If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Vintage Trains 2024

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Leviathan, Oct 12, 2023.

Page 1 of 20
  1. Leviathan

    Leviathan New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2007
    Messages:
    131
    Likes Received:
    68
    Location:
    Cardiff
    Details of the 2-day tour to Plymouth now available on the VT website:

    https://vintagetrains.co.uk/the-great-western-railway-1z48-birmingham-plymouth-london-birmingham/

    10th/11th May 2024
     
    Leviathan, Oct 12, 2023
    #1
    JBTEvans likes this.
  2. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2006
    Messages:
    5,961
    Likes Received:
    4,068
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    East Grinstead
    THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY (1Z48)
    BIRMINGHAM – PLYMOUTH – LONDON – BIRMINGHAM

    Departing from Birmingham Snow Hill, Widney Manor, Warwick Parkway, Banbury or Oxford

    We depart on the outward journey on Friday 10 May 2024 for a two-day tour from Birmingham to Plymouth via the Great Western Main Line with 7029 Birmingham-Oxford-Bristol-Plymouth, returning on Saturday 11th May on 7029 Plymouth-Bristol- London Paddington.

    This is a rare opportunity to be a part of history with the right locomotive, travelling the right route, unassisted both ways over the Devon Banks and between Bristol and London Paddington. Our catering offer will also include a recreation of the 1964 Restaurant Car menu

    (The return route to Birmingham from London Paddington will be diesel hauled
    Screenshot_20231012-185604.png
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2023
    Paul42, Oct 12, 2023
    #2
    JBTEvans likes this.
  3. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2005
    Messages:
    9,728
    Likes Received:
    8,551
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Alderan !
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Brilliant to see . Does pose a few questions . presumably water carrier will go too which limits carriage capacity , load limit of a Castle on the banks ? eight equivalent ?
    or Does the water carrier and 47 come off at Exeter/Newton Abbot and then Clun flies solo

    with the reverse on the return
     
    Sidmouth, Oct 12, 2023
    #3
  4. dublo6231

    dublo6231 Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2011
    Messages:
    562
    Likes Received:
    428
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    IT
    Location:
    Sat at home
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    The Earl with this tour in 2014 was load 7+Reg to Bristol.
    No diesel
     
    dublo6231, Oct 12, 2023
    #4
  5. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    Messages:
    8,296
    Likes Received:
    5,350
    Likewise no diesel with 5029 on Pathfinder's trip over the banks the day before.

    If steam will be on the front and unassisted into Paddington on the second day, presumably a diesel will have to follow behind to take the train back out. Then, rather than have the Castle on the back tender first all the way back to Birmingham, they could do as they did on the recent Lincoln trip, reversing at a convenient place and running the diesel round. That could be Greenford then back to Hanwell. Any other possibilities?
     
    MellishR, Oct 13, 2023
    #5
  6. LittleRedTrain

    LittleRedTrain Member

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2015
    Messages:
    292
    Likes Received:
    370
    Location:
    Oxfordshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Looks like more 2024 tours have been added.
     
    LittleRedTrain, Nov 6, 2023
    #6
  7. Derek Riley

    Derek Riley New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2007
    Messages:
    21
    Likes Received:
    3
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Local Government
    Location:
    Warwick
    I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw some of the headline fares on the main page for days out to Salisbury, Carlisle etc, from £658, absolute bargain! That's the Pullman table for 2 fare, should be from £99 of course...I do wish Vintage would use someone who can proof read...

    Derek

    upload_2023-11-7_10-33-27.png
     
    Derek Riley, Nov 7, 2023
    #7
    acorb likes this.
  8. AaronT

    AaronT New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2021
    Messages:
    171
    Likes Received:
    72
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Hampshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Excited to see a trip to Salisbury though! Have not managed to spot a castle through Basingstoke before
     
    AaronT, Nov 8, 2023
    #8
  9. NathanP

    NathanP Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2017
    Messages:
    727
    Likes Received:
    861
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Worcester
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    The Moonraker to Salisbury has traditionally been a perennial fixture in VT's annual programme for years. This is the first once since Covid, although I note they've renamed it to "Cathedrals Express" instead. I would have splashed out on First Class but I'm not too thrilled about it now being in compartments. I don't really want to end up being in the middle with people either side of me. Shame they don't offer it in the open saloons anymore like they used to.
     
