says, Oban is a highlight as was Stranraer last year. And Kyle is really too much of a mission so it's not surprising that it is missing.

    Let's hope though that there is enough to tempt the bank balance. For me this one needs a lot of thought.
     
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  5. blink bonny

    blink bonny Member

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    Yaaay! It's coming north of Newcastle on the ECML again after missing out the last few years.

    That's more like it.
     
  6. Steamie Boxes

    Steamie Boxes Member

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    And it looks like the Cumbrian Coast has returned to the agenda after a few years away
     
  7. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    Tornado?? on a train run by West Coast , well that's something I never thought I would see .:)
     
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  8. Glenmutchkin

    Glenmutchkin Member

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    Thursday's Aberdonian was hauled by Tornado and was operated by West Coast.
     
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  9. Sam 60103

    Sam 60103 Member

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    All Aberdonians are WCRC operated as well as the North Briton two weeks ago and another tour later in the year from London to Newcastle which Tornado hauls London to York and back with N09 hauling the train between York and Newcastle in both directions.
     
  10. Sam 60103

    Sam 60103 Member

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    Fascinating itinerary. Will 6233 be in gauge on the HML? Would be great to see a red duchess in the highlands.
     
  11. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Indeed. Full marks to them.

    And it ain't cheap. For the full dining option, with the trip to Oban and the supplement for single occupation in the hotels, it's over £4k for seven days of steam (eight days total but one day in Penzance); so about £600 per day. Full dining on a day trip costs less than half that, so seems to me considerably better value.
     
  12. 30567

    30567 Part of the furniture Friend

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    All true, not cheap. But you don't need to do full dining, part-fares may be possible, you may be able to opt for your own B and B.

    If your bag is steam mileage then the GB is not vfm compared with ten days out. If you want to visit Inverness, Oban and Penzance by steam, or you want a land cruise, or a good selection of locos, it is as good value as other iconic experiences {horrible phrase} such as Covent Garden opera or Premier League or the cricket world cup or the VSOE. At least it was for me last year, need to think about it next year.
     
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  13. Sam 60103

    Sam 60103 Member

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    There are some legs of the tour that I would immediately sign up to but there are others that wouldn't thrill me. The thing that frustrates me is that some places that rarely see steam such as Kyle and the far north, the only steam is the Great Britain. I would love to do steam on the Kyle line (doubt I'll get the chance) but there is no way I would want to do the whole Great Britain.
     
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  14. jonathonag

    jonathonag Well-Known Member

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    In recent years, I believe both The Great Britain and Highland and Islands tours have offered single day bookings for Kyle of Lochalsh, Aberdeen and Stranraer days.
     
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  15. Sam 60103

    Sam 60103 Member

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    I would like to do the whole Scottish leg of the Great Britain and perhaps the S&C on top of that but nothing in the south interests me at all.
     
  16. Groks212

    Groks212 Member

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    It's worth contacting RTC as they are quite amenable to requests for parts of the Great Britain. Did it myself last year, just the first 5 days, and I recall a lady on an earlier one who just did the Scottish part.

    Dave B
     
  17. Sam 60103

    Sam 60103 Member

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    It wouldn't happen next year but once my studies are finished I can't rule it out.
     
  18. henrywinskill

    henrywinskill Well-Known Member

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    From a photting point of view the Oban line has to be done!
     
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  19. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Locos tender to tender again?
     
  20. Waterbuck

    Waterbuck Member

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    Well I seem to have gone and booked again today. Looking forward to seeing some faces from this years wonderful trip and after talking Sunday to people who work on it I know a few of them are down to go again. For anyone who went this year I have 4 of 5 slide/video clips uploads now on Youtube under ' 1Goldsteam ' (not 'high' quality as I did not take my DSLR's but an historical slice of each day on board)
    P1070485.JPG > Stranraer
     
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