RTC daytrips 2013

But still, it ruins the atmosphere of the day. Instead of tickets, you get some text on a screen. Hardly reminiscent of the steam age, now, is it? Also, as they're likely automated emails, they're quite likely to be picked up by spam blockers. That'd be a little bad for business, wouldn't it?

 

Back on topic...

My video from the Weymouth Seaside Express yesterday with 5029, including a storming ascent of Upwey bank:

James at SVN

 

Oh dear, does 'irony' not feature in your dictionary?
If someone can log on to this forum and post stuff, I am sure dealing with an e-ticket is not beyond them, no matter how techophobic they claim (proudly?) to be.

 

I wouldn't have thought the loss of a piece of card / paper would "ruin" the atmosphere of the day for many. There's already plenty of other contemporary influences present on steam tours that do a better job of that. I just think that as the "bigger railway" moves closer to smart ticketing technology, railtour promoters and their customers would do well to embrace it as well. There's always preserved railways for when you want to be all consumed by times past after all ?

 

Ruins the atmosphere of the day? 2 years ago I did a cross Canada rail trip starting in Vancouver and finishing in Halifax all booked online and done via etickets, including the flights. Ruin the holiday? Never even entered my mind.

 

So, next time you travel on a steam tour, will you take your photos using a Box Brownie with you rather than a modern digital camera or camcorder- surely the latter would spoil the atmosphere just as much as not have a proper ticket (and I assume, to fully satisfy you, that would need to be a proper Edmonson ticket)? RTC have not issue separate tickets for a couple of years or more, instead the "ticket" is part of the letter they send out with timings etc - just the same as the PDF they included in the e-mail I received from them for the 15 Guineas Special ... and, no, it didn't get picked up by my spam blocker.

 

Thanks for all that, all of you. I'll just shut up, then.

 

Thanks Paul. The Welsh Borderer has been added to the website too now. Motive power 34046 - a second Southern interloper to cover this big loop of GWR track. A bit surprising, as I was expecting 5029, but perhaps big GWR machines don't fit in the two tunnels en route any more?? - not that it matters as, being a Southern fan, I'm quite excited about a run behind a Bulleid in my own back yard! Anyway, it's still over 8 months to go, and who knows what details might change in the intervening period? Still, with my wife keen to come on this one, I think that will be two premier dining tickets sold before too long.

I'm still amazed that Worcester-Hereford seems to see so little steam these days. I didn't really know the Malvern area until we moved to Gloucestershire in 2011, but it's really scenic. Combine this with a good old 1 in 80 slog from Malvern Link to Colwall Tunnel signalled almost entirely by GWR lower quadrant semaphores, and you would think it would be a pretty popular line for tour operators.

 

I personally prefer an E ticket as least it won't get lost in the post, last year I had two lots of tickets get lost never received them, time and inconvenience phoning up tour company to see if they sent them, ended up collecting new ones on the train, and I'm not a young one I'm over 70 and also have a smartphone.

 

Good for you Maureen! Etickets must save the tour company a raft of time as well, stuffing 300-400 letters and tickets into envelopes is quite frankly a fairly poor way to be going on these days.

 

That's interesting, and I agree, the seating plan check to which you refer is often the only check carried out on tours I've been on recently. Pathfinder always seemed to do both. with the seating plan check carried out at the time the itinerary / timing sheet being handed out, followed by a formal ticket examination where the numbers on tickets were checked against a passenger list. I think this was often done to prevent people without tickets joining mid tour, (water stops etc).

The issue of platform access should be possible to solve by ensuring gate line staff are made aware in advance that tour passengers had been issued e-tickets. Smart ticketing will gradually replace the printed variety anyway as the railway continues to modernise so this really shouldn't be an issue.

 

Is it such a crime for someone to want an Edmonson ticket? Doesn't really bother me for the few railtours I can manage to book but I certainly wouldn't rubbish those that do hanker after that little bit of cardboard.

 

Neither would I, but they will become increasingly marginalised. A case perhaps for another "add on" in the tradition of two seat tables, paying by credit card etc ?

 

That's an interesting suggestion but I wonder how practical it would be.

 

I suppose it would depend upon how many wanted it, but if sufficient to make it worthwhile it could be a means of satisfying those who do, and ensuring they pay for the cost of it's provision once e-tickets become the norm ?

 

My advice to you is do it (not that I think you need much pursuading!). I really enjoyed this year's trip, and plenty of oppotunities to hear the loco sing. Just a shame a poor batch of coal caused havoc after Gloucester, requiring us to 'brew-up' half way up Wickwar Bank. I think the reason for the dearth of steam was probably strengthening work on the Foregate Street bridge, and the rather tight clearances of Colwall and Ledbury Tunnels. The latter was particularly nasty, as there is a sharp-ish curve in it, preventing through-flow of air, so quite suffocating. Probably very reminiscent of Coombe Down Tunnel back in the day...

 

Thanks - you're quite right - I don't need much persuasion! Perhaps the tight clearances at Colwall and Ledbury Tunnels explain why Bulleids rather than GWR locos are being used. Along with the excellent scenery, there's plenty of scope on this itinerary both for fast running and hill climbing. I just hope next year's trip won't suffer from poor coal.

 

I see that the Dartmouth Express on Saturday 19 April 2014 from Guildford to Kingswear is routed via Reading (non-stop), so presumably the Reading blockade will be lifted by then. If this is true (?), it is good news for both promoters and railtourers.

David