RTC 2025

Aaah, 35009. Wonderful run on the up ACE. https://national-preservation.com/threads/35028-and-35009-61-years-ago-today.1425238/

Bryan

 

Fair enough. I have a lot of respect for MNLPS with how they operate, it's admirable how much extra work they've already taken on in the last two years.

Clan Line trips is now the only ones I'll ever book onto with RTC. It's a loco and society you can always rely on not to let you down.

 

Kentish Belle for 6th August now cancelled

 

Not surprised sadly. Really feel for RTC's passengers in all this, hope they get a steam loco back soon pulling railtours.

 

I’ll second that! Any organisation relying on volunteers will have limits on what they can do, at least one of the two days involved in a trip will be a working day and a lot of volunteers will have jobs to go to. This maybe the problem the A1 Trust had in meeting the demands of WC. People do it as a hobby, they will not carry on if it becomes a chore.

 

This is what I've wondered too. It has been speculated (without foundation) that WCR might have wanted the A1 to run with less (frequent) maintenance than the Trust would want. But on the other hand, what if the Trust doesn't have enough manpower to keep up with the maintenance in order to make its required workings? As part of the agreement, who is responsible for the majority of the maintenance of the locomotive - 10A or A1SLT?

 

Commercially Confidential I would expect. And if it is not I would be asking why it is not.

 

I see that Saturday’s diesel-hauled CME has been retimed to eliminate the loco change and water stops, giving more time in Carlisle and earlier drop offs on the return. Not much of a consolation but thankful for small mercies!

 

This must now throw more doubt into the mix even if a loco can be found.
If the scheduled service is going to two hourly and journeys will take an hour longer not sure where the steam would get a path.
Maybe be able to see more when RTT is updated next week.

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey/west-of-england-changes

 

Most likely a change of route? or will it be another cancelation, but one that in the circumstances would be understandable, I somehow think that RTC's programme for the rest of 2025, is going to be somewhat curtailed, mostly through a mix of paths not being available, and motive power issues, but the situation should improve a bit once the Jacobite running season finishes. 2026 I think will see reduction on all tours with steam, that use West Coast, because they won't have the number of engines. needed, so tour promotors will be operating fewer tours, that might help their profit margin a bit, because fewer tours, would Hopely mean more sold seats on the few they do run,

 

Once news circulates among the public that RYTC steam tours are regulatly cancelled or motive power changed to diesel, I fear bookings will reduce rather quickly. For many it will be similar to, in the old days, booking a flight with Concorde and ending up with a 747. Nice, but nothing special. [BJ]

 

West Somerset Steam Express on Saturday 9th August has been cancelled as well. That makes two now to be cancelled.

This is really gonna hit RTC hard, I feel so sorry for them and their passengers.

Is there any way for RTC to break free of WCR and join with LSL to provide locos and stock?

 

LSL don't have the stock to run any more tours, unless you want to use Mk3s. Their Mk1s are often out twice a week. Plenty of locos though!

 

Why would they want to provide stock to their biggest competitor in that market segment? It would be on a par with BA providing aircraft for Virgin.
Anyway LSL (like BA of old) seem to want to absorb the competition not help it.
That is before you get to @5944 very valid logistical reasons.

 

Fair points. Only just thinking about if there was an alternative to WCR as it's really sad to see RTC's steam services take a hit as a result of this. At least they've got their UK holidays and Holidays Abroad to fall back on.

 

Vintage would be a better 'fit' geographically, as its tours are largely Midlands based, while RTC is largely East and South of London. But would Vintage have access to enough stock and locos to support a wider range of tours for a second operator?

 

I doubt it, but their locos would I suspect be "out of gauge" for a large number of places that RTC run tours to, and very few locos are independent of the three TOC's these days.