ScotRail Steam Specials 2015

And didn't sue them for the cost of a replacement ?, too soft in this country....

 

Any reason why such a working couldn't start at Larbert ? Not only has a triangle but IIRC handy for access to Bo'ness (from operating point of view) and rail access from Glasgow and Edinburgh services; add a stop at Stirling and Robert's your uncle !

 

59 quid is amazing by todays standards, if it wasnt a jubilee id be very tempted

 

Absolutely, and really inspires interest in how railtour fares truly relate to the cost of running them. I assume Scotrail will have the same costs as other Promoters, excepting VT, given they don't own suitable rolling stock for steam. That said, this sentence on their website does make you wonder,

Each special steam train service will feature a mix of painstakingly restored First and Standard Class carriages - the epitome of sophisticated travel from the 30s, 40s and 50s.


50s I can believe, but 30s and 40s ? "Painstakingly restored" doesn't exactly ring true either in relation to the average Mark 1 set.

 

It'll be the SRPS set, so painstaking is correct as they are the best mainline Mk. Is out there.

 

Agreed, they are, esp the First Class Compartment, so that bit's right, but 30s, 40s ?

 

It might depend on possible timings. There can't be many spare paths over the Highland main line, and the extra distance from/to Larbert might make a difference.
Starting and finishing at Perth might be accommodated by turning at Thornton Junction.

 

looking at google Map, if there isnt functioning triangle at Inverness it wouldnt be a mammoth task to (re-)instate one, or to build one at the junction south of perth...

 

There is a triangle at Inverness,it involves using platform 5 (I believe) from where you can access both the Far North/Kyle line and the lines to the south. Rose Street Curve then forms the other side of the triangle behind the Depot.

 

Indeed. The Great Britain tours have made good use of it in recent years.

 

Some trains from Kyle run east over that curve then reverse into the station, then reverse out again and on towards Nairn. I don't know why they do that rather than use platform 5: possibly a matter of platform availability.

 

The connection from platform 5 to the south is only a couple of coach lengths. When the BLS did it on a tour in 1991, they had to uncouple the 2 class 156 sets to be able to get the track in.

 

Long enough for a loco to turn though...