Winter CME Trips 2018

And I thought you wanted authenticity....

 

Anyone else in Coach G ?

 

Latest email from RTT offers £20 discount per person any class on CME's on 3rd, 17th, 24th Feb and 10th March

 

Typical. Already booked us on the 3rd!! Surprised offer is in all classes. CME's losing popularity? Worrying.

 

I wonder if there is an effect from the introductory pricing from Saphos ( 5 out of 12 of their trains marked as fully booked today and many options on the others marked fully booked too ).

 

I expect it is more of a reflection of the time of the year and general economic climate. This is always a bad time of year for retail and the hospitality industry hence the large number of sales and offers around. The town down here in Swanage has seemed extra quiet this month, even for January.
Saphos are not really competing with these trains as their first trip is not until April 14th and the only direct catchment overlap is Crewe. I suspect some enthusiasts may well have saved the money to perhaps have two Saphos trips instead of one RTC, but what has the marketing to the general public been like? Have they been advertising heavily in the Crewe/ Stoke/Chester area? If you are looking for a day out with a steam element and live in say Rugby or Milton Keynes then the S&C probably has more familiarity than the N Wales Coast, plus you do not have to buy a ticket to Crewe and back before you start.

 

How sad if the Saphos type of train is what enthusiasts want.
Probably it's as much the dining end of the train where costs are so low as to be irresistible if you want food on a train with a steam engine on the front and live near Crewe. I'll be surprised if Saphos is having an effect on the London end of the market where most passengers join. Find it baffling that they aren't filling. Nothing much better than Grayrigg; the Lune Gorge; Shap; S&C South and Wilpshire for both scenery and interest for enthusiasts of proper steam hauled trains.

 

Whilst I agree with your general assessment one factor in the slow booking is that it seems to be customary for discounts as the dates come nearer, plus the longer you leave to book the better the information about finalised operational arrangements becomes eg loco and extent of steam leg. The discerning customers are wise to this perhaps?
In the case of this particular train, as has been mentioned up thread, it is a less special season opener than predecessors - lack of USP? Obviously rare or debut motive power cannot simply be conjoured but some variety from the traditional CME formula may need attempting to stimulate sales in a depressed economic time of year.

 

Weather forecast is more sou'wester than ushanka.

 

Yep, seat 13B from Preston.

 

Hmmm , so it does but nothing ventured and all that

 

Seat 3F ex Preston, tho may try and move. Mate cant come now so I could be the one (or more) talking to himself lol (tho not about boxes)

 

One could try singing about them however - a little accompaniment perchance ?

 

Very very apt.

 

14B ex Preston

 

Shap looks like a good spot for tomorrow Steve.

 

So just another day in paradise....

 

Quite, and nothing can detract from "one of the greatest free shows on earth" .........

 

Yes looks like its gonna be a Woolley

 

But just in case you get stuck in poor weather conditions, may I offer : -



Happy travelling !