S&C Pathfinder Charter - Aug 2018: Now 16/3/19 and with 60163

Sorry, but are'nt you missing the point here? Of course they have not had "loads" of cancellations because, whether by accident or design, the fact that it was going to be "show pony" only became clear after the point in their T&C's where anyone cancelling would have lost half their money. OK there is possibly a very small hard-core who will swallow that and cancel, but the vast majority can't afford to or won't lose a load of money and will just grit their teeth and travel and