Royal Duchy 2015

PS. We could extend this one by discussing the armchairs we experts use to make our posts from?

I actually use a much loved wooden "Captains Chair". With arms and a cushion and a a towel draped over the back. For comfort and for those sweaty BSW moments.

PPS. For The Man. The BSWs I know didn't wear pure white wedding dresses. OMG!

 

PMSL!

 

Just had a phonecall from RTC :-

"At the request of the locomotive owners we have had to shorten the train by one coach, meaning that unfortunately your seats are now unavailible, however we will hold your seats in reserve should there be a booking cancellation before the 6th September"

It would appear that someone at LSL isn't going to take any chances with the Dutchy - and it also seems very likely that I won't be travelleing

I have asked RTC to swap my booking to the Capital Christmas Express instead - 34067 had better behave itself! (unless I get really lucky and it turns out to be 35018s first tour!!!)

Fed up now!

 

That's very unlucky. I'd be none too impressed if that happened to me.

 

So sorry Billy, that was going to be your first mainline trip wasn't it?

No real surprise they have lightened the load. I think, (not certain), it was 7 cars for a Light pacific in steam days. I also think based to some extent on tractive effort and the ability to restart on any part of the line if needed. A friend who does a lot of work on tractive efforts etc sent me a note after the Tangmere episode which showed that 9 cars did not meet that criteria. Making a stall inevitable if other circumstances got speed too low at the wrong place on the climb where Tangmere came to a stand. So timetabling and allowed loads in real steam days wasn't all done by guesswork! But of course the commercial pressures were different back then. If they ran a 7 car train with just 100 people it mattered not. Taking a coach, (or 2!), off nowadays will not only cause much disappointment to such as Billy, but will also seriously impact on the "profit" for RTC.

 

Whilst all that may be so steam engines can of course exceed their theoretical

 

I have started so I will finish. Theoretical efforts can and have been exceeded in practice. Notably Pete Roberts took 11 unaided on Upwey bank, something which in paper us completely impossible and Tangmere has also climbed Hemerden with a load over the limit as have many other engines. Tangmere had a problem on 2nd August so maybe no surprise it didn't make it that day. Other examples of where engines have been overloaded on climbs include 45699 on Shap. In the current climate though imposing sensible load limits isn't a surprise

 

I heard the same quote from someone earlier this year. Oh yes, it was from that wonderful company that fly from Bristol Airport.
You may have heard of them. They're called Easyjet.


Compensation offered on 1st June .......but still waiting. <BJ>

 

Pretty much

 

Yes I certainly agree, especially your last sentence. Tangmere's astonishing 2014 ascent had no unscheduled slowings on the climb of course. A truly outstanding performance.

8 cars is hopefully a good compromise between old/theoretical limits and keeping a profitable train running for as many customers as possible. And keeping the loco owners happy as well: a rather important point I would imagine.

 

We often hear that the profit of a charter train is in the last coach. If the Royal Duchy runs with one less coach is it still possible for the train to make a profit? RYTC could simply be running the final Royal Duchy of the year as a goodwill gesture for the remaining passengers.

I hope this is not the case as next season would be very disappointing without the opportunity to travel aboard the train or view it from the lineside. <BJ>

 

To paraphrase a certain Municipal bus manager 'nothing that a good price increase won't cure '

 

I was hoping to do a pay-on-the-day now that I am back in work. Last year the rake consisted of mainly 32 ton Mk2s whereas vids I have seen of this years runs show mainly 36-37 ton Commonwealth bogied Mk1s. Do the math and this alone makes it virtually a coach heavier. Any chance of replacing the Commonwealths with B4s? The vintage trains set has a few of those heavy (38 1/2 ton) Metro Cammell pullmans but otherwise much lighter Mk2s. Something to think about? Gutted for those who have lost out, but an 8 coach steam hauled Duchy is surely much better than a 9 coach diesel-shoved Duchy? Otherwise, quite frankly, what's the point?

 

Indeed, but steam into the buffers in London will hopefully but an excellent compromise!

 

I know we don't really have an idea of the total running costs of the Duchy trains, TOC, Catering, Stewards etc., but providing WCRC use the Brit's POB as the brake as DBS do, the income from a full train (bit of an assumption on Dining/First split) will still be around the £30k mark.

Premier Dining 2*42 seats 84 passenfers @ £185 £15,540
First 1*42 seats 42 passengers @ £135 £5,670
Kitchen Car no passengers
Buffet 1*48 seats 48 passengers @ £79 £3,792
TSO 2* 64 seats 128 passengers @ £79 £5,056
£30,058

with the possibility of an additional 42*£20(?) £840 if all table for 2 supplements are paid. Junior fares could reduce the figures as families do travel on the Duchys.

 

I was thinking about cylinders because you will have more power with 4 cylinders than 2 cylinders. It is a sensible move.

 

This Royal Dutchy trip must be a real gas seeing as a Dutchy is "A blunt (e.g. marijuana rolled into a cigar wrapper), especially one rolled with a Dutch Master Corona." Far out man.
Perhaps you mean something much more mundane, a Duchy.