The Great Britain XVI - 13/04/24 to 21/04/24

The prepaid hotel situation was why the 2015 GB had to proceed, even with much bustitution, after the WCR ban following Wootton Bassett.

 

The two train operation is now no problem as they now pass each other at Arisaig not Glenfinnan

 

I would suspect the hotels are on a free cancellation basis until very close to the day. RTC would be stupid otherwise with the strike action we have seen and the pandemic, plus what happened in 2015.

 

Do you really think a hotel would want to sell such a large amount of it's inventory with no guarantee?

 

But presumably with a cancellation date such as 42 or 56 days before?

 

I very much doubt you would find hotels agreeing to block bookings with a late free cancellation date. Since 2015 the world has moved on, hotels often offer a raft of rates based on the cancellation period, or non at all. A tour like this will eat up most capacity at a lot of hotels.
How do you expect hotels to fill those rooms with late cancellations on block bookings.

 

They are bookings of 1 night. Hardly a money spinner.

 

LSL’s Generator Coach is plated as 37 tons. The weight of a mk1 TSO as built was 32-37 tons. Add passengers and still very similar.

 

Oh, I really don't think it's "Saville" - that name's association with the railway ended in the 1970s, thank goodness. 35009 'Shaw Savill'.

 

For how many on the train? I have no idea, but say 50 at £200 per head for the night gives £10,000. I'd spin that money!

 

£400 for a one night hotel?! They'd probably have a group discount too. £10k is not big money for a multinational hotel chain.

 

Indeed - I recall a 1985 run with two 37s and 11 or 12 IC-liveried Mk1s. The West Highlander - 1 June 1985. https://flic.kr/p/aQvQfz

 

I actually put £200 for a night. Maybe wildly out, I don't know, with possible bulk discounts. Maybe you are right and £10,000-ish isn't worth worrying about...

 

When the GB came to Swanage from memory there were 5 hotels that were in use, most in Bournemouth. It is not that easy to find hotels for a train load of passengers.

 

Perhaps a tad more on topic, does anyone happen to have the timings for day 1? RTT appears not to have them yet, so I imagine any other sources must also be awaiting them, so a long shot.

 

I took your 50 as in 50 passengers not 50 sharing 25 couples/twin rooms.

 

Oh, well. Thats ok then. Hotels getting screwed out of block bookings a week out because they were one night only is fine now. Come off it. This ranks as one of the silliest statements made on NatPres.

 

I suspect there is some serious replanning going on.
Someone, somewhere missed the engineering works between Canterbury East and Buckland Jn.


Cheers, Neil

PS The first thing that the charter train timers do with a specification is to check the route against the engineering works plan.