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The Great Britain VIII

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by steam_mad, Jun 19, 2014.

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  1. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Yes we have already had it confirmed from an RTC email to a passenger... See post 168.
     
    RalphW, Apr 24, 2015
    #181
  2. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    Strange, the page/post/tweet no longer exists..............

    But these do.......

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-32427781

    http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/...starts_into_near_miss_at_high_speed_junction/

    And no I'm not stirring the brown stuff, but they seem to make a mockery of what RTC has issued in good faith......... is this Carnforth the "Ministry of Misinformation" spinning things given this is RTC's premier UK tour?......

    Me, I would rather believe official statements from the relevant bodies, but as they are not saying much, I will hold my breath.

    Though I do feel for those booked on this, not "getting" the tour they have paid for, but RTC have had no choice but to rescue what they can from the mess - just imagine if this had happened mid tour.......... or perhaps not.

    The one "bonus" for those traveling is, they still get to see Britain in all its glory - weather permitting!
     
    Duty Druid, Apr 24, 2015
    #182
  3. pete d

    pete d New Member

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    The tweet is still there I tend to agree I'm waiting for either wcrc to say something or RTC. Railway have posted this tonight not much new in this
    RTC's Great Britain 8 working is understood to be running, starting on Tuesday 28th April.

    Railway Herald has not been able to obtain confirmation from RTC, although we believe that DBS will operate the first two days, and No. 70000 Britannia will work the train between London and Exeter on Day 1. The onward journey is believed to be diesel, but this is unconfirmed. Day 2, is now understood to be steam to Bristol.

    The situation regarding operators and motive power for Day 3 onwards remains totally unconfirmed, although we will endeavour to update readers on Monday.

    Our congratulations go to all involved for their efforts with this charter. An operation like the multi-day 'Great Britain' working is complex at the best of times, and has been more so this year for obvious reasons.
     
    pete d, Apr 24, 2015
    #183
  4. deaftech

    deaftech New Member

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    One thing that has bemused me is that both the Railway Herald and, until recently, the UKsteam Info listings show GB8 as going via Cardiff. Whilst the original plan was to go via the Heart of Wales route, this was changed quite some time ago to the Welsh Marches route. Indeed even the latest RTC hard copy brochure shows the alteration in the itinerary, although the preamble still refers to crossing "mountainous Central Wales".
     
    deaftech, Apr 24, 2015
    #184
  5. 47406

    47406 Well-Known Member

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    47406, Apr 24, 2015
    #185
  6. Christopher125

    Christopher125 Part of the furniture

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    Christopher125, Apr 25, 2015
    #186
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  7. gwr4090

    gwr4090 Part of the furniture

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    uksteam.info hasn't shown it going via Cardiff for a long time
     
    gwr4090, Apr 25, 2015
    #187
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  8. deaftech

    deaftech New Member

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    The "Special Delivery" from RTC has arrived and the advertised steam sections are as follows.

    Victoria to Exeter -70000
    Plymouth to Bristol - 70000
    Shrewsbury to Grange over Sands - Steam
    Grange over Sands to Edinburgh - Steam
    Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh and return - Steam
    Inverness to Helmsdale and return - Steam
    Inverness to Perth - Steam
    Grange over Sands to Doncaster - Steam

    The actual locos are tbc.

    The timings for day 3 are given as Bristol TM dep. 08.19 and Grange over Sands arr. 16.10, although these do not seem to be on RTT yet.

    Eight passenger carrying coaches are shown in the formation.
     
    deaftech, Apr 25, 2015
    #188
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  9. deaftech

    deaftech New Member

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    Closer inspection of the revised programme shows a couple of interesting and perhaps disturbing points. Day 5 (Sat., 2 May) is the one all diesel day from Edinburgh to Inverness but of more concern is Day 7 (Mon., 4 May) which is shown as only going to Helmsdale and not to Wick as originally advertised (and paid for!). i.e. it appears not to be the "Land's End to John O'Groats (almost)" tour that I thought I would be getting. It is bad enough to have had the steam content severely reduced but there seems no excuse for not continuing to Wick, albeit under diesel power.

    Hopefully this is a typo in the revised itinerary and it will be diesel from Helmsdale to Wick and return.
     
    deaftech, Apr 25, 2015
    #189
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  10. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    If you are getting steam to Helmsdale and return then that's a bonus as it was only ever going to be steam one way and steam definitely cannot go all the way and back, as was said on here a few years ago, I recall. But hold your breath for steam there and diesel back, possibly.

    Looks to me like GB VIII is the best you could hope for given the circumstances. That said, if it were advertised like that in the first place, I suspect it might have got a mixed reaction. But, as they say, you are where you are and at least something is running.
     
    Big Al, Apr 25, 2015
    #190
  11. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    mrKnowwun, Apr 25, 2015
    #191
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  12. Leslie10646

    Leslie10646 New Member

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    I don't want to pour cold water on RTC's efforts to rescue this tour, but, like Deaftech, I booked almost exclusively to get Helmsdale to Wick, the missing link on MY steam trackmap (and Thurso, of course, but one would have "done"). However, I don't think THAT will stand up in a court of law!

    Let's hope that it was a typo, but I suspect NOT - returning by steam from Helmsdale probably took the proposed tour over the "half the advertised steam" level, which leaves one without a leg to stand on if you asked for a cancellation.

    If that option was open to me, or even transferring the money to another RTC tour, or tours, I'd take it.
     
    Leslie10646, Apr 25, 2015
    #192
  13. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t11/t0418a.htm

    These are the times from the Wick to Inverness leg a few years ago. Despite the sparse service on the line, it's a struggle to path tours along there. There was talk a few weeks ago, before it all kicked off, that the departure time might be 05.30! And that was for steam to Wick and diesel back.

    It's not great, there's a lot of diesel mileage in there, but it's better than it could've been. One thing that does puzzle me is there is no mention of WCRC at any point in the last couple of emails. Could it be a DBS operation, hence the much reduced steam mileage?
     
    5944, Apr 25, 2015
    #193
  14. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    Possibly DBS DRS in combination, with the former providing what steam remains?
     
    26D_M, Apr 25, 2015
    #194
  15. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Well it's certainly DBS on Days 1 and 2. And possibly DBS as well to take the train to Shrewsbury. The loco that comes on there may possibly be the Scot that'll do the next day as well. And it's not a coincidence, in my view, that steam comes off at Doncaster on the return where DBS has a depot. The art of the possible. Here's a thought - maybe the whole operation has to have a DBS or DRS pilotman and WCRC is not involved at all?
     
    Big Al, Apr 25, 2015
    #195
  16. worldsteam

    worldsteam Member

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    worldsteam, Apr 25, 2015
    #196
  17. Tony172

    Tony172 New Member

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    Tony172, Apr 25, 2015
    #197
  18. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    Shrewsbury to Grange was the fives originally so if DBS can operate them that could remain with them continuing round the coast next day. Presuming 10A isn't out of bounds for stabling
     
    26D_M, Apr 25, 2015
    #198
  19. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    5944, Apr 25, 2015
    #199
  20. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Makes sense. The 5s are air braked so DBS could use them.
     
    1020 Shireman, Apr 25, 2015
    #200
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