Railway Touring Company's 2017 Programme

So coming from the south and joining at Manchester won't be possible now.

 

Also returns to Preston before Manchester, so no longer travels via Darwen. Now Manchester Victoria rather than Piccadilly, so out via Miles Platting

 

Was thinking of doing 25 March, providing it started from Glasgow- presumably gauging is an issue, as well as the intensity of the service over the single line section between Central and Kilmarnock. Whilst Perth is a nice destination for a brief afternoon wander and a climb of Beattock mustn't be grumbled at, I may decide to book something else instead.

 

Not really surprised. Still deciding whether to do it, as I need to tick off Whaley Bridge. The interesting bit of speculation is the way it reaches Manchester from Wigan; if via Hag Fold or Golborne Junction, it might swing it for me. I think the plan always was to return to Preston and diesel it back to Manchester; I wouldn't say no to another climb of Summit on the return if Copy Pit turns out to be a no-go.

 

Good luck, my other half isnt amused at having to get to Preston before 6.30 instead of 8.30.

 

As long as tours are marketed more than 12 weeks from the tour date it will always be a gamble. NR do not release paths until 12 weeks before to the TOCs. Very hard to book anything as an Advance as most services are waiting for confirmation until the 12 week marker.

 

True, yet it's also necessary for promoters to lodge a clutch of tours at the same time to ensure some degree of continuity throughout the year. Even then, a 12 week window doesn't stop cancellation if bookings are slow/there are last minute hitches.

 

Any inside knowledge on this one? I see the blurb says 76084 and 61264. Is the B1 allowed out on the main line or just to Battersby?

 

The Esk Valley trip on 22-3-2014 had 61994 and 61264. If I remember, the B1 came on at Darlington.

 

It should be fine, as they have all the gubbins for mainline running. Had it to Carlisle with 45407 in 2014.

 

Its certainly true that 61264’s appearances on the main line have been few and far between since a flurry of activity in the first quarter of 2014, with the Esk Valley and WCME outings as noted, plus the Wansbeck trip to North Blyth and Boulby, T&T with 62005, at the end of March 2014.

And that’s just about it, up to now. It had been hoped, apparently, that the B1 would pair up with the K1 for an April 2016 edition of the Wansbeck tour, (according to the December 2015 issue of the Thompson B1 Locomotive Trust Newsletter), but sadly that didn’t happen due to WCRC issues at that time, so the Whitby Flyer will be 61264’s first main line action for nigh-on three years.

But I don’t think that any of this should be taken as an indication of any restriction on main line movements. Judging by the B1 Trust’s excellent newsletter (the January edition is well worth a look at http://www.thompsonb1.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/17-01-B1-NEWS-January-2017.pdf and the AGM Report makes specific reference to the upcoming Esk Valley trip), its just that their plans seem to revolve around commitments to KWVR (March Gala) and NYMR rather than any more main line work. So it looks like Mayflower will once again become the standard bearer for this class on the main line on its return in the coming months.

 

It was 61994 and 61264 on that Esk Valley run in March 2014. Just watched a few clips.

 

The Esk Valley trip on 22-3-2014 with 61264 about to couple on at Darlington.

 

Looking at Heritage Railway, it seems March will be when 61306 will emerge again.

 

76084 page on facebook is reporting that the 4th feb trip to Buxton has been cancelled

 

Well it's all going swimmingly with RTC in 2017. Winter CME on 21st January lost the double header 5's , picked a Jub with a diesel and changed the route. Buxton Spa Express on 4th February cancelled. Timings for same on 25th seriously altered to stupid o'clock. And there are those wondering why bookings are light?

 

Putting things in perspective, from information posted on this forum, things directly attributable to RTC are the choice of motive power this weekend (I understand from an earlier post somewhere here that the Fives were stood down) and the saturation of its own market for Buxton trips prompting the cancellation of 4 February (which I agree is not cricket). NR have contributed the timings fiasco and the change of route, presumably because of the new gauging software, so pretty much all is normal.

 

In all 3 cases though the paying passengers are the ones who are shafted one way or another

Whilst us cranks/ steam enthusiasts will keep coming back for more regardless, Bert and Ada out for a nice day trip probably wont come back

Enthusiasts dont bring enough business for tours to run, it needs the general public too

If they dont get the product advertised they'll walk away

And with some enthusiasts the same old excuses been trotted out are wearing thin, meaning they are exercising more caution before booking

 

Am not really disagreeing with you, but it consistently needs to be highlighted that there's more than one organisation doing the 'shafting' so to speak, and until one organisation is able to arrange the whole package, then there's always going to be the risk that someone along the line will let someone down.

I agree that there should be quality, not quantity in trips, but as many of the businesses promoting tours are essentially travel agents without other income streams such as engineering or actually running a rail freight operation, they are left to fill the schedules to minimise 'down time'. Whilst I have been consistently sceptical about the negative effect this has on people's confidence in booking, it is the state of the trade post-BR.

That said, would we still be complaining if it was BR's special trains unit and/or SLOA? Human nature and a quick read of this forum suggests we would.

 

What's the evidence for that? I just booked on the Whitby trip -- fully booked in standard and 4 left in first. That says to me that its a mixed market but if you offer a good day out to a good destination not at silly o'clock with interesting locos then you are still in business. At least I hope so. I was a bit alarmed by Ray Mason saying what a tough year 2017 will be for steam on the main line. What does he know that we don't?