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Vintage Trains 2022

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Sidmouth, Jan 2, 2022.

  1. GWR4707

    GWR4707 Nat Pres stalwart

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    It would indeed, but how you going to collect it?

    I get the point re not wanting start points miles from home, albeit I note that it takes c.4.5 hrs to get the stock down to Chester for the Dalesman running today (and a repeat through the summer), I suspect it could take similar to get stock to Glasgow Central or Edinburgh and where else is in that sort of distance from Carnforth? As for length of day, considering they have 86401 now would a day out from the north incorporating the Shap/S&C triangle be that much longer, even hark back to the SLOA days and rather than Clitheroe/Preston whack a 47 on the front and take it back via Wennington to Carnforth?

    I have no doubt that the operators have done the maths and it doesn't work.
     
  2. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Now available to book, but for April 2023.
     
  3. NathanP

    NathanP Member

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    The Oxford trip has disappeared completely, so I think that one has been canned
     
  4. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    Talk about bad luck. Vintage Trains will now probably lose the Welsh Marches railtour on 8th October due to the latest rail strike.
    It involves more than 40,000 workers from Notwork Rail and 15 train operators. <BJ>
     
  5. dublo6231

    dublo6231 Member

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    Interestingly dates already scheduled for next years/season of Shakespeare Express (booking but at this years prices) including a date in both April and May. Certainly interested in a spin from Stratford to Brum and back.
     
  6. Sam 60103

    Sam 60103 Member

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    That was due to be the return of 5043. Possibly the other trip is off because of the delays with 5043 but I suspect other reasons (cost of living) are the real reason.
     
  7. 16Ventnor

    16Ventnor New Member

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    This is now the fourth railtour on trot that I have had cancelled through low bookings or strike. The amount of work putting together dates and hotels and then having to unravel everything is becoming wearisome. I wonder if the current strikes are affecting the amount of people booking. I'm a die-hard railfan but the 'ordinaries' out there must wonder if it's worth even trying to do a rail trip. So apart from feeling sore about all this, my sympathies go with the charter companies who similarly have to unravel a vast amount of work.....for nothing. Without wishing to be political, I can't see the unions winning much sympathy (do they care, I wonder) especially given a lot of the strikes seem to be at weekend (I think). The two weeks' notice I also feel is far too short given the leisure market requires much longer lead in times which sometimes cannot be unravelled in time, consequently incurring costs. Sorry, about the moan, just feeling utterly disappointed....again.
     
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  8. 3ABescot

    3ABescot Member

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    Dreadful. But it IS political, precipitated by a government which forces cuts on already underfunded services like Network Rail, whilst pulling back on the reforms and enhancement it promised.
     
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  9. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    Are they not striking at weekends because post Covid that is when trains are fullest.
     
  10. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    The strikes on the 1st October are intended to cause disruption to the Conservative party conference.

    Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk
     
  11. NathanP

    NathanP Member

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    I certainly wouldn't want to be a charter organiser right now. An uncertain market, where what used to work as a day out doesn't work now, coupled with strikes at just 2 weeks notice. I notice there's a Statesman to Penzance on 8th October, which was postponed to that date when the original date in June classed with a strike. So now we have the same railtour affected by a strike on 2 separate dates!

    Liz Truss has been making some noise about limiting the number of strikes unions can call, and also increasing the notice period, which I imagine will be welcomed by the charter operators.
     
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  12. 16Ventnor

    16Ventnor New Member

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    RTT has times up for redated WME on 12 November but no news or update from VT yet. I do hope this runs and ends my run of cancelled charters.
     
  13. LittleRedTrain

    LittleRedTrain Member

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    Timings also suggest a New St pickup and Snow Hill set down (rather than Tyseley only as advertised on the VT site), which makes it rather easier to access by train.
    Tempted by this, hopefully it won't suffer the same fate as last year's November trip with an extended stop at Craven Arms due to a fatality and very late running back from Hereford.
     
  14. 16Ventnor

    16Ventnor New Member

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    Update just received. Neil
    We regret we cannot run this train due to insufficient bookings mainly arising as a result of having to reschedule this train from the original date due to a rail strike and many passengers being unable to join us on 12th November. Although we hoped for additional bookings and, indeed there have been some, we have not received enough bookings to cover costs. However, our trains to York on 29th Novemberand Bath & Bristol on 6th December are loading well and sales for The Polar Express Train Rideare going well.
    We realise this news will be as disappointing for you as it is for us, but we must be realistic, and we cannot run this train at a loss.
    But every cloud has a silver lining…
    Whilst we will of course refund your ticket monies in full, issue a credit note or transfer your booking to another train of your choice in our programme subject to availability, we have another suggestion for you to consider.
    On Saturday 13th May 2023 we will be running another Welsh Marches Express on the same route and probably the same timings but withboth our Castles, Earl of Mount Edgcumbe and Clun Castle double headed. This train will be the first time these two locomotives have double headed on record and certainly in preservation and this train will run as part of our programme to celebrate the Centenary of the Castle class design.
    Time limited offer!
    We are offering you a free transfer to this train in the same seats and classes and with the same number of seats as you have booked for 12thNovember. This train will shortly be advertised for sale, but seats will be at a higher price. Although we are not offering Club class for sale on this train, we will honour your booking for this Class if you have booked this for 12th November. Should you wish to book any additional seats for this train, we also offer to sell you these at the 2022 prices (including Club class).
    This offer is only valid if claimed and tickets transferred or booked on or before Friday 18th November 2022.
    We apologies for any inconvenience this has caused you and look forward to hearing from you.
     
  15. LittleRedTrain

    LittleRedTrain Member

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    Disappointing, especially as I'd just got permission from the 'other half' to book on this. Was just waiting for VT to confirm the times and Birmingham pickups themselves!

    Do feel that a bit more advertising might have helped this one sell better, especially if they'd made it clear early on that that there was the option to join/leave in central Birmingham, rather than Tyseley only.
    Last Facebook post about it was 7th Oct and nothing on their Twitter since August!
     
  16. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    the operator customer relationship is a tricky one and cancellations, postponements and late changes do not build confidence that an advertised tour will run , reducing a customers willingness to book until it is confirmed
     
  17. NathanP

    NathanP Member

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    VT really have had a rough year so far haven't they? Only 2 of the ones I booked on this year have actually run - Welsh Marches on 5th March and Return to Steam on 11th June. Pathfinder also have had to cancel several trips this year due to lack of bookings, so in these uncertain times the smaller promoters are going to have to work harder than ever to attract bookings.

    UK Railtours have been telling Trackside recently that they're shifting to more track bashing tours, as the normal "day out" trips aren't selling any more. So they are changing their business strategy to adapt to the changing market.
     
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2022
  18. gricerdon

    gricerdon Well-Known Member

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    I may be in the minority but I have stopped booking with Vintage as a DL is always taken.
     
  19. thegrimeater

    thegrimeater Member

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    I notice there is a vintage trains operated Peterborough to Lincoln and return on Tuesday (with as associated ecs to and from Tyseley). Would any of you knowledgeable folks know what it's planned to be? Cheers
     
  20. AlexS

    AlexS New Member

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    It's a private charter.
     

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