RTC 2018

• With the two Jubilees out of action 10A would be a bit short if 35018 went south so sadly I think you are right.

 

Had Scots and Jubs on end of southern tours before, cancelling tit just cause the loco you want isn't available, Seems like a giant middle finger to the punters.

 

Quite the reverse! Cancelling rather than making customers choose between cancelling themselves, with loss of some of their money, or taking the trip without the loco that they were expecting.

 

That RCT have preferred to cancel because the loco of choice is not available speaks volumns was these two tours more to do with the prospect of having 35018 available and no reserve engine was an option, for instance 60009 or 45212 , It had to be a southern pacific . the loss of the LSL engines I think has had an very adverse impact on West Coast, as West Coast only has a limited number of engines at its disposal , I wonder if the engineers are now looking at Bodmin with the thought, of we need more 75 mph rated engines capable of hauling trains over any where on the net work? I would not be surprised if she gets the boiler from 73 , and returns to action soon after 46115 .

 

Email received from RTC today:

"The Cumbrian Coast Express Saturday 29th September 2018

Due to changes in the recent timetable for services around the Cumbrian Coast the usual path departing Carlisle at 14.40, which has been available in the past for steam charters, is no longer available and this means that our operating company and Network Rail need to schedule the Cumbrian Coast Express to depart Carlisle earlier.

In order to facilitate this and have time to turn and service the steam locomotive, our Cumbrian Coast Express on 29th September will now be hauled by the vintage electric locomotive no. 86259 Les Ross, to Carlisle and the steam locomotive will take over from Carlisle for the run around the Cumbrian Coast coming off at Carnforth as scheduled on the return journey. This will mean that the time in Carlisle is reduced to about 1 hour and 20 minutes."

Another one bites the dust! I booked on this to go over Shap behind a Jubilee. I don't understand why they need to "turn and service the steam locomotive" if it's starting from Carlisle. I'm not sure it's worth my while going all that way for a cruise round the Cumbrian coast. Any offers for a standard class ticket?

 

One thing that's odd about that message is that the 'usual' path was actually at 1406 from Carlisle, 1745 at Carnforth, and there was only ever an hour and twenty minutes at Carlisle anyway on the CCE.

 

I think that it is "was", as the CME with 45699 23rd June departed Carlisle at 15:00. Not so good for the earlier WCME's in terms of what you see on the return in daylight if that does turn out to be the new standard return departure time for Euston originating CME's.

 

The usual slot now seems to be a Northern service to Barrow. Seems to have gone to an hourly service, must make any steam path difficult.
As the Class 86 will be there by about 1200 I guess departure must be around 1320 then. As it was not back to Euston until after 2300 on the old timings, over Shap and even later leaving Carlisle & later at Euston back not really option. That is before the regular WCML Saturday night engineering work.
Just shows how difficult it is getting to find any paths these days.

 

Are Sunday's an option I wonder, now that the Cumbrian Coast line has a Sunday service? The CME's form Euston never seem to have run on Sunday's, so maybe the electric section doesn't work.

 

Looking at the coast line timetable, I wonder if the days of the CCE from London with steam both ways are over and that itinerary would have to start from somewhere in the NW -- say Preston or Crewe -- and run in the slot an hour earlier from Carnforth up to Carlisle. Doing the coast line northbound doesn't look any easier although that might just be possible if Park Junction was open.

 

Ian my take for what it is worth (probably not much) is that it would be a serious ask, and although it maybe possible there would be a large number of challenges operationally and some that may increase costs.

I am sure this list is in no way comprehensive just my musings

ECS may well have to come from Southall Saturday and stable overnight at Willesden (usually comes very early Saturday morning) due to large amount engineering possessions around London.
86 probably has to come down from Rugby Saturday in the day, as usually comes down very early Saturday morning and WCML probably shut Sunday early hours.
Find a Sunday when all the WCML and Coast open
Euston would be open at 0710 but first Virgin Train does not leave to 0750 (may be commercial reason, maybe some operational reason).
Passengers will struggle to get to Euston, Watford and Milton Keynes at that time unless driving or near night tube.
Unknown connecting line engineering works may put passengers off booking, lots of the Nuneaton and Crewe passengers come in on other services. No connection from Northampton to Rugby at that time Sunday.
May need to run the outbound leg earlier to get a Shap path looking at RTT, makes the previous two issues worse.
Last trains are earlier on a Sunday so may discourage pax booking if they are worried about getting home (This is already an issue on Saturdays with existing train).
Stock normally stables in Euston on arrival Saturday, probably not possible due Monday rush hour so ECS to Willesden probably.

So I guess 30567 is right out over Shap back around the coast may be thing of the past courtesy Northern Trains.
I think they are gauging issues going North which is why all recently advertised northbound trips have ended up southbound.
The Park Junction issue does not help, but they lock out other boxes Saturday afternoon, so I guess Sunday will be the same giving some very long sections.
Starting from the North or NW would probably work, nobody seems to have tried to my knowledge so perhaps the market is not perceived to exist from there.

 

Just on your last point @Gladiator 5076 the Scot Commemorative did go northbound starting at Crewe maybe three years ago. A very good tour although it did have to go in the loop north of Penrith.

My feeling is that if there is a regional market for the Tin Bath once a year, the same could be true for the CCE but I'm afraid the new timetable has also put massive pressure on Man Vic.

 

There is a Cumbrian Coast Express down for 16th March 2019, currently showing the old timings. This could be the one to watch to see if it disappears, if it follows the same format as the re-timed one in September or something else is worked out.

 

Bloomin heck Ian us old uns on here cant look that far ahead

 

Might as well Henry. Next few months are a write off

 

UK Steam says 60103 with diesel due to fire risk, ie no change from Tuesday's Dalesman and Thursday's SSE.

 

At present S&C steam operations run with a diesel behind the steam loco while the Scarborough operation runs with the diesel at the rear of the train. A frustrating situation for real steam fans, but it makes the best of the current situation and it seems that the majority of passengers accept this. They get to see the loco at York/Scarborough/Carlisle during stops - and they also get to see some of the best scenery in the north of England in glorious sunshine. A good day out by many peoples reckoning .

Peter