Who pays for the diesel during steam ban?

Just out of interest when a diesel pilot loco has been on all the steam specials recently, who foots the bill for this?

 

The TOC. The question is, whats more expensive the coal or the oil?

 

Irrespective of which costs more, if the steam loco is hired in then the owner will want his fee paying so the TOC still ends up paying more than if just the one loco was involved.

 

I think I read somewhere (on here?) that diesel fuel is currently 4 or 5 times the price of the equivent coal cost.

 

OTOH, only one footplate (or cab?) crew member required on a DL, vs. 2 (WCRC) or 3(DBS) on steam, which probably out-weighs the difference in fuel cost.

 

Leaving aside the costs of fuel, coal v diesel. If a diesel has to be attached to a steam charter for operational reasons then the TOC will pass on that charge to the charter company, including hire, fuel and driver costs. And as in the case of the recent 'diesel assistance' during the recent hot weather there's no way that cost could have been factored into the ticket price (most tours are planned many months in advance, look at the websites and then tell us what the weather will be like in 3 months time) so basically the tour company has to take the hit. Having said that, where tours are planned that need a diesel for stock movements, reversals etc then that cost will have been known about well in advance and factored into the ticket price.

 

I don't quite think thats true in all honesty, I think diesel is a fair bit cheaper than coal on a per mile basis. Only reason I think this is that I deal with railway diesel everyday and know about coal prices and usages. Would have to sit down and work it out to be sure though. Of course it also depends on your coal quality/source/final processes.

 

So, mini heat wave at the weekend. "London hotter that Ibiza" place your bets on where the first Steam Ban will be put in place!!

 

A good fire now might do the trick to dry out Bridgwater