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Railway Touring Company

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by neildimmer, Dec 29, 2010.

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  1. MarkinDurham

    MarkinDurham Well-Known Member

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    Now this I'm really not happy about, having booked on the strength of the return to York being hauled by 60007 as well as the southbound run. Indeed, RTC's web page for the tour was only updated on Friday, so who is right here?

    Mark
     
  2. the-gog

    the-gog Member

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    So by your rationale, nobody is allowed to discuss issues surrounding railtours unless they've bought a ticket to travel on the one under discussion? Really? Truly astonishing. Has it ever crossed your mind that the people "dishing out" free legal advice are actually trying to help the railway industry and mainline steam by pointing out obvious shortcomings?

    When, oh when will the railway industry and the railtour sector finally understand that they can't afford to take customers for granted, especially in a time of recession? They've got to get a grip to deal better with problems within their control, and yes, Network Rail are equally to blame. Witness today's sorry excuses. T-bird Frank is entirely correct with everything he's posted here. Jesus wept. Many of you are so out of touch it's not funny any more.
     
  3. railrover

    railrover Member

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    Speaking as someone who seems to travel on less tours with each year that passes I do wonder why RTC (and certain other operators) keep shooting themselves in the same foot with the same gun without thinking about the consequences.

    There can be little doubt that on (very glossy) paper RTC presents itself as an excellent provider of the particular product that most participants on this forum want. That product is so specialized that it is no wonder the number of established providers has contracted in recent years, with those seeking to replace them frequently failing before even the first hurdle. Because of it's predominant position RTC should be ideally placed to give customer satisfaction & maintain a good reputation. Instead what I see is constant and often predictable alteration, cancellation & recrimination about non or sub-standard provision of what any customer has a right to receive, what he or she has seen advertised and paid to receive.

    Last minute and en route failures of ancient (and not so ancient) machinery are an occupational hazard which even non-enthusiasts can understand, constant use of cold, ill lit stock is not. Advertising a route which is not possible (with or without particular power) is not acceptable. Advertising a particular locomotive without even asking the owning group about availability is not acceptable. The website positively oozes the same glossy impression that the printed brochure gives, but often the sheer inaccuracy of what it proposes hardly inspires the confidence of those in the know to book. For about four years it repeatedly promoted 14 day steam tours in South Africa, long after such trips were at all practical. Even today it confidently invites booking for Syria and specifies the engines to work the tour between Dera and Damascus. These may seem extreme examples but given route problems less than a year ago even the 2013 Tin Bath looks decidedly leaky.

    If this seems like an attack on RTC then it is with positive intentions. Like many others on this forum I have travelled often with RTC and have reason to be grateful for the volume of opportunities they have given in the UK and abroad, but continuing without giving thought to more accuracy and realism in the future will help neither us or itself. Ralph's PR skills may be considerable but I would rather RTC started repairing the cracks than relying on former staff to paper over them. A critical eye at their advertising would be a good place to start.

    If they provided tours to match the standard of the brochure they would be unbeatable.
     
  4. Guest

    Guest Part of the furniture Account Suspended

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    Railrover - Hear Hear!!!

    Some of us have had a lifetime in the industry, on the legal and contractual side - so John - we not only DO know what we are talking about. We made the TShirt. But, post after post, some wonks on here who have never had a single day think they know better - one day they will!

    This railway that we have now had to tolerate for eighteen years still doesn't work - and is showing few signs of improving - indeed tonight, following today's fiasco, I have had a note from a former NR scheduler indicating why, over the next year it will get far, far worse.

    Take it out of school, give it a degree and call it a manager has an awful lot to answer for!
     
  5. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    This really is turning out to be a day of reckoning ! Apologists take note, the tide is turning !
     
  6. the-gog

    the-gog Member

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    Sadly, yes. Many people don't seem to grasp that the railways are getting busier, paths are getting increasingly scarce and quicker, thus there's less latitude for when things go wrong. Punters also have less cash to spend, so are getting increasingly choosy when it comes to splashing the cash, and are less tolerant of when things do go wrong.
     
  7. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    So Ralph, the gauntlet has been laid down. What are you going to do about it eh ?
     
  8. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    Ralph ?
     
  9. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    Do you mean the "Waverley"?
     
  10. the-gog

    the-gog Member

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    Apologies - yes. I just copied the text from an email I saw.
     
  11. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    .

    Theres some with an anti RTC agenda here, let's be mindful of this before you get sucked in by the whirlwind.
    No one is berating the failure of 46115 today are they..
    One rule for one one rule for another, that's what I am saying.

