Cathedrals Express Valentine's Day Lunchtime Tour

A shot from Shalford Junction.

 

I don't give a chuff what linesiders think about diesels on the back and hiding then "cleverly," it's those of us paying to be shoved around by them all day when what we want is proper steam haulage who have a reason to gripe.

 

What I find odd is that these runs are planned months beforehand, with knowledge of the load, the steam loco's capabilities, the gradients and the service patterns, so why decide to add a diesel seemingly at the eleventh hour? It's not as if 61306 encountered any problems on the previous (first) run. If people knew from the outset that a diesel would be included they could make their own decisions about travelling. For what it's worth I would have thought a B1 with 10 coaches could tackle Buriton (1 in 80), etc., without assistance or a problem. At the height of the leaf fall season things might be different, but not in February.

 

I do get it, I get West coasts point of view,

 

The old you dont pay so your not allowed an opinion point of view..... how grown up.

 

It is odd, isn't it? If WCRC planned DL assistance all along, then either they failed to communicate this to SD, or SD mislead their customers. I don't think either of those possibilities are very likely. Therefore, something must have happened shortly before the trip to make WCRC change their minds about assistance. We won't hear about it from WCRC themselves, but I suppose a disgruntled passenger might get an explanation from SD.

 

I'll throw my tuppence (ok I accept its a linesiders tuppence) in here then as its a a free for all. Was it a prudent choice to take a diesel on this tour? With the unknowns on this engine of course it was, we have loads of tours left for the operators to decide its ok to let it out on its own. I have seen sufficient videos of this tour to say that, at times, even while it was getting some carefully considered assistance, Mayflower was putting on a damn fine who, looking and sounding the part. Its also fair to say that, at times, it looks like the footplate crew were on an extended tea break and had left the furnace damped down. The contrasts are quite pronounced, and I assume must have had some reason (water, coal, etc etc) that may well get ironed out as more is learned about this loco.

Had I paid to be on this tour, I would have been relatively happy, there was sufficient noisy moments and it was after all one of those "I was there" moments, being new mileage for a loco new to the steam pool. Have to say those moaning have failed to heed my many warnings on here that too much was being expected by pax and operators at this stage, the operators clearly now having the same thoughts.

It was an exciting newsworthy event, as witnessed by the press coverage and the hoards that gathered at the line side to see it.

So how about a first week report for Mayflower? A promising start, clearly more to come.

And as for the Cardiff run, the line is in crowded engineering turmoil at the london / home counties end, its a major route that can afford little incidents, its a long way, the destination is important to the pax so given that the operators would be mad bad and dangerous to let it out on its own this time out. If you expect anything else you really need to get an overdose of reality. Hopefully the crew can stretch her a bit more knowing they have backup.

 

I defy you to show me, or anyone else, where it is a legal requirement that you have to pay for something before you are allowed to comment about it? It's a free country, anyone is allowed an opinion on various subjects they don't agree with.
If people want to waste their hard earned on something they pay for & don't get, then that's their own choice. I'm not that gullible.

 

Mine shots and video from Rowlands Castle.




https://www.flickr.com/photos/121360005@N05/sets/72157650839316232/

 

Tell you what old chap, try writing to SD along the lines of "as somebody who doesn't pay to go on your tours, I was disgusted to see a diesel on the rear of the train and it completely ruined the line side experience for me" and see where you get. Of course you're entitled to an opinion but it doesn't mean others have to agree with it.

 

Well to be fair I'm not the one asking silly questions about whether putting a diesel on the back makes a failure more likely, which has no factual evidence to support it and doesn't actually make any sense logically, operationally or factually. But hey ho.

And there are a great many within NR and the TOCs who would love nothing better than for us to throw in the towel and do nothing. Fact is I would rather see a diesel on the back and steam on the mainline than no diesels on the back because steam has been forced off the mainline. But then that's just my opinion.

Or do you actually think everyone would have been absolutely fine and happy had Mayflower decided to sit down and block everything coming from Twickenham to London on Saturday afternoon?

 

Then go to a preserved railway.

 

I still cannot believe that there are people seriously suggesting that WCRC are putting diesels on the back of trains for non-operational reasons?

 

I think the final timings, especially from Eastleigh to Woking were judged to be just too tight for a Class 5 on 10.

Don

 

Wrong! I have been on their tours in the past, only when the risk or "interference" was far less than it is now. Today it is pot luck as to what turns up on the day & more importantly what the "assistance" actually does on said day. You have got the wrong end of the stick as well, nothing to do with lineside experience. It's about people not getting what they pay for. Don't forget you pay quite a premium to travel on a steam tour, if you want a diesel trip then use a service train at half the price. Even if it is only a unit & not a diesel loco. There again there are lot diesel loco trips out there again cheaper than steam trips.
Insurance against failure or shunt/release movements are misleading descriptions, I wouldn't call heavily shoving around 50-75% of the day at least "failure insurance" or "shunt release" reasons. Seemingly at flat/inappropriate locations if the various posted videos are anything to go by.
For someone who is involved in a steam loco you have a funny opinion on the subject. Let me ask you a question. If 34081 was a main line runner, how would you feel every time it was on the main line it was being shoved around all day & just there for show?

 

Spamcan81 said: ↑
I don't give a chuff what linesiders think about diesels on the back and hiding then "cleverly," it's those of us paying to be shoved around by them all day when what we want is proper steam haulage who have a reason to gripe.

I pay quite a considerable amount of money to enjoy again experiences from my youth. It's just nostalgia. I like rattling down a mainline at 75mph (faster is better) pulled by a steam locomotive. Chuffing up and down a few miles of preserved branch line is not the same at all.

 

I assume in light of all the hand wringing on here someone has raised the issue with the tour promoter?

 

Will someone from WCRC answer a simple question. Did they or did they not pass Mayflower for mainline running at up to a maximum of 75mph? Says so in the cab and I guess SD accepted that when they booked the engine for the series of trains. I'm not aware there is such a thing as a mainline ticket subject to diesel assistance. I'm still waiting for a reply from SD.

 

The updated entry for 61306 on the UKSteam site shows it passed for 75mph. I also checked the performance stats. for the B1 class and was surprised to find the tractive effort at virtually 27,000lb - only very slightly less than a rebuilt Bulleid light pacific (class 7). The class seems to have almost a class 5 and a half/6 performance rating in some respects. Wikipedia (not necessarily the source of all truth, I know) also notes that the class has "excellent hill-climbing capabilities" - ideal for the Portsmouth route!

 

having a laugh aint you ?