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Bahamas 2021 Railtours

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by pete12000, May 11, 2021.

  1. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I think it's fair to say that securing steam locos for trips in the south this summer hasn't been at all straightforward and put simply, the wish of operators to run trips has outstripped the availability of motive power to haul them.

    We once had a time of over promising and under delivering so the phenomenon is not new to us. What it reveals is that in the grand scheme of things the priority for providing motive power seems to start in the north and work southwards. As a result, it's the trips in the south where the provision gets stretched if there is a shortage.
     
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  2. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    If in the grand scheme of things the majority of steam motive power is based in the north, then it stands to reason that the best business model is to concentrate on the most profitable business, ie working your locos as near to their home base as is practicable. Sending them and support teams hundreds of miles away does not fit this model.
    How often do we see Clan Line north of Watford?
     
  3. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    A word of thanks to the Bahamas support crew for the numerous tours that we have enjoyed in the south and west. The loco has been turned out in immaculate condition on each occasion. Well done.

    We're all looking forward to seeing Bahamas powering over the Devon banks tomorrow. <BJ>
     
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  4. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Oh for the days when Ropley provided motive power for the Main Line. We had two Bulleid Pacifics, a Standard Five, a U boat, Ivatt Tank and two Class 33's. Hopefully we will have a Bulleid Pacific available in the not too distant future with 34007.

    Sent from my I3312 using Tapatalk
     
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  5. Victor

    Victor Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    I wonder what the total cost is to get a steam loco, support crews, footplate crew(s) , food, etc, etc, from say, Keighley to the south of the country, AND RETURN is. Covering costs is one thing but finding skilled qualified men to do the job, must be a nightmare.
    Be grateful we've still got some steam on the main line and people behind the scenes who try their best to make the whole caboodle work.
     
  6. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Absolutely. The reality is that the home of steam is the north, or from Birmingham northwards. So it's not at all surprising that anything planned in the south will stretch resources. Without Bahamas there would have been even more disappointments this year. All credit to the Bahamas team for making the effort.
     
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  7. 30567

    30567 Part of the furniture Friend

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    If we're allowed to broaden out a bit, there are the TOCs with their home bases in Birmingham, Crewe and Carnforth, plus the well-established out station at Fort William. As @RalphW says, their core strategy is to operate from their bases. Yes, LSL have gone down to Bristol and WCR to Southall. The interesting ones are the independents. The Bahamas Group, the A1 Trust, PRCLT. They need to operate via a TOC but doing things which add value. So the A1 Trust has strong coverage of the eastern side of the country and Scotland, while the Bahamas group has been willing to cover the south. It will be very interesting to see how the Duchess and 70013 are deployed next year assuming the market is fully reopened.

    I've left out the MNLPS on the basis that their business model is tied in with Belmond plus a few trips for UKRT, so that Clan Line is not in the same position as the other independents.
     
  8. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    plus one in September for Pathfinder.
     
  9. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    I think there's a huge amount to be grateful for in the situation where we have relatively plentiful steam on the main line in 2021 (imagine what those in 1968 would have made of it!), wherever it is. The logistics and sheer effort involved, even with a commercial return, are phenomenal. I also think the loss of the 'UK Steam' web site is still to be mourned as it was the source of accurate and timely information in a way that has all but disappeared. Railway Herald and other sites may try, but they are sadly inaccurate and inconsistent within themselves.
     
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  10. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    All I can say to the moaners is, given what the world has been through in the past 18 months and continues to go through, just be thankful that we have steam on the main line and you're still around to see it. So the U has become available at the last moment. So what?
     
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  11. gricerdon

    gricerdon Well-Known Member

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    The LE paths are still there for the U on 5th, or will it be a 33?
     
  12. Will RL

    Will RL Member

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    You can’t take RTT at face value. If paths are there, there’s every chance they’ll be left redundant if they’re not taken off the system before.

    If it’s been noted that 31806 won’t be running for operational reasons and instead a diesel will be replacing it, that’s the knowledge I’d take.
     
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  13. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

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    Yes but the diesel could a main line registered 33 from Swanage which would use the same paths as 31806. On the other hand it could be a WCRC diesel which is stuck on the back all day. The Swanage 33 option would be preferable for those who want a pure steam run for the most part.
     
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  14. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    33012 is currently having bodywork repairs at Eastleigh. The most recent photos on Carl Watson's website in March show they've converted it into the cabriolet version for the summer.

    [​IMG]
     
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  15. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    I have a friend who’d rather like it if they kept on trimming it… ;) Then again he’s an EE man :)
     
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  16. Deepgreen

    Deepgreen Well-Known Member Friend

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    I wonder if it'll be a fixed or sliding sun-roof.
     
  17. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    Well said
     
  18. GWR4707

    GWR4707 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Whilst the South is pretty grim, when I lived down there you could buy food

    Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk
     
  19. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    I rang Steam Dreams about the pingdemic-affected trip last Saturday which was originally due to feature 3806 from Weymouth to Southampton before being re-routed to Swanage and then postponed. The gentleman I spoke to said they were hoping to come up with a new date later this year and to use 31806, but did not wish to promise anything at this stage, advising me to keep an eye on the SD website. Maybe for some people, 61306 + 31806 doesn't generate the same level of excitement as 45596 + 31806 would have done, but I guess may be a possible consolation for those of us who had wondered about making a late solo booking on tomorrow's trip and then changed our minds.
     
  20. twr12

    twr12 Well-Known Member

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    31806s non-appearance on the DCE tomorrow is nothing to do with Swanage Railway,
     
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