    The only winners in a legal fight are lawyers, theirs one user in here who chants daily for a legal fight with RTC... He makes a passion out of it. Ask yourself.. Why hasn't he taken them on legally ?

    Losing RTC will make 1 man happy and thousands unhappy.

    I reccomend you formulate your own opinion.
     
  12. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    Please clarify. How is this a day of reckoning and in which direction is the tide turning? It's certainly another grim day for steam on the mainline and another kick in the teeth for the punters, but there have been plenty of these over the years, and plenty of hot air expended on here by those who claim to know how to do it better, but don't actually offer any concrete solutions.

    So what's changed? Is a disgruntled punter taking a tour operator or NR to court - I doubt it. Is Frank going to launch SLOA 2012 - even less likely. So no day of reckoning then, and as the tide has been running against the punter for some time (according to several on here), then I can't see that's changed either. But please prove me wrong.
     
  13. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    What is it about RTC that raises such passion ? What is it that inspires otherwise rational people, (presumably), to promote the irrational. I wish someone would explain. It's a real brain teaser IMO !
     
  14. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    It was a day of reakoning because a number of events came together to add up as one IMO, and illustrate all too clearly what many on here have felt for a while :-

    1) RTC have appeared to mislead its potential customers by advertising a product they can't deliver, I.e. the possibility of 6233 from Liverpool to Holyhead ? Whether they knew it was out of gauge for part of the route when they produced the advertising is irrelevant as they should have known by the start of this weekend and the advertising hadn't been amended. If you're going to use modern up to the minute technology, I.e. the web, then use it properly or don't use it at all. "Style over substance" springs to mind !

    2) The direction of the tide is turning against RTC I would say as a number of Users on here now appear ro be concerned about their business model and operating policies, not to mention what appears to be instances of mis-selling. I've been a member on here since December 2011 and spent the first few months observing. I can now say this is the first time I've seen so many voices of concern about RTC put forward. They somehow manage to get into most threads at some point which in itself speaks volumes wouldn't you say ?

    3) As for offering solutions, that's a bit like saying don't criticise the Govt if you can't do better yourself. We, well I at least am not in the railtour business, RTC however are, and by entering into that game they stand to either win praise or criticism and should deal with each accordingly surely ?


    I shouldn't get too complacent about the fact RTC haven't been tested in court yet if I were you. This could well be a case of "enough rope etc etc ....". Sooner or later someone will go down this road and unfortunately the outcome will probably be damaging for more than just RTC !

    I really do wonder reading some of the posts on here whether certain individuals have missed their vocation in life, ie to take over where Alastair Campbell left off ! Spin doesn't even begin to cover it. Maybe theres a job to be had working for DC ? He appears to be in need of some good PR at the moment !
     
  15. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    Those of us who have been on the forum for a while have seen all this before. It's the same old stuff about going to court, how things can't go on as they are, how the railtour industry is on the verge of collapse etc etc. Lots of hot air and self-righteous lecturing which won't make a shred of difference to what actually happens but makes a few members feel better because they are 'fighting' the good 'fight'.
     
  16. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    Complacency seems to be spreading like an infection among some on here !

    When will these people realise there's another world out there, and it's that world's rules that apply, not those of a dream world ?

    It doesn't matter how long individual members have been contributing to this forum and what views may have been posted before. Only today matters, and every day is different with new rules and new circumstances. Is that really such a hard lesson to learn ?
     
  17. nanstallon

    nanstallon Part of the furniture

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    Let's pull together in the same direction. Hasn't the steam movement got enough outside enemies without fighting each other?

    If it weren't for RTC, we wouldn't have had half the steam opportunities that we've had in recent years.
     
  18. eco082007

    eco082007 Member Account Suspended

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    I'm all for pulling together in the same direction, that's why I think we need a "unified voice" to control the current scene. It's all very well celebrating the opportunities we've enjoyed in recent years and currently, but if that comes at a cost in years to come, who's going to be smiling then ?
     
  19. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    eco082007 you completely missed my point. I'm no apologist for RTC or any other operator come to that. I'm as troubled by late changes/cancellations/crappy stock and delays as you (and others) are. But getting wound up on here, and expending vast quantities of hot air ain't going to achieve much I'm afraid. We've been here many times before, and until someone with the ability, time and will to put an umbrella organisation together fronts up, then I can't see the relationship with NR changing. As for the product on offer, then sadly that's down to the consumer. If you don't like Company A's offer, then don't book with them.
     
  20. sowerbylad

    sowerbylad Guest

    Thank you Sheff. Finally, the answer. For those of us that can, vote with your wallet, don't like it don't buy it. Simples.
    I have had two trips with rtc this year and enjoyed both, I judge by my own experiences.
     
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