Tornado to Canterbury - 12/12/16

Just got ticket through for this one. Rather strange letter accompanying it explaining that no timings are available yet (they will be emailed later in the week it seems). In the letter UK Railtours are firmly putting the blame on the A1 Trust for not submitting the right paperwork to Network Rail. This resulted in timings which were apparently unacceptable (I think I found them on RTT - not really unacceptable but just a lot later in both directions than planned). UK Railtours apologise profusely for the inconvenience and say "we expect things to be done properly" while praising "our friends in the Network Rail planning team" who have kindly offered to re-plan the train.

Make of that what you will! Just hope everything goes well on the day. Last week's Tornado tour was good but had its problems (non functioning whistles and water tankers that turned up late).

 

Yes we got that as well. I am sure it will be OK though getting to Victoria may be a problem as Southern are having perpetual duvet days at the moment.

 

Might actually be easier to get a path with less Southern trains running though next Monday is not a strike day.

 

Obviously not seen the exact wording but sounds an odd thing to be publicising. Dirty linen in public springs to mind...

 

Looks like present plan is

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50501/2016/12/12/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50505/2016/12/12/advanced

Two hours later

 

I think that those are the rejected times, I have seen a notice dated 2nd December with those times on which I presume had been issued before the tickets were sent out (received mine yesterday)

 

Agree - hence my 'present' comment

Hope it is earlier, have not seen steam on the bank towards Martin Mill for a year now with the Shakespeare Beach problems! Plan to be at the footpath crossing just after Coldblow Crossing on the Western side, will wave!

 

That's what I thought which was why I raised it. I'm not quite clear what the relationship between A1SLT and UK Railtours is. I understood that A1SLT were the organisers of the tour and UK Railtours were acting as booking agents but it sounds like UKR are blaming A1SLT for messing their tour up! Anyway should be a good day out - I'm in Coach H.

 

Confirmed times are now on UK Railtours website

 

Thanks - quite civilised times really

 

New RTT timings up:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50501/2016/12/12/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50505/2016/12/12/advanced

 

Worth considering that sometimes the flip-side of the “Dirty Linen in Public” coin is the “Transparency” argument.

A notable example of this operator baring all to its public, in terms of relationships with stakeholders in the supply chain, occurred earlier this year when UKRT felt it necessary to explain, via its newsletter and to its paying customers, the background to a late change to the specification of its “Tre Pol and Pen” outing that at the outset had planned to incorporate freight-only mileage in Cornwall. Worth reproducing to illustrate the point, since it’s in the public domain anyway

(Quote) “We are writing to advise you that the route of this tour has had to be changed. The circumstances are very unusual. We submitted the specification for this operation in the proper timescales, but it emerges that a crucial member of DB Schenker staff failed to submit the bid to Network Rail. It is worth noting that the person in question is no longer an employee of the company.

When NR did eventually receive the bid, literally just a few days ago, it emerged that there are significant defects in track geometry on the Parkandillack branch. Specified freight traffic is still permitted, but only under a temporary dispensation, and there is no timescale for track improvements to be carried out”. (End of Quote)

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that UKRT are totally driven by a “customer first” ethos, and that they are very precious about what seems to be an enviable reputation in this respect. So it’s highly likely that anything published in association with anything that references the UKRT brand would be likely to provoke robust comment from this promoter in the event that things change in a manner likely to disadvantage the customer, or inconvenience the customer, or otherwise diminish the value to the customer of the product on offer.

In this particular case, I sense that UKRT are enmeshed in a web of mature and trusting business relationships with A1SLT/ DBC/ NR that are well able to withstand any tittle-tattle suggestions about “Dirty Linen”. Let’s hope so, because customers whose expectations are so often being short changed by (what seems to be) unavoidable failures to deliver what‘s being promised are surely entitled to something far removed from the “No comment, but don’t quote me” sort of culture that denying the existence of “Dirty Linen” sometimes tends to invoke.

Well, having got that off my chest, I hope everyone participating in Monday’s outing gets to enjoy the whole of the experience that they have been promised and are entitled to expect. Somehow, I’m sure that they will. Wish I could be there too!

 

It may not be a strike day but ASLEF now have an overtime ban on Southern and they have warned of severe disruption. Suggest do not rely on Southern and in any case we haven't had a proper service here for many months now. We will be going via SWT and LU

 

That's a point of view but in business you still do not blame your partner in public

 

Surely 'Transparency' should only be between a supplier and a customer though?

 

Absolutely

 

Unless you are Boris.

Peter

 

Emergency timetable in operation on Southern, which was only finalised last night,( Southern staff at E.G. only found out when they turned up for work).On my line most London Bridge rush hour services cancelled.

Joining at Sevenoaks, which I have got to know rather well since the industrial action began.