VT - Whistling Ghost - DH 7F's on WSR - 18/06/16

Thought we should post an update for this railtour. It is Class 47 hauled from Tyseley to Bishops Lydeard and return, HOWEVER once we get onto the WSR we are scheduled to be hauled by the pair of 7F's from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead!

Standard seats (return) start at £59 from Bristol TM, or £79 from Tyseley, Birmingham Snow Hill, Stourbridge & Worcester SH. Premier Dining is nearly sold out. We do have limited space in Club & Standard Classes.

For more info or to book, click <HERE>

 

Ben,

Are passengers allowed to stand in the vestibule to look out of the windows when travelling over the WSR ?

If so this could be a good tour to be on. <BJ>

 

RTT paths:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U10717/2016/06/18/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U10718/2016/06/18/advanced

 

At no point, on a public or private railway is it okay to stick anything, anyone or a part of anyone, out of the windows.

 

You've seen Ben's answer so will you be booking now?

 

Does that actually answer the question?

 

Yes, because nobody ever does it.

 

Will look a bit odd when you pass the service train at Williton with many doing exactly that...

 

Will you all please give it a rest. The railtour promoters are not the ones that make the rules -We are TOLD to enforce them under threat of no longer being able to operate trains.

Does anyone have anything positive to say? I can see why Mr Riley apparently doesn't like posting on here.

I think that £59 return from Bristol TM including a ride behind a pair of 7F's in both directions on the WSR pretty good value considering the costs involved.

 

Sorry Ralph, but I think it is perfectly valid to ask why NR rules are being enforced when not on NR property, when even the railway concerned doesn't enforce such a thing!, surely what happens beyond Norton Fitzwarren is non of NR's business and therefore outside their remit ?.

 

Dear Mods.

Any chance the last page or so could be moved to the 'Window Hanging' thread?

Cheers!

 

Will 53808 be fixed by then? And does anyone know what the load will be on this, it does look like a nice trip especially with 2 7f's.

 

The roster for today (thanks to wsr.org.) <BJ>
Fri 3 Jun 2016
GWR 4-6-0 no 6960 Raveningham Hall
Diagram starts at Minehead
SDJR 2-8-0 no 53809
Starts at Bishops Lydeard - diagram 1
SDJR 2-8-0 no 53808
Starts at Bishops Lydeard - diagram 2

 

Seemed okay yesterday

 

Looks like good value to me, particularly with the addition of the DH 7F's! A rare occasion indeed taking diesel from the Midlands and going all S & D over the banks of the West Somerset Railway behind two 7F's!

Regarding the previous comments in this thread (now moved), in my opinion Ben is being treated unfairly here by some. At the end of the day he has a job to do and is arguably the face of VT online. He cannot change the rules put to him and in no way could he ever say "no you can't do it here but yes you can there", the face has to be consistent. He tries his best to keep everyone informed and should not be blamed for rules he didn't create. Regarding the enforcement of the rule, that I guess is by discretion. If however it helps in any way to secure the future of the main line steam then I am all for it.

 

Sorry, Ben, but I can't let that go unchallenged...

£12.90 for an Off Peak Day Return from Bristol Temple Meads to Taunton, £19 for a day rover on the West Somerset + the bus fare from Taunton to Bishops Lydeard (I can't remember the fare, but less than a fiver, I think) allows you to spend all day on the West Somerset and ride behind the other three locos in service. OK, no double-headed 7Fs and a slight inconvenience of a bus from Taunton to BL and back, but, shall we say, less restrictions in how one is allowed to enjoy your ride(s) on the WSR and you could always stop off at an intermediate station and enjoy the spectacle of the double-heads 7Fs and even take a photo without it being spoilt by heads sticking out of windows.

By the way, if the are the age of many steam railtour passengers, you could use your Senior Railcard to bring the Bristol to Taunton fare down to £8.50, use your free bus pass and from BL, and the WSR day rover comes down to £17 (or £15.40 if you book in advance).

Having said that, if you're travelling from the West Midlands, £79 is indeed pretty good value.

 

@malc we look forward to your budget steam railtours. Until then, could you leave vintage trains to run their railtours in a way that try to pay for themselves?

 

Dear @malc
Thank you for the costs breakdown. If you want to save a tenner or so but suffer the inconvenience of changing trains, buses, etc then that is up to you; each to his own. Maybe I should have quoted the dining fares instead!

In my mind I was comparing the prices tot he other railtours that are available.