    NathanP, Nov 8, 2023
    #9
    AaronT likes this.
  10. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    6,486
    Likes Received:
    5,262
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    When I lived in London I remember it went back engine and coach a couple of times after the tour train. Not sure if you could run around the support coach outside Paddington and then again on the Greenford triangle. May all be different in 2024 of course.
     
    Gladiator 5076, Nov 8, 2023
    #10
  11. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2006
    Messages:
    5,961
    Likes Received:
    4,068
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    East Grinstead
    It suspect it will be out to Hanwell Bridge sidings and diesel runs round there.
     
    Paul42, Nov 8, 2023
    #11
    Mick45305 and 5944 like this.
  12. AaronT

    AaronT New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2021
    Messages:
    171
    Likes Received:
    72
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Hampshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Last time I could find was in 2017 so a good few years before COVID
     
    AaronT, Nov 13, 2023
    #12
  13. Leviathan

    Leviathan New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2007
    Messages:
    131
    Likes Received:
    68
    Location:
    Cardiff
    I’ve just received the Vintage Trains 2024 brochure, and see that details of these tours are also now on the website.

    An interesting new development for 2024 is a number of Shakespeare Expresses which start from outlying points, namely Derby (26th May), Worcester (30th June) and Leicester (14th July). Living in South Wales, a Worcester departure is an attractive proposition, and I await with interest further details of the route (via Old Hill?), timings, and extent of diesel involvement.

    Nick M.
     
    Leviathan, Nov 18, 2023
    #13
  14. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2005
    Messages:
    9,728
    Likes Received:
    8,551
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Alderan !
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    website I think says via the Lickey
     
    Sidmouth, Nov 18, 2023
    #14
  15. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2013
    Messages:
    2,907
    Likes Received:
    3,717
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    TBC
    Location:
    Birmingham & Arley
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I wonder if they'll leave the 47 at Derby, Leicester and Worcester ? Or will it be going along for the ride. I'm assuming the 47 will be needed to take the stock and loco down in the morning. I think these trips could be popular and the usual load 8 could well be increased. I remember when WCR did the Burton to SAV trips in 2019 ? They sold very well !
     
    LMarsh1987, Nov 18, 2023
    #15
  16. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2005
    Messages:
    35,638
    Likes Received:
    9,265
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired-ish, Part time rail tour steward.
    Location:
    Northwich
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Yes, they did do well and I'm surprised that they were never repeated, I worked on them and all were very good loading.
     
    RalphW, Nov 18, 2023
    #16
  17. 2857Harry

    2857Harry Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2023
    Messages:
    568
    Likes Received:
    1,254
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Conductor/Guard
    Location:
    Kidderminster/Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Would think they’ll take the diesel on the Worcester one for sure, as it’s going up the Lickey. And I’m fairly certain they wouldn’t let a single castle go up unassisted.

    Last I head though was that these trips were going to be turned using the normal method of SAV-HTN-DDG-SAV so guessing the diesel will be needed for that too
     
    2857Harry, Nov 18, 2023
    #17
  18. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2013
    Messages:
    2,907
    Likes Received:
    3,717
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    TBC
    Location:
    Birmingham & Arley
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    The ECS moves were fun too. Though maybe that was the issue.
     
    LMarsh1987, Nov 18, 2023
    #18
  19. Leviathan

    Leviathan New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2007
    Messages:
    131
    Likes Received:
    68
    Location:
    Cardiff
    Oh! That makes diesel assistance up the Lickey a foregone conclusion, in which case it would be preferable (and more authentic) if they used a class 37 banker. I wonder if the overhaul of their own 37240 will be complete by then?

    Once the Lickey is topped, one would hope the diesel could be detached and the Castle allowed to haul the remainder of the tour unencumbered.

    Nick M
     
    Leviathan, Nov 19, 2023
    #19
  20. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2014
    Messages:
    15,510
    Likes Received:
    11,864
    Location:
    Wnxx
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Just out of interest is there any mention of what’s working the stock to these places? I have a feeling there might be a market for those of us that like things with more than 4 cylinders…
     
    Matt37401, Nov 19, 2023
    #20
Page 1 of 20

Share This Page