Steam Dreams 2013 & 2014 Archive

But don't Mk2's require overhauls after so much mileage too ?, you could also argue aircons have far more to maintain and go wrong on them than pressure vent stock, been in plenty where the air con, heating or various other electrics have been completely knackered for the whole trip.

It's bad enough that heating doesn't work in some coaches now without cooking passengers on a hot summers day in a coach with broken air conditioning.

No railtour type stock of either pressure vent or aircon is in frontline TOC service anymore, so it's not cost effective to maintain either type, but needs to be done if you want to run a rake, with that in mind I'd say Mk1's offer better value with less complexity.

 

From what we've been told by other promoters and even SD themselves Riviera stock is expensive to hire in probably because its the best maintained. Its a pity as they have two operational generator cars that tick all the boxes. No need to waste steam heating the train.

Didn't Graeme Bunker write somewhere that they'd sourced "the best Mk1s available" from preserved railways and storage?

As a contributor said, it takes a long time to bring a carriage up to mainline standard - hence the delivery of only 1 so far. 5 were reportedly in Derby nearing completion whatever that means these days.

From the railtour schedules online it does appear the SRPS set is available for most of the time this year. SD did say in a newsletter in the spring that this would be the main set for 2013. The set is a bit "tired" but everything works.

 

If they are only doing one train a week the need for any big overhauls and Bogie work will be few and far between ?
Theres probably more spare bogies kicking about than bodies in any case...

 

Yes, Mk1s are still being overhauled for mainline work. They are easier to deal with than Mk2s and Mk3s.

 

So with the new deal with WCR, will Steam Dreams revise their pricing? They dont offer anything more than RTC other than their the well advertised "crisp white table cloths and free drinks" (not that you are offered them if you have your head out of the window). I cant see them doing to well with the £115 trips that RTC, Vintage Trains and Pathfinder do for far less money. I've been priced out of their trips and although my fares are only a drop in the ocean I wonder how many other people will be in the same situation. There might be some challenging times ahead for them.

 

I'm sure you are right there. However,looking at their latest brochure received today,most of the tours after mid-March "Premium Standard" is back down to £99,still more than RTC but not that much. I suppose it depends how much tea/coffee you want to drink!

On another issue,I see in Steam Railway that Graeme Bunker is "returning to the modern rail industry" and is now only a consultant for SD. As he is a leading light in the Tornado outfit,presumably this fits in with SD moving from DBS to WCRC who do not operate Tornado at present.

 

I think Steam Dreams emphasis in the change to WCRC has more to do trains running and more crews be available on any given day. Having to cancel a tour at the last moment because of crew shortages, I suppose would be a nightmare for the tour operator.

Tornado is not the only loco in this situation. Isn't Duke of Gloucester?

 

Sadly, I think it will be several years before the question of which TOC will accept the Duke is relevant. Reading Tony Streater's piece in the latest Steam Railway, there are a lot of internal problems to sort out before her overhaul can begin.

On a more positive note, there are opportunities for the safety case/inspection/certification issues for both locos can be sorted out at their next overhauls (Tornado is apparently due for an intermediate overhaul next year).

 

Steam Dreams website has now been updated Re loco allocations for the Christmas trips : -

Most now state Black 5 ( replaced 70000 for a couple of trips and the trips Tornado was due to haul).
The White Cliffs trip on the 22/12 state doubled headed Black 5's - I expect this will be 44932 and either 45407 or 44871, since it was mentioned in another thread that Ian Riley has been asked to make his loco(s) available in London, in December.

 

The 5/12 Bath, 9/12 Ipswich to Winchester, and 12/12 Horsham to Ely all now state doubled headed Black 5's.

 

Should be worth going out for the after-dark return trips as well as the outward legs, just to listen!

 

I wonder if that will be 44871 and 45407. They're off to Southall soon.

 

According to Ian's status on Stalkbook, the single Black Five tours will be 44871, with 45407 joining up for the double headers. No mention of 44932 being used.

 

Perhaps SD are using air-braked stock. Isn't 44932 vac only?

As mentioned on another thread, I'm very surprised that the Sherborne trip on Monday 16th is rosted from only 1 loco whereas some others are for two. 44871 will certinly have its work cut out on the 1 in 80 sections between Templecombe and Sherborne, especially if it has 12 coaches in tow. I've been up Parkstone Bank (1 in 60) behind 44932 solo, but it's a shorter climb than some of those banks between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction.

 

Thanks for the Info. I am on the Sherborne trip and have only travelled behind 44871 once before with 45407.

 

I'm glad that Riley's are getting virtually all of the assignment.

It was really a close call w/44932 powering the Final Royal Duchy earlier. I recall many of us wanted her locked in a closet afterwords.

 

Ye of little faith, 48 will be fine!

 

As I said Ralph, Ye of little faith!