The Tamar Devonian 28/7/12

Looks like a good Trip this one-

71000+70000 Double Headed from Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth and Return, with a diesel from Eastleigh to Bristol and back afterwards.
Anyone else here apart from me on this train?

 

yes i have booked on this with hubby so looking forward to it then doing the sunday one to par as well;


all the best
jane;

 

Let's hope fate is kinder to this tour than the 60163/71000 double header due to run in March. It's certainly got the makings of a classic and as I live in Somerset I hope to travel on it.

 

Yes, it will be great if they are both able to run, and i'm thinking about going on one of the royal duchy to Par as well Jane, albeit some time in September.

 

I think that both should be fine to run as they are doing the torbay express this summer;
so they will both be in & out bristol barton hill all summer;boked on the par as booked the
ibis hotel for 3 night's; and with the tender of the king coming back to barton hill for us to work on
wont be able to go on it at later date Bifur01;


all the best
jane

 

Any news as to the availability of 70000 and 71000? As 71000 recently failed its FTR and the Brit has had a tour cancelled because it was "unavailable"

 

Both should be repaired in good time !

David

 

Good, as i'd hate this to be a "might-have been"!

 

Booked on this tour and started to worry a little, despite a comment that they will be ready in good time. After the weekend 70000 obviously okay but 71000 still not available.Phoned Pathfinder and they say its still on, but does anybody have concrete information on 71000. I booked this tour as first time one off tour, I would be very disappointed if it was just 70000, for I could have booked a Torbay(as similar)for that. And my vote if the loco combination was not available at this time, would be for a postponement.

 

I have a feeling you'll be getting two loco's regardless as I suspect the load will be over the limit on the banks beyond Newton Abbott for 70000 solo, what the second loco will be though I coulden't tell you.

 

Well,I hope what happened on the similiar Steam Dreams trip on 10th March does not happen to you. Again 71000 was "unavailable" and we had a 66 box coupled inside Tornado, attached and detached at Exeter. The only saving grace on that trip was that Tornado had a particularly good run on the return,running from Exeter to the Woodborough water stop in even time.

 

I hope that if 71000 cannot make it then a suitable steamer can be found as a substitute.
Would it be possible for Tangmere to double head the train, as 70013 is coming down to do next week's Weymouth run, so perhaps it will stay?

 

DBS don't operate Tangmere I believe, only WCRC so I don't think that'll be possible.

It is concerning that with 12 days to go before the tour runs, nothing is known about 71000's fitness to run. As has been seen recently though, repairs can be completed very quickly in certain circumstances so it may fine on the day. I tweeted the 71000 people a few days ago asking for an update on the loco's condition however, and haven't yet had a reply which does worry me as it suggests either they don't know, or don't want to say. As we've seen with other tour promoters unfortunately, bad news, whether known about in advance or not is never communicated until the last minute so not to "set the hares running", with people ringing up asking for refunds. I'm afraid we'll just have to wait and see. A week is a long time for those in the main line steam world these days.

 

If DBS are allowed to drive Oliver Cromwell, what is the possibility of double headed Brits 70000 and 70013? <BJ>

 

DBS do not operate Oliver Cromwell as it is vacuum braked only. The only chance of a brit double header is on a West Coast operation as they operate both 70000and 70013.

 

Also, the person with the Twitter account may not be the person holding the spanner. We should be grateful for the additional info that Twitter/Facebook/Blogs provide.

Richard

 

I refer you to my last but one sentence, "I'm afraid we'll just have to wait and see".

Nobody is asking the loco owners to "commit themselves"merely an update on how things are by those who care enough to book a trip with her. If the 71000 people don't want to be disturbed by the "instant communication", (and I'm sure that's not the case), perhaps they shouldn't have embraced it. Then again, perhaps you should let them speak for themselves ?

 

:help:

I blame it all on 24 hour news.

 

I'm sure we are grateful for it. I am for one and use it wherever possible. It should be understood by those using Twitter to publish news updates however, that followers may expect an update to emerge this way when some uncertainty over their activities arises. Those looking after 60163 were very quick to use Twitter to provide updates on her situation recently so not uunreasonably I would have thought, the same is expected from the 71000 people. Lack of information will always breed suspicion and speculation, and that's not good for anybody.