TORBAY EXPRESS 2011 Season

Aye, we're changing the way we get updates. The way we have tried is too unreliable. We need boots on the train to send updates, and yes you can earn money doing so.

 

Post quoted as example,others around have argued the same thing.

Well remove steam from the mainline then? That would solve the problem. Anything can fail on any given day. Doesnt matter if its 70 years old or 10 years old it still has mishaps.



What do you suggest they do,tell the passengers to get out and walk?!


As for railtour live,I find SWRG/Gen Power much easier to use,plus I only do it at my leisure.

I think if you ask the passengers in these situations (trust me,I know) the huge majority dont give a damn what rescues them,just that something does asap!

 

I was on the trip yesterday. Excellent run down from Bristol to Paignton. Added interest on the climb to Churston with the Manor giving us a push. Also a good run all the way from Kingswear (no slipping on the climb to Churston) to Exeter. We had a longer stop than scheduled at Exeter to take on water. I was looking forward to the climb to Whiteball as DOG had been performing well up till the failure. Dreadful weather all day up to the time we reached Newton Abbot on the return. So we had a dry(ish) run along the sea wall.

Eventually got home about 1.45am. Bit of a long day but longer for the support crew I would imagine.

David – nice to meet you. Always nice to put a face to a name.

 

Well said Mark

 

Couple of photos from the terrible weather on the sea wall yesterday,complete with rather rough sea. Thankfully cleared up a bit in the evening.

Outward: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark-walker/5828747668/in/photostream/

Return: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark-walker/5828758746/in/photostream/

Cheers,
Mark

 

I'll keep posting the gen on here for the majority of members. You worry about the Rail Tour Live. <BJ>

 

Wow. Very impressive. <BJ>

 

Thanks

 

What happened after the failure shows what a sorry state our rail network is. It comes to something when the driver of the failed loco has to travel miles to fetch his own rescue loco (not the the first time it's happened either). I think people from the old days would be turning in their graves if they saw how today's railway was run. Years ago the railways kept going even during the war, absolutely no chance these days! It would just all fall apart.

 

Thank you for posting gen on here, however your post does seem to have an edge to it?
The thing is, RailTour Live supports this forum that your posting on..
I assume you know, that sending in gen through your mobile, depending on your contract would not cost you...

 

After two high profile incidents at the weekend involving steam traction, would it not be possible for a diesel to shadow a railtour in the event of a breakdown? The idea of a diesel loco at the back of a steam charter only adds to the weight of the train and thoroughly annoys many of the passengers. The costs would obviously be higher and on some routes it may cause problems with pathing.

Just a thought. <BJ>

 

Is that needing an extra path?

 

running a diesel just behind used to be relatively common a few years ago - presumably before the days when you had to "tender" for paths or whatever one has to do on this sadly fragmented "network" we have in this country nowadays.

 

And extra crew for it. A potential option but probably easier to slung the box on the back. The people who fill up these trains aren't like everyone on this forum, they probably don't care if there is a diesel on the back but they will care if they get home 3 hours late because of a failure.

 

Well does the modern railway need steam tours tottering around the place, getting in the way with their restricted speed and propensity to fail?

Good job for Tivvy Loop, I say, or they'd have really cocked the job up

 

Anyone would think by some of the comments on here that it's only steam that fails. Hardly a day goes by without news of disruption to the rail network due to one cause or another. I accept that a steam failure is a fairly high profile one, at least as far as this forum is concerned, but in the greater scheme of things steam failures are not a major cause of disruption when compared to other incidents on the network.

 

I agree Neil and from a photographers point of view if you know theres a diesel on the back you can position yourself whereby the diesel doesnt come into play
Henry

 

Apologies if I have missed the answer to this, but was 71000 left at Tiverton, or was it able to continue with the 47 rescue loco and the train back to Bristol?

Thanks.

46118

 

Coupled inside the 47.