Main Line Steam - Possible ramifications of the WCRC suspension

Ian Riley has said on The Works forum the locos are staying at NYMR for the gala, so looks unlikely that it'll run.

 

Ian Riley made comment on his Facebook, Saturday afternoon, stating that his 5's are to remain at the NYMR and take part in their second weekend of the Spring Steam Gala.

Make of that what you will, doesn't rule it out of running, but does of double headed Black 5's.

 

Everything is crossed, fingers, legs and arms in the hope that the "light and the end of the tunnel" referred to earlier in response to rumour that there was postive feedband from the steps that WCR were taking to satisfy NR, was going to turn into a massive ray of sunshine.

I think the waiting is now going to be the worst part for us enthusiasts. People talk about charter trains running again soon with WCR but where is the concrete evidence to back this up. Yes, it is clear that WCR will be working towards satisfying NR of their worthyness to continue but they have one heck of a shopping list to sort out.

Sorry to be a pessimist, but I just get that nagging feeling that this still has a long way to go, and the 15th May deadline may turn out to be spectacularly opitimistic. What would help quell these feelings?

Perhaps a statement from WCR, from the horse's mouth so to speak, that significant progress is being made and that they are on course to getting NR to lift the suspension on before 15th May. Now that would help to make that light at the end of the tunnel becoming bright and beautiful.

We can all pontificate until the cows come home, but there are just 26 days to the 15th May. Forget the General Election clock, this one is much more important to most of us.

 

Haven't WRC issued a statement somewhere claiming that they will be back by May 7th?

 

Presumably the first opportunity for 'concrete evidence' will be what happens to GB VIII.

 

Can you remember where you saw that, Sheff? Was it from the horse's mouth or hear-say? It would be in time for The Jacobite, but too late for GB8 (my personal interest)

 

I certainly do not recall have seen anything to suggest they will be ready to roll on 7th May. The only thing on their website today is the original statement announcing the suspension and the reasons for it.

http://www.westcoastrailways.co.uk/download/Important.pdf

 

Yes, that's a fair point, and I place a similar value on virtual world sources of info. It's knowing when to separate yourself from it that's important for me. It's just too easy to be distracted from the world around you.

 

Yes tell me about it, I was checking RTT once (telling me it was 4 minutes away I seem to recall) when UoSA sailed past me at speed in the gloom.

 

On the Great Britain V111 topic, there is a quote from Railway Touring Company which states the following:

David Smith, Chairman of West Coast Railways has informed us that he expects the Great Britain VIII still to run with steam, operated by West Coast Railways, following all the hard work that they have done to meet Network Rail's demands.

Wow. This sounds very positive indeed.

 

Yes, it sounds very positive, but "he would say that, wouldn't he?" What WCRC "expect" and what they are actually able to achieve are not necessarily the same thing, sadly. David Smith also said that all WCRC's operations would run as planned, operated by other TOCs. In a few cases, this has happened, but the majority of them have been postponed or cancelled. What we're all waiting for is NR's response. I don't know when that will happen, I don't know what it will contain. They may accept all of WCRC's actions and plans for the future or they may require further information or actions... So things are still rather uncertain.

 

WCRC have a business requirement to be positive about the outcome, and I have no doubts that they have the capability to become compliant within the deadline provided by NR. However, one also detects possibly a little bit of aggressive pressure by WCRC on NR to "pass them fit" early, pressure which no doubt NR will consider that old management attitude again......

 

Sorry, I've searched in vain on here, but it was definitely on here (or elsewhere) as there was some discussion following the post.

 

See my post above referring to information issued by the RTC.

 

Indeed, it does come across that way, which is worrying as it suggests lessons haven't been learned. A note of humility would be appropriate at the present time in my opinion.

 

Just posted on SD's facebook page:
"Unfortunately we have been forced to postpone next Tuesday’s trip to Bath and Bristol due to circumstances outside of our control. We are sorry not to have given more notice of this, but we have been working hard on alternative plans which sadly fell through this morning.
We are contacting all passengers today with further information about the postponement.
Please accept our sincere apologies for the postponement of this trip and for any disappointment caused."

 

indeed BA, there will likely be no extra crews around at DBS - plus there is no other loco around either with the exception of clan line, unless the tour becomes diesel hauled.
plus another rake of AB stock would need to be sourced from either carnforth or to charter from Riviera trains with whom SD no longer has a contract - all very difficult and my commiserations to all concerned.
the rake at southall that SD uses lately is not dual braked so they said

 

IMHO it is good that BA and ROG R2 enthusiasts who know about DBS, WCRC, SD and AB stock and about DBS now being involved with the RTC GB VIII due to NR and ORR issues with WCRC.

 

All so much easier when an SR crew from 70A /

Could take a MN or WC/BB and truly make hay /

back on to the mixed take of BCKs, CKs and RMBs /

(and maybe the odd Van B or van C) /

For that glorious dash on the down ACE to the sea...

Tom