LE Movements, ECS and Test Runs 2021

What are they doing on National Preservation then? Perhaps they would feel better if he spent his money on Formula One racing cars or an Ocean going Yacht or two instead of steam and diesal locos running charters around the UK that we can all watch or travel on.

 

I think the extra path is meant for a service train. The Friends of the West Highland Line have been campaigning for it for a long time. It’s an organisation worth joining for anyone interested in Scottish railways, the house magazine that comes out three times a year has some interesting historical content and a feature on the ferry services for anyone into shipping.

 

My understanding is that West Coast requested an earlier path for the second train so that it could cross the morning service at Arisaig where I think the passing loop can accommodate two seven coach trains thereby increasing capacity on the second trip.It also offers an earlier return to Fort William,important for servicing when the nights are drawing in at the end of September.

 

Another positive is that in times of high fire risk the afternoon train can be still have steam on the front albeit with diesel assistance.
With the original path this would make the train over length for passing the morning train at Glenfinnan and therefore would go out diesel only. Imagine the passengers disappointment at being hauled by a diesel only to see the other train still with a steam engine on the front at Glenfinnan. I know the guard would then bear the brunt of the passengers anger!

 

In the latter circumstances they should put Florence on the afternoon train, she'd soon sort out disgruntled passengers!!

 

Trying to find an opticians?

 

For the dog?

 

Why is it still the same on a Saturday? If there is high fire risk then is there a way they could bring forward the departure time to 12:45? Is the service train not going to run on a Saturday?

 

If it remains as normal booked on Saturday, there will be one of two reasons likely at play.

The first, it may be that WCRC have found that Saturday traffic prefers the later departure.

The second, there may be possible Saturday only services already contending for that same path? That can vary from ScotRail with a DMU, to a visit every third week by the Royal Scotsman.

 

The Saturday train plan would need work around the Royal Highlander land cruise path.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C83749/2021-08-07/detailed
They are "first on the graph" , so any later bid has to take that into account, otherwise NWR can refuse the later bid. The "Royal Highlander" is a dated operation and is shown in the WTT as a "Q" (as required) service to protect their path. This is a normal practice for repeat operations of high profile, high price trains.

If the fire risk is that bad and forecast to be long lasting, WCRC will work a second loco up to Fort William.

Cheers, Neil

 

Usually always two operational diesels up there throughout the two train running period in recent years.

 

Correct - that’s why we’ve done it.
JS

 

My view of businesses is formed by both what they do, and then by something about how they do it. That sometimes includes their owners’ politics - for example, I’m less likely to spend money in Wetherspoons because I know it will go to the odious Tim Martin.

In this case, we have someone who has taken a clear and overt political stand on a number of issues, and who is then stretching the law to the limit to run a private train for work, when we are all in a position where the law prevents us from going out for jollies.

It’s hardly surprising, despite his undoubted contribution to preservation, that people are uncomfortable with Hosking and the role he plays in this country. And, for what it’s worth, if he had contributed similarly to projects on the left, I suspect there would be a similar reaction to him, but from different people.


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Personally, I agree entirely with what you say, as I did with 7P6Fs point that as an enthusiast group we should look at the preservation side of what he does. For a neutral description see the Wikipedia article. It's on record, could we move on please as we have done on the WSR thread?

 

Largely, yes - but the discussion here is legitimate given the nature of the trip and how it reflects on the enthusiast market as a whole.

 

Excellent,get the show on the road!

 

I never realised you knew Mr Hoskins so intimately as to make your above assessment. Or is this a perception gleaned from scraps on the internet or maybe it's just the sanctimonious moralising of one who thinks his politics superior.

 

TBF to @35B he at least knows him well enough to spell his name correctly.

 

This trip stands for itself, and can be loved or hated accordingly. As for his politics, they are on the record.


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Mr Hoskins is entitled to travel on his own trains for whatever purpose whenever he wishes.
The Covid whingers on this site presumably never travel on his trains, nor go out to observe/photograph them, nor have any interest in the remarkable contribution he has made to railway preservation in recent years.
My only regret about last week’s special was that I had an optician’s appointment at the very time it was due to pass along the WCML three miles away from where I live.