RTC 2024

An unexpected burst of sun at Droitwich as the train arrived. The return working managed to avoid what sun remained.

 

02.33 platform 3 Kettering Monday morning.See Realtime for details

 

Don't think i'll be heading down the station at 2.30 am, but thanks for the info anyway.

 

From Saturday morning.

Coasting towards Lakenheath.




Departing Whittlesey.

 

Bet that sounded good.

 

Great photos but what was it like to be in those Mk2s ?

 

Has it Martin?
I know my steward friends tell me they have had no complaints but I do not remember any passenger on here expressing an opinion either way.

 

I would imagine it be pretty similar to that time I had 55022 to Plymouth on a VCX service train back in February ‘99? Certainly no complaints from the cranks and Ned’s at the time.

 

Slightly ironic since, putting turn ups for the books to one side, the loco will be 44871 or 45407 or just possibly 45212.

 

Maybe 34067 at a push. Not much choice otherwise. Though if WCRC reckon the air con on their Mk2s is unusable in the summer, then most of RTC's programme is going to disappear anyway.

You have to feel sorry for Kelly and co. One man's decision is destroying their business as well as his own. WCRC have 16 tours of their own advertised over the summer, RTC have 34 from June - September. There's no way one set of Mk2s can cover all that, not when there's multiple tours booked over a weekend around the country. Pathfinder and UK Railtours are sharing the use of Riviera's Mk2s, as well the latter using both the Hastings DEMU and LUL's 4TC set.

 

It would be a very difficult thing to explain to the average passenger these days, all the ins and outs of JR's, the need for air braking when most would not even know what vacuum braking is. Why there is only one CDL set available (or two if the NB was not in use that day and offered?) How much detail do you go in to before the passenger just glazes over. Questions from passengers on the day in my experience show many do not even have experience, yet alone knowledge of, modern trains and the network.
Did for example SWR go into detail for their passengers of why the 701's have been sitting in sidings for years and are around 5 years late entering squadron service. Only time I ever heard anything about that was when Paul Clifton thought it worth a mention on BBC South News.
There will always be people who want a specific loco, and if you say it will be available you may be wrong, in the same way as you say it will not be available you may be wrong. It is a no win .
But how would you suggest RTC could be "distancing myself from the mess"?
The only CDL Mk1's are at your competition
The only other Mk2 sets are normally in use on non steam tours.
The SRPS is under overhaul.
TY set is allocated to their own tours and the A1 Group

The charter market is small, but it is only a microcosm of the rail industry, there are no spare items of rolling stock kicking around.
It is not unfortunately like aviation where there a buoyant charter market where you can ring up and wet lease or dry lease an aircraft.

 

Thinking out loud:
Tornado will be another option for the summer (but will be based further north due to Aberdonian commitments).
Wonder if anyone has picked up the the phone to the owners of 60007? They have always stated she is available for hire away from LSL.
Again, Duke of Gloucester is also due back this year and owners state she isn't on a golden handcuff deal with LSL.
Coaching stock wise there is the rake often used by the Branchline Society from Eastern Rail services, though never seen this behind steam before - but we are in uncharted territory.
Agree, something is going to have to give over summer, RTC would do well to try a few tours with another operator (see Tornado tours and Vintage Trains for instance).
I do wonder if we will regret sending so many mark 2 and 3 coaches to the scrapyard on the coming years.
We do need a compliant West Coast, but this is looking ever more distant at the moment. Perhaps this upheaval will make the market stronger in the long term by encouraging some diversification, but we don't want to swap one monopoly for another either.

 

I thought SNG was one of the two outbased at BL for the Saphos and SD tours.
I am sure some "thinking realignment" may be needed if running for WCRC was suggested now.

 

No, 61306 and 60532 are in the south west this year. 60007 is based out of Crewe - much easier for the volunteer support crew. The LSL ones are all paid staff.