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The Great Britain X - 29/04/17 to 07/05/17

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by steamvideosnet, Aug 5, 2016.

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  1. The Black Hat

    The Black Hat Member

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    It wasn't convincing, hence the double checking. Especially if I'm about to book hotels to do an epic chase through Scotland.
     
    The Black Hat, Feb 16, 2017
    #61
  2. jonathonag

    jonathonag Well-Known Member

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    Railway Touring Company website now states for the Oban day that steam is double headed for the outbound, but diesel hauled on the return.
     
    jonathonag, Feb 16, 2017
    #62
  3. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

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    I wonder if we will get any days with out the need for a diesel.
     
    LMarsh1987, Feb 16, 2017
    #63
  4. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    After the usual tweaks from the original plan, at least the mix of locos is good. Perhaps the changes give a clue as to why this will be the last one.
     
    Big Al, Feb 16, 2017
    #64
  5. charterboy

    charterboy New Member

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    The punters have received their letter from etc asking for the balance to be paid

    I won't be joining them this year having done 6 out of the last 7 GB's

    The past 2 years farces meaning enough is enough for me on the GB front

    Had some cracking previous GB's and made some good friends along the way though :)
     
    charterboy, Feb 23, 2017
    #65
  6. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Still wavering on this one. The loss of Falmouth is a loss, as is the Oban return. But there isn't any other trip on continuous days that offer so much steam (mostly) mileage and range of locomotives. But the price tag is quite a large one, imo.
     
    Big Al, Feb 23, 2017
    #66
  7. The Black Hat

    The Black Hat Member

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    Hotels in Scotland are booked. So brace yourself for The Black Hat vs the Great Britain X from Darlington to Oban!
     
    The Black Hat, Apr 3, 2017
    #67
  8. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    S
    This sounds like a Top Gear Challange! What's going to be your choice of Transport?
     
    Matt37401, Apr 3, 2017
    #68
  9. railrover

    railrover Member

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    Hertz say an Audi A4, but I think a brace of Black Renault 5s may substitute.

    If he's really unlucky it could be a diesel Sherpa.
     
    railrover, Apr 4, 2017
    #69
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  10. The Black Hat

    The Black Hat Member

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    Those on the train should look out of a Black/muddy Seat Leon FR Mk. 2....

    It will be like the Top Gear Challenge as its raced from point to point and I try to take advantage of stops and breaks to find somewhere good. Quite often its just a game of leap frog and jumping out when in front only to race back in front again. The bad news is that I won't have too much idea of where I am going exactly, more roughly when its out on the move between places. The iconic photos should be easier as they are in places near the start or end of runs, but otherwise its a case of where I am, where the train is, what the road is in front of me and educated guesswork with the geography.
     
    The Black Hat, Apr 4, 2017
    #70
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  11. charterboy

    charterboy New Member

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    Email received from RTC offering premier dining seats on day 1 of GB10 from Kings Cross to York behind Scotsman for £249 !!!!

    Oh and the meal you get for that.... Breakfast

    Is it any wonder my friends and I aren't doing this GB after doing 5 1/2 previous ones ;-)
     
    charterboy, Apr 6, 2017
    #71
  12. alastair

    alastair Well-Known Member

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    What a rip-off! By comparison, the TopGear special with Tornado a while back cost less than that, and that was all the way to Edinburgh, with breakfast and lunch, and a free first class service train ticket back to Kings X
     
    alastair, Apr 6, 2017
    #72
  13. Harry Stanger

    Harry Stanger New Member

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    I am getting so tired of the Rip off pricing of everything connected with Flying Scotsman, be it on the main line or while visiting preserved lines.
     
    Harry Stanger, Apr 7, 2017
    #73
  14. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    On July 1 the RTC is going to York (one way) with Flying Scotsman. It is fully booked and Premier Dining is £275 to include a meal on the return as well as breakfast on the way up. Perhaps a figure nearer to £200 would have been more consistent for GBX given that you will have to find your own way back to KGX. But either way, it's not all that far out from other pricing. I guess the main difference with the July 1 trip is that you could have bought a Standard seat for £129.

    What this does is illustrate the divided market that I guess has always been there. People who just want a seat on a train behind a steam locomotive and those who want the same plus more luxury and (fine) dining who are also prepared to pay for it.
     
    Big Al, Apr 7, 2017
    #74
  15. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

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    Why? No one is asking you to pay this price, but you can if you want to. Is it any more expensive than travelling on the British Pullman? There seem to be people who complain about the cost of restoration of 60103 and then complain when there is some effort to recoup this cost. Clearly there is a market out there for this as there is for the British Pullman and good luck to these operations. It is not for me, but I delight in the fact that it helps to keep steam on the main line.

    Peter James
     
    torgormaig, Apr 7, 2017
    #75
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  16. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Agreed, whilst people are willing to pay the premium then that's the way it will be, it's all part of marketing the name.
     
    RalphW, Apr 7, 2017
    #76
  17. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Agreed too but it does make it look like that she's not so much the "peoples' engine" but more like the "well heeled peoples' engine."
     
    Spamcan81, Apr 7, 2017
    #77
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  18. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    As has been mentioned many times there is a lot of cost recovery to made on the A3, both historical and presently occurring.
     
    26D_M, Apr 7, 2017
    #78
  19. Harry Stanger

    Harry Stanger New Member

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    That is only because the NRM wasted public money by a bodged overhaul which had to be totally redone by Ian Riley's . Perhaps the wastage should be recovered from the pension funds of those civil servants at the NRM responsible for the disastrous workmanship.
     
    Harry Stanger, Apr 7, 2017
    #79
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  20. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    I'm fully aware of the costs involved and the need to recover them in part at least but much has been made of her being "the peoples' loco" and premium price tours tends to fly in the face of that.
     
    Spamcan81, Apr 7, 2017
    #80
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