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Steam Dreams 2016

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Paul42, Sep 12, 2015.

  1. Robbo

    Robbo Member

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    Times for 6201 on 5th Oct to Gloucester:
    http://www.steamdreams.com/executables/GT410WebContent.exe?ActionCode=Timings
     
  2. John Rowley

    John Rowley New Member Friend

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  3. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    Hit the tab for the Gloucester train at the top of the timings and you will see it
     
  4. bailey1409

    bailey1409 New Member

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    Hi

    There are two trips shown, next to the Carlisle trip is the link to the Gloucester trip.

    Cheers

    M
     
  5. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    That's an interesting day. If you live in Surrey you have to be up to pick up the train before 8 and are not back till after 10 pm. As a bonus, if that's what it is, you have five hours at Gloucester. Whilst I've nothing against Gloucester, it's the kind of place where arguably a three hour layover would be adequate and four quite enough. Contrast with York, for example.

    I suspect that this may be a pathing issue but either a later start or at earlier finish would have made it a better day in my view. Anyway, I'm not on it so I'm not affected but it looks a bit of a mission.
     
  6. John Rowley

    John Rowley New Member Friend

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    Ah thank you - my apologies


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  7. eggbert

    eggbert Member

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    Still be light enough on the climb to sapperton
     
  8. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I have not travelled with Steam Dreams in 2016 despite having paid for their travel club. I actually rate(d) Steam Dreams highly and I personally still think that Marcus Robertson has done so much for main line steam, especially in the south, and with Graeme Bunker they seemed the ideal working partnership. The Cathedrals Explorer in 2012 with DBC was a brilliant tour, for example. But what they now offer is not what I want.

    The upcoming Norwich trip on November 11th is a steam trip to a decent destination but it illustrates well what is wrong, in my view:
    - It takes forever to get to Norwich. Six and a half hours from Victoria to a place that is only about 120 miles from London.
    - You reach your destination with only about two hours of daylight remaining.
    - Norwich's biggest shopping centre, Castle Mall closes an hour and a half before the train leaves for home.
    - Arrival back in London is late. After 11pm at Hampstead and nearly midnight at Victoria.
    - The train will be taking a diesel for operational reasons.

    This trip is quite a long way from the kind of thing that Steam Dreams used to offer. I accept that my perspective may be a minority one and this note is not in any way a complaint; it's just how I see things currently. Perhaps better times are around the corner.
     
  9. Phil K

    Phil K Member

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    Snap, although we have made 2 trips with them this year. One a dieselled trip to Bath in the spring and a Scotsman evening circular. The only trips we tend to consider these days from them are circulars or one of teh trips from Horsham with an Epsom/Cheam pickup, anything else takes too long a day. We are Steam Dreams stalwarts, and have been using them since the MHR days.

    Vintage Trains and UK Railtours tend to take most of our custom these days.
     
  10. gricerdon

    gricerdon Guest

    Agreed. We were one of their earliest customers but haven't bothered for some years now. Big Al says most of it. They haven't been the same since GB left. I MAY consider the Kent Circular if there is no DL involved as with DH 5s there needn't be. Otherwise another year goes by without me booking. Vintage, UKR and even RTC (who have improved in recent times) are all far better.
     
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  11. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    Al, I think your critique is very fair and balanced. Main line steam owes a lot to Marcus. He brought his considerable business acumen to bear and has played his part in changing the product considerably - and in the expansion which has taken place in recent years. No longer is a typical main line steam train largely full of hard-core enthusiasts and consisting of a buffet car, 9 second class Mk 1s, one first class and a support coach. I exaggerate slightly, but by building up the dining and non-enthusiast clientele, the net result is more trains running, which means more income for loco owners - a good thing.

    On the other hand, I agree 100% with the more negative points raised by Al, Don and Phil. The early days of the Cathedrals Express were great. The original Canterbury and Salisbury trips were just right length-wise. Green coaches, usually a Bulleid or the superb 73096 at the front and no rear gunner on the back. Definitely downhill in recent years. Obviously, Marcus has a business to run and that's the bottom line, but I haven't travelled with SD since 2011. I feel sad about this given all that Marcus has done, but the product just isn't appealing any more.
     
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  12. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    I totally agree with all of the recent comments on here. My Dad and I were customers right from the beginning of the company. The best years were with the MHR fleet of the Std 5 and the Bulleids. They reached a peak with the regular use of 60163 and 35028 and with the great work done behind the scenes by Graeme Bunker. Once the connection with 60163 and GB was severed things rapidly went downhill. The occasion it really hit home that they had changed for the worse was when two ladies sat with us had ordered a packet of crisps. When the member of staff asked for the money the two women couldn't believe the price and replied "we want one packet not a box full!" The day didn't get any better when the steam Loco was hauled by a diesel due to fire risk. However, on the train we were told that the train was being steam hauled! The two ladies were not impressed when they discovered a diesel stuck on the front of Tornado at Lincoln. They told us that they would not travel with SD again as they had booked for a trip with steam only.
    When the SD brochures arrive in the post these days I have a quick flick through, have a laugh at the "Magical days out with steam" slogan on the front cover and then see "this trip will be diesel hauled between ***** and *****" on most of the pages. The brochure then ends up in the recycling bin.

    Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk
     
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  13. Harry Stanger

    Harry Stanger New Member

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    In their Ts & Cs on page 38 of their latest brochure they state that "Occasionally Diesel assistance may be used". I think that this is grossly misleading as statistical analysis of this years trains shows Diesel assistance on over 90% of their tours. I feel that this is actually a dishonest statement.

    Again I was a regular customer in their early days but would not ever considering travelling with them now. I'd rather have my savings managed by Bernie Madoff!
     
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  14. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    One currently unknown factor which may cause a big shake-up not just for SD for main line steam in general will be the future plan for Icons of Steam. A rake of stock has already been assembled (and the late Mk II stock may possibly be replaced by Mk Is over a period of time) but no programme has yet been announced as yet. Will the Hosking set-up create its own TOC? Will the trains be marketed through UK Railtours? Or perhaps under their own banner taking Vintage Trains as a template? Whatever, if a new player appears on the scene running about 20-30 trains a year with no diesel on the back, and shorter days more like the original SD formula, it will be interesting how other operators react.
     
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  15. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    The motive power for a number of trips next year previously listed for Mayflower or Britannia has changed to Braunton, Royal Scot, Duchess of Sutherland or just states Steam hauled.
     
  16. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    News today Statesman Rail acquired as a going concern by the LSL group. Interim arrangements unchanged with WC as TOC as well as some of the coaches being serviced at Carnforth. Fellsmans to use 10A pool but far fewer trips in number. The report also points out there is only one part of a self sufficient operation now missing......
    Interesting times!
     
  17. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    I heard that earlier, but not any detail - had heard it as a rumour months ago, so being a rumour, put it to the back of the brain cell!
     
  18. eggbert

    eggbert Member

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    also Princess Elizabeth has been removed from a lot of march April trips, any reasons why?
     
  19. gwr4090

    gwr4090 Part of the furniture

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    I believe it is due to have some further work done which was deferred from the overhaul.
     
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  20. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    Last week's Railway herald mentioned winter maintenance including a retube and tender tyre replacement amongst other things which will only start after 6233 is completed so the timescale will stretch into spring.
     
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