Royal Duchy with RTC - 3rd April

With todays news about planned rail strikes over Easter, this tour is starting to look a bid dodgy isn't it ?

I don't suppose they have come across this problem for a while, but would RTC be forced to throw the towel in early on this tour or could they leave it quite late before postponement or cancellation ?

 

Could be very dodgy. But it is really just a positioning run to get 30777 + 70013 in the right place for the GB charter. Reading the reports it doesn't look good for much happening over the Easter weekend.

 

I suspect that The Royal Duchy is the least of RTC's worries about the threatened strikes - what about the 8 nights of accommodation they have booked for a trainload of passengers on GB3?

 

o heck i hope they dont strike we are due to go euro star over to france then onto germany for 175 steam over there that weekend

 

Oh well, I'm booked on this, so we'll have to wait and see. There are talks going on, and the dates have not been officially announced yet. However, I can see this being the last time there'll be a trip down to Penzance for a while, as its mainly for the benefit of GBIII.

 

With the Cotton Mills Express experiences this year RTC must wonder who they have upset up there in the clouds. I do feel for them as they do a brilliant job. Fingers crossed all will work out or that they have good insurance. Would hate to lose a company like this.

 

Update on UK Steam, 30777 is no longer double heading running with 70013 on this tour. This locomotive seems to be trying to avoid me... Anyway, I suspect either gauging or crewing issues are afoot. However, there is only a week in which to hire another locomotive, and it looks to be a sell-out, with only one standard class seat left.

 

Is it anything serious with 30777 or is the work on the axle boxes over running?

http://www.5305la.org.uk/news.aspx?ID=244

 

shame im in work for this trip as would love to go and see it been as its looking like a nice double header.......

 

well there is still the summer so see 30777. thought knowing our luck it probably wont run.

 

Looks like we are going to be seeing this again:

http://mattcarey.fotopic.net/p57376651.html

 

Or Ian's 5

 

It had crossed my mind. A bit of a shame about 30777's maintenance being a bigger job than at first expected, but from the looks of things, it was too close to call in any case, and its not worth rushing things. However, if it is going to be D1015, lets hope they put 70013 on the front this time, as putting the diesel on the front just makes it look as though 70013 has failed...

 

dont think it will be D1015

 

How about 0llie and a black five? :thumb:

Dave B

 

Not a bad guess!! 44871 + 70013 confirmed on uksteam as designated locos for the Bristol - Penzance 'Royal Duchy' and the GB3 return.
What a superb combination of locos. Now let's hope that it runs. <BJ>

 

Excellent had my fingers crossed for this combination...should be noisy and look good on a rake of maroon.

 

Very happy with that, another locomotive to tick off and maintaining the prospect of some two-cylinder action! Looking forward to it!

 

Brilliant! Should be quite loud up them hills. Now lies the question of whether i'll get hold of them free tickets for the Great Britain III from 'Steam Railway'. Can't see it happening though.

 

Heaven forbid if in the worst possible scenario the GB3 cannot visit the west country, will the Royal Duchy railtour still operate?
The two steam locomotives involved would be required to run a very long distance as light engines. <BJ>