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Tornado Railtour Programme 2021

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Where's Mazeppa?, Oct 1, 2020.

  1. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    Please don’t take my word for it, contact A1 Trust for confirmation.

    UPDATE : Can’t find this info now, seems more likely Carnforth

    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2021
  2. Where's Mazeppa?

    Where's Mazeppa? Member

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    Just received a text from the Railway Touring Company to advise cancellation of The Easterling scheduled for 2nd October. Gauging issues on the East Suffolk Line cited as the prime cause, and also a reference to potential (but possibly surmountable) pathing issues on this route. No alternative locomotive available.

    Massive, massive disappointment which I guess will be shared with all intending passengers.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2021
  3. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Too true, and some. There are more and more issues with the 'one-offs'. Reckon David Ward will be grinning as the 'core routes' syndrome is fast approaching....
     
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  4. Sean Emmett

    Sean Emmett Member

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    Yes disappointing, and a bit baffling as I thought Tornado was built to be gauge friendly?

    Have done the East Suffolk with Tangmere and Oliver Cromwell, anything bigger been down/up there?
     
  5. iancawthorne

    iancawthorne Well-Known Member

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    Thursday and Saturday as I understand it are DB jobs, using the SRPS coaching stock.
     
  6. Sam 60103

    Sam 60103 Member

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    Pleasant surprise if true. So I assume Tornado's move south from Scotland will be engine and ECS rather than just engine and support coach? Will it be towed by a diesel south from Scotland?
     
  7. 16Ventnor

    16Ventnor New Member

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    Although still says provisional, what appear to be more exact times have appeared on A1 site and on their Facebook but can’t find anything on RTT yet. I’m on it.
     
  8. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I feel sure that it's a messy path to sort out with other charters clogging up the WCML Given the distance travelled in the day you can just hope that it's slick timings or a long day becomes a horrendous one.

    Edit: Just noticed that there is a CME in more or less the slot that the Caledonian was provisionally shown for. Add to that some Milton Keynes to Appleby charter at the same time. I can see the problem!
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2021
  9. 46203

    46203 Member

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    In addition to that, there are diversions from the East Coast main line using Carlisle - platform space could be an issue.
     
  10. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    Is P1 still out of use at Carlisle? RTT seems to show mainly freight using the line still.
     
  11. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Just dropped into my mailbox.

    Dear Passenger,

    We are extremely sorry to advise ‘The Caledonian’ scheduled for Saturday 18th September 2021 is cancelled.

    Despite significant efforts by all parties, it has not been possible to identify a workable timetable for the train to Edinburgh and a forecast arrival time of 15:24hrs would be far too late to enjoy the sights and get back at a reasonable time. The primary reason for this is the sheer number of high speed electric trains north of Carlisle, with this exacerbated on this weekend with diversions from the East Coast route. These later trains have taken the planned pathways needed for Tornado and the changes to the timetable post Covid have further reduced flexibility.

    Whilst we can only apologise for the cancellation, we are very disappointed to be advising you so late on. We normally get final timings around 2-3 weeks before the train runs. We are investigating with Network Rail as to why they did not advise us of this problem until the last 24 hours as this is clearly unacceptable.

    We are placing a 25% voucher for use off a future train on our system for you use. This can be used on any train (excluding the Yorkshire Pullman) up until 30/6/2023. We know it will not make up for the disappointment of the cancellation, but this is by way of a small apology for the change of plans. We will also refund all monies within the next week or so to lead passengers. You do not have to do anything, all refunds will be processed automatically. Should we need any further details, we will be in touch with you.

    Once again, please accept our apologies for this news.

    Yours faithfully

    Graeme Bunker-James


    Lauren George

    Tornado Railtours Booking Office Manager

    Darlington Locomotive Works | Hopetown Lane | Darlington | Co.Durham | DL3 6RQ

    01325 488215
     
  12. dublo6231

    dublo6231 Member

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    Gutted - how do I explain this to my 10 year old son that his Christmas present has been cancelled...
     
  13. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I hate to be proved right but the moment I saw the movements around Crewe and on the Crewe - Carlisle route on Saturday at about Caledonian time it seemed pretty obvious that something might have to give. Add to that the issue with paths north of Carlisle that, as described, seem of a complexity too great to ignore and you do begin to wonder why the date was even considered in the first place.

    I thought that engineering works were set up many months in advance so that potential problems could be pinpointed and problematic dates avoided. However, Network Rail moves in mysterious ways and it's desperately sad for the A1 Trust that what should have been their prestige trip of the year has had to be pulled at the last minute.

    Many disappointed people, I fear and I suspect, many people already out of pocket. Something kept telling me not to book anything linked to this until the ink was dry on timings and other details. Perhaps it's the past experience of unfulfilled promises that in most cases were scuppered by our wonderful national provider rather than the operators trying to run steam on its network.

    So another day, hopefully.
     
  14. andalfi1

    andalfi1 Well-Known Member

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    That is another blow, two in as many days, I think Peter Hendy needs to have yet another word or three with the N.R. planners, especially if the East coast work has been planned into the schedule, totally out of order to leave it until the last 24 hours, I have been lucky on this occasion, I was well out of pocket when the SRPS tour to Inverness was cancelled, which was also late IMO, only slightly out of pocket when the Easterling was cancelled, it wouldn't feel so bad if the money was to Tornado, the operator or tour company because they have been hurt as well..
     
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  15. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Although platform edging looked complete today, the platform itself has yet to be resurfaced, so still not in use for passengers.
     
  16. Davo

    Davo Well-Known Member

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    Maybe could a future tour up the caledonian route be pathed up there north of carlisle next year? and it's only double track to Edinburgh that way isent it the A1ST took a big gamble trying to path tornado up and down Shap and carstairs and obviously N.R. couldent find a suitable timed path for the Caledonian tour to slot into the busy service train timetable to Edinburgh, but the full refund and 25% off any future tour with the A1 steam loco trust is very generous to all folk who booked on the tour I'm just glad the Jorvik flyer from Liverpool is still running, and any other steam fans who are booked on this tour. And furthermore does it still look like the Ribblehead rambler 30 september can still be run from Hull to Carlisle ret pathing into leeds via the selby micklefield line? we will have to wait up if N.R. can get a path for the tour. But I do feel sorry for the folk in the west mids who have missed out this time on what could have been a fantastic day out on Tornado.
    Davo 56F
     
  17. acorb

    acorb Part of the furniture

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    Very disappointing, myself and my dad were looking forward to this. Agree with the poster above that Network Rail planners seriously need questioning as to why this wasn't obvious to them until 72 hours prior to the train running - the email above suggests that Tornado team are also seeking an explanation.
    This is a return to the bad old days of a few years ago I'm afraid.
    Having been rearranged several times it would seem this trip was just doomed from the start.
     
  18. W.Williams

    W.Williams Well-Known Member

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    Forgive my lack of knowledge, but what engineering works are hindering here? Carstairs remodeling?
     
  19. jonathonag

    jonathonag Well-Known Member

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    Each year, there is typically several weekends in the autumn where the East Coast Mainline is closed between Newcastle and Edinburgh.

    This results in a lot of diversionary traffic via the Tyne Valley and over Beattock, limiting the amount of free paths over the WCML.
     
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  20. 16Ventnor

    16Ventnor New Member

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    Our booking had been fraught since the first class open became unavailable but an enormous amount of work from Lauren got it sorted at the 11th hour. All now to no avail. I managed to catch RTC before they closed and booked onto the CCE. Not the same but we’re already up here for the Jorvik with hotels booked.
     

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