46115 Cathedrals Express 1/10/16.

You may well say that but even so it seems inexplicable why charters of the same itinerary run by different promoters would have such significant differences. SD advertised yesterday's charter with steam from Carnforth until the day it ran.

 

If WC won't provide for SD what they routinely give RTC there has to be a deeper explanation than simply than RTC/WC are more intertwined.
Could it be SD will only pay for a single leg of steam?

 

Bit of speculation here as we have no idea what was offered to SD last weekend. Can James S perhaps enlighten us about the lack of steam over Shap? Can't have been crewing as the Scot had to work to Carlisle anyway.

 

The only "fuss" should be with SD who advertised a product long after it was clear it was not going to be provided.

 

I'm interested Al because we're dithering about booking the 15th CCE. The only interesting part for us is Guardsman over Shap and if it isn't going to happen we certainly won't book.

 

Time for loco change at Carnforth each way:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50617/2016/10/15/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U50618/2016/10/15/advanced

 

The excuse Steam Dreams used for the electric haulage to Carlisle was due to the increased platform occupation due to the East Coast services being diverted. What I found very ironic was as we pulled into Carlisle the other two platforms had East Coast 125s in them!

Originally the timings for 01/10/16 on Real-time trains (about this distance before the trip) had a loco change at Carnforth until the 8 days before the tour when the timings changed.

It's going to be interesting to see if RTC get dealt the same day as Steam Dreams as the diversions are still happen on the 15th, if they don't I will be complaining to Steam Dreams about the lack of haulage which as yet I haven't done mainly because I don't think it will make any difference!

Hope minor rant helps the undecided!

Andrew

 

Thank you for sharing this Andrew. Would it be correct to infer the formal communication of the change came only when the trip was underway?
As you sagely observe, if the same operational parameters exist on 15th October logic leads to only one conclusion - 86259 to Carlisle again. It is odd that a steam path has been issued though?

 

No the confirmation of the change and the excuse came with the tickets late on the Tuesday. I was expecting more to be said on the train but nothing was mentioned at all!

I wouldn't be surprised if there is more than just the East Coast diversions, I await with interest what actually happens on the 15th!

 

Thanks again for the further information. It is reprehensible in that case, to say the least, that SD continued to promote the train in its original format. Perhaps it was sold out by the time the change was enforced but seats seemed to be available even the day before.

 

Turning right at Park South Jn. to run via Barrow instead of using the cut off to Dalton Jn. was a bit of a bonus.