Railway Touring Company's 2017 Programme

The 25th Feb one has reasonable start times, especially for joining at Manchester (assuming that actual times aren't too different). One can get from many places to Piccadilly for 09:40, avoiding a night away.

 

Half of the one-offs are now up. There are about five I've got my eye on: the Buxton Spa on 4 February; The Royal Scot with steam one-way out of Glasgow (interesting route- is there now a path through Kilmarnock?); possibly the Coast to Coast, as it will (hopefully) take in Warrington Central, albeit, I suspect, with a diesel on the back as its steam one-way, which would mean shovage up Disley and Grindleford with a 6MT on the front unless there's only 9 carriages or so; the Bognor Belle in October and will have to see what is on offer with the Devon Belle.

Something is planned for 8 July as a commemoration of the end of Southern steam, and the Whitby Flyer sees a re-run of the Esk Valley of 2014, so a path may have been found in Northern's schedule. Prices seem to have improved a bit, too, so we are really just looking at a 'Scotsman Premium'.

 

I can't see this one on the website. Can you provide a link? Maybe it's me being daft!

I see that so far, there is no mention of 35018 British India Line. Of course, there are more tours to be announced and SD has advertised this loco for its "End of Southern Steam" event, so no surprise 34046 is doing the honours for RTC on 8th July, but surely 35018, if available, would have been a far more appropriate loco than 61306 for the 8th June Swanage train and would certainly put a few more bottoms on seats. Still, that's several months away. A lot can (and almost certainly will) change loco-wise between now and then.

Good to see 45212 booked to make its début. Another Black Five is always welcome

Just a bit sad that for those of us south of London, so far nothing that looks like it's going to run with no you-know-what on the back will be running anywhere close to home.

 

Go to the booking page, and look at the tours on the drop down menu of the select tours. The tour page will probably appear in the next day or two.

 

As Paul42 said. I assume the problem is that the options for no diesel in Kent/Sussex is restricted as there's only two variations for a circular trip, taking in Canterbury East or West. The rest involve at least one reversal, and as we know it's easier to bolt the diesel on the back.

 

Those Buxton trips are very tempting. the first trip sounds like the more interesting route, but the second trip with a later start is more accessible from Sheffield. decisions decisions!

 

There's also London-Magate-Dover-London or (subject to weight restriction at Ore) London-Ashford-Hastings-London . If the Bognor Belle (which is now up on the website) just ran to Littlehampton and cut out Bognor, you could turn the engine on the triangle between Arundel Junction, Ford and Littlehampton. Likewise, Chichester would be a possibility with the ECS continuing to Fratton and the loco turning on the Cosham-Farlington Jc-Hilsea triangle. The route taken by the Pullman "Murder Mystery" trains (London-Winchester-Botley-Hove-Preston Park-London is another circular which would be quite interesting with steam too.

However, going back to Kent, not a single steam train is currently advertised to run to Canterbury in 2017 with any operator as yet.

I'd be very interested in a re-run of that one even if it didn't venture south of the NR station at East Grinstead.

 

I seem to recall that it was established a little while back that locomotives can't be released at Littlehampton, and it would be a case of how far to propel the train and store the stock before the triangle is used. The Devon Belle looks a very good day trip- the routing has been done before, but not often enough. Plenty of hills to dig into- Semley, Honiton, Whiteball and Savernake. With a Bulleid of some description currently slated to do the honours, I'm seriously tempted.

 

Black Friday deal on until Monday £10 off day trips, quote BFU. £25 off holidays, quote BFW. Now's the time to book, then you'll only be £15 out of pocket when the late booking offer of £25 off gets announced.

 

You could well be right. I remember 828 visiting Littlehampton with a train from Salisbury in 1994 or 1995, but a lot has changed since then. There may still have been sempahore signals in those days.

Still, one other interesting thought:- DBS ran to either Swanage or Weymouth tender first from the loop near (I think) Millbrook in 2012. It seemed quite amazing that they could get away with this, given how busy the Bournemouth Line is. If you can run tender first on this line, why not Eastbourne-Hastings, where there are fewer trains and a lower maximum line speed. I'm pretty sure you can run round at Eastbourne. The station was re-signalled and the trackwork altered some years back, but Platform 1 retained a loco release as there was a summer Saturday through train hauled by a class 47 which used it. Hastings has three through platforms, so no run-round issues here as long as you allow time for a quiet period. This would open up another good circuit: Victoria-Eastbourne-Hastings-Tonbridge-Victoria. (RTC is taking this route on December 6th, but with a diesel working the coastal section.)

And you could do this route on May 27th too behind Clan line - UKRT has just announced this one:- http://www.ukrailtours.com/product/the-atlantic-coast-express/

 

Hmm. A choice to make... The difference is the price, though the benefit is a good path and potential for fast running.

 

I'm really keen to do the the Whitby Flyer as the track from Middlesbrough to Battersby is required as is one of the locos. However having tried twice now with both trips not doing what was advertised the expense sheet is running rather red with the travelling from the south and hotels etc. I would normally wait and see but this trip if it is to be believed will possibly sell out. Has anyone got any clue as to whether this is for real or will it be likely changed at the last minute with the inferred, well it was never going to happen anyway. I've got no objection to a cancellation if it found it can't be done, it's when it does something quite different that isn't wished for that is a pain.

 

It's almost like betting on the futures markets- putting money into fresh air in the hope that it creates something useful. I imagine this is one of the trade-offs for having to advertise trips months in advance of the off, because until NR get their hands on it, all WCRC can do is say to RTC that its possible based upon precedent, or an observed change in the timetable. All I can say is that I was lucky to get on the 2014 attempt and the climb out from Middlesborough was excellent with plenty of noise from both ends of the train.

 

Thanks for coming back to me. We were doing steam down under when that 2014 trip ran so I guess I'm just being a bit greedy wanting to catch up now. Your comment on the futures market made us chuckle. Thanks again.

 

The brochure received Thursday states 45690 for the 3 Winter Cumbrian Coast Express trips, instead of 46115.

 

Good to see 5690 get a run of outings but will it affect the probability of needing an "assisting loco"?

 

45212 now joining 45407 on the Tin Bath.

 

The Buxton Spa on 25 Feb appears to have been re-timed now 06.30 (was 08.30) off Preston via Man Vic (was Pic) for 11.00 arrival in Buxton (was 11.40). Alerted by half page advert in local (Blackburn) newspaper and confirmed on RTC website. Mrs W is booked on this - I am waiting until she is in a mellow mood before breaking the news.

 

Also 46233's 25th March run from Glasgow is now going from Perth. The Duchess is booked to come off the train at Carnforth.