Winter CME's, February 2012.

Would it not be best to have a dual heat rake so that there is a degree of insurance if something goes wrong? Generators aren't 100% reliable.

The point about maintenance is critical otherwise it might as well be solar powered!

 

Exactly. 6311, Rail Charter Services generator car blew up at Salisbury on a class 56 tour a few years ago. (March 2004 - was it really that long ago EWS withdrew its 56s?!). That was a cold journey back, but at least we were moving and not stuck sitting around for ages.

 

I can vouch for the noise from 70013 reaching Ais Gill: 70013, Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express, 11.02.12 - YouTube

Impressive 50mph over Shap too; does anybody know who the crews were?

 

Some great videos of a fantastic run. Thanks all.

 

I just read in this months Steam Railway Magazine that Mr. Dobbing is going p[lanning this series of trips again next year! Stay Tuned I guess.

One question though
Is it better to do Shap 1st?

 

Fantastic videeo's, how well this CME is going...............

 

Just to confirm - Sat 18th CME 44932 + 45305 + 13.

 

A colleague of my wife's and her hubby went on the 12th Feb CME, so here's an unsolicited review of the trip from a couple of "newbie normals" who have never travelled behind mainline steam before. They travelled in posh dining from Nuneaton.

In a nut-shell they were extremely disappointed, due to the following problems :

"The carriage was far too cold, to the extent that we spent the stop-over in Carlisle buying more clothes, including extra vests, woolly tights and a travel rug. No extra hot drinks were available, only those already scheduled.

The food was very ordinary and not value for money we felt. Toast was cold.

We were particularly keen to see the scenery, but couldn't due to the condensation on the windows. However, later in the afternoon a steward came round with some magic wipes which cured the problem - just in time for darkness to fall.

The carriage end doors were banging back and forth for the whole trip.

There were a lot of fellow travellers equally unhappy "

They say they'll never do another steam trip, they were planning to take along some friends and relatives next time if this one had been a success, so that's a few more customers lost too.

So there you go, another great trip for the photters and window hangers, but a nail in the coffin for future profitability?

 

Please note - I did not write the above! but I've heard and experienced the like many a time.

Railtouring really DOES need to up its game

 

Maybe this is what Steam Dreams is aiming to do... But so far the extra. £10 seems to be the focus of everyone's ire.
...
If people want quality it usually has a cost... So let's see what people want.

 

and there was a family of 4 that got off at crew as they could not stand the cold in the buffett car were we was ;but it was a great run other than the cold;
all the best
jane ;
your colleague could always try the torbay express in the summer its got to be one of the best tours out there;

 

If I've got this right, decent accommodation for passengers, (heat, light, ect.) should be the basic minimum that is provided, especially in winter over the S&C.

Apologies if I've got it wrong.

Oh, and Mr.and Mrs.V are booked on a day tour in March so whoever is responsible had better get their act together for that or I'll have something to say. :blabla:......:wink:

 

I think you have got this totally right Victor. I would think it safe to say, even at this early stage, that there will be no cans on John Smiths on your table!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

Tell me the tour and we'll smuggle some in

 

:lalala:

 

Hey Sheff, can you pop in your local and get some jsmiths for the heart of Midlothian tour, there's some bloke from the wrong side of the border who needs some....