Jacobite 2025

You are absolutely correct about the Jacobite. Three engines and the stock working far from base requires resources that no other TOC has. I doubt if any loco owner without the workshop capacity of 10A and Ian Riley would want to see their locos knocked to bits on the Mallaig road every year. It’s interesting that David Smith has said he wants the K1 finished asap for Jacobite work but this loco is not being fitted out to work air braked trains as far as I know.

 

The K1 situation is certainly interesting. I’ve heard various different tales about what’s happening and most relate back to that engine. I suspect ultimately it won’t go

 

And whilst I agree most will not read the small print, these days there is the issue of folks never liking what they get, even when it is well known.
I suspect many would not even accept fire risk, which is of course outside of any TOC control as a valid reason for a diesel.

 

The business world has had many businesses that were impossible to replicate, yet have been and were virtually invisible to customers.

 

I don’t disagree but in this case I really do feel the circumstances of the operation is special to one TOC.

Vintage don’t have the coaches, locos, or staff to do it. LSL don’t operate in the way the Jacobite does, and even if they adapted I don’t see them being able to resource it.

 

I think it has been said upthread that, whatever the risks to passengers may be, they are if anything greater on the Jacobite than on typical main line railtours.

There was a period when WCRC had an exemption, subject to agreed alternative arrangements for keeping doors locked, and they were temporarily banned for not sticking to those arrangements. Then they lost their judicial review. After that it is amazing that they seem to believe that the ORR might yet grant a new exemption.

If the special circumstances of the Jacobite and the political interest justify any special measure, it would be the provision of a subsidy from somewhere towards the cost of fitting CDL. Even that would likely annoy the other heritage TOCs.

 

I’m aware but, as the saying goes, nature abhors a vacuum.

I also like the idea of the “thermocline of trust”, where it looks like customer grief can be coped with but there comes a point at which the situation is irrecoverable. These reviews, on top of events last year, suggest that the Jacobite could be vulnerable to that phenomenon.

 

From my observations it seems the biggest contingent of visitors are Chinese ( they are Harry Potter mad) who seem to have no concept of personal safety at all. If seen driving a hire car along the A830 it’s best to give them a wide birth!

 

West Coast really need to get their act together on this, the Jacobite really is the golden egg and they are totally misunderstanding their market if they feel they can get away with not having 'Harry Potter' carriages up there. Anyone who has encountered a Comicon will know film fans are meticulous on detail! I had thought a rake of CDL Mk1s may appear out of Carnforth this year (just for Fort William). The problem West Coast have is that the other operators have now just got on with it.
But with a business head on, JK Rowling has just signed a huge deal to turn the entire series of Harry Potter books into several seasons of TV dramas. This is going to reboot the franchise big time and open up Harry Potter to a whole new audience.
The iconic steam train scenes will therefore be refilmed in the next couple of years. West Coast really needs to be front and centre to ensure 'their train' & 'that viaduct' are the only choice for the iconic scenes or maybe somewhere else will become the magnet for the fans.
The residents of Glenfinnan may have a different view though..

 

As an aside, the SVR diesel gala provided the bizarre sight of an LSL class 57 hauling West Coast Mk1s this weekend... i'm suprised one or the other didn't spontaneously combust!!

 

Why were West Coast Mk1s on the SVR?

 

They have hired them out to one or two heritage railways

 

Hired in to provide air brake stock for the various visiting mainline locos and 58023.

 

Correct, 6 dual braked Mk1s arrived behind a West Coast 37 to provide suitable stock for the myriad of air braked only diesels present for the gala. A damn fine event it was too!
And in case anyone was wondering, the diesel fans also appreciated stock with opening windows, as opposed to air cons supplied in previous years.

 

The sooner the better.

 

Is it not their Golden Egg? Perhaps they are happy with the return they are achieving now. They have the paths, so unless they do not meet the ORR's requirement of using them we are where we are.

 

A rake of freshly painted MK2 coaches has gone to Scotland today. Would seem to set out WCRs intentions if they’ve gone to the length of repainting MK2s vice fitting out MK1s.

 

My like is in agreeing with your statement in that the appearance of the Mk2s clearly sets out Carnforth's intentions, rather than agreeing that this is a correct business situation.
I do wonder where this now leaves 62005, unless it has been fitted with air brakes it's source of income has now completely disappeared.