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Vintage Trains - First trips with Clun Castle

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by pjhliners, Feb 11, 2019.

  1. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    2 First Opens for the Diners and the Restaurant Car. Hope that's not the dining consist for the Cotswold Explorer.
     
  2. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    I presume from your post you are hopeful of the pullmans ?
     
  3. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Yes, and unless those 3 coaches have already had vacuum brakes added, it will necessitate the use of the Class 47. Don't want Sapperton ruined by diesel assistance.
     
  4. Ben Vintage-Trains

    Ben Vintage-Trains Member

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    We are a new TOC using a locomotive fresh from overhaul with a mixture of coaches that do and do not have steam heat, plus we have a revised shunt in and out of a very busy Oxford station. The 47 will be on the rear for the next few trains, including the Cotswold on Saturday 9th March.
     
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  5. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Thanks for that Ben. We'll wait to renew our acquaintance with 7029 until the need for a diesel on the rear has ended.
     
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  6. Kylchap

    Kylchap Member

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    I'll be doing the same. Fingers crossed for the Welsh Marches.
     
  7. malc

    malc Part of the furniture

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    The coaches must be vacuum braked if they are operating behind a vacuum braked loco such as 7029.
     
  8. Davo

    Davo Well-Known Member

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    Can anyone on Nat Pres tell me if they have had their tickets posted out for the Worcester tour on 7th march I'm booked on this trip but not received my tickets yet have they been sent out by vintage yet?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 3, 2019
  9. NathanP

    NathanP Member

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    Sorry, mis-read post!
     
  10. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Vintage Trains don't normally post the tickets much earlier than this so don't start worrying until they don't arrive by Tuesday post....
     
  11. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Done it many times. No interest whatsoever of riding with an oil burner on the train. They are too damn heavy, 120 tons +, not to have to interfere in the running. Been conned when so called steam came on after the starting point of the tour and diesels ran around and reattached on the rear. Then we got off as soon as possible. Of more concern to us is that we bought shares in VT. Their prospectus mentioned diesel hauled trains and other work outside the steam hauled trains but there was an emphasis on the steam hauled trains, the only ones we are interested in. There was no mention of any period when there would be a diesel on the rear of steam hauled trains, nor about hiring in other owners stock that have no steam heating facility nor vacuum brakes unless we missed that in the prospectus. We were about to invest another £1k or more but are now seriously reconsidering.
     
  12. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    I think you are being a little unfair on VT . The Riviera coaches are being dual braked (air only on arrival) without the fitment of vacuum they cant be used . As others have said extra stock increases operational flexibility and some of the burden on the existing VT rake . There will be plenty of warm weather running where steam heat isn't required

    secondly given the Cotswold explorer is the first day tour with a fresh from overhaul engine and a day that entails a Dorridge start so a drag from Tyseley anyway the sensible and prudent approach is to take insurance. once as an operator things are more established and confidence built hopefully things will change
     
  13. Davo

    Davo Well-Known Member

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    Can anyone tell me who has made the mistake on mainline steam tours index the cotswold explorer is adverised for 19th may sunday and on vintage trains website its showing as 18th may and on 2019 railtour info its also showing as 18 may which one do i believe.
     
  14. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    Agreed.
    There was always a plan for a 2nd rake of coaches to be used to allow operations to expand, hiring them from Rivera for now helps speed things up as VT establish as a reliable TOC which seems sensible to me along with the decision to take a Diesel along for now.

    VT could of took a different option to the one they did when WCR said they wouldn’t be TOC anymore, they could of just walked away and I think we would all be worse off in that scenario.
     
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  15. NathanP

    NathanP Member

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    The Cotswold Explorer starts from Moor Street so actually there won't be a drag from Tyseley but, yes, given how it is the first trip then erring on the side of caution is perhaps to be expected, plus Ben mentioned some complex shunting needed at Oxford.
     
  16. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    has that changed then as I thought it was Dorridge
     
  17. acorb

    acorb Part of the furniture

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    There were similar comments like this about Saphos, however, they now have a generator car and have run some trips unassisted - albeit with a strategically placed Thunderbird. I think some patience and most of all faith is needed as this new TOC takes its first tentative steps.
    VT are taking an almighty risk here and require support from all of us enthusiasts to enable Great Western mainline steam to survive for the next few decades via this venture. However, it would seem some see a diesel and lose all sense of perspective and reality.
     
  18. acorb

    acorb Part of the furniture

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    Suggest you trust VT as they are organising it.
     
  19. Davo

    Davo Well-Known Member

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    Well yes I do trust them, but mainline steam tours index are showing the Cotswold explorer running on 19th May whilst on 2019 mainline info and Vintage are showing advertised as 18th may, its only my 3rd booking with Vintage. If it turns out to be Sunday I'll either have to book a hotel in Birmingham or cancel it but all the other Cotswold explorers are advertised for Saturday so I'll guess mainline steam tours index have got the date wrong I hope. And thus my booking acknowledgement says 18th May from Vintage Trains!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 3, 2019
  20. Groks212

    Groks212 Member

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    @Davo if the tour says 18th May on VT'site and they are the tour operator then that is who you take notice of, not something you see elsewhere which is probably a typo.

    Dave B
     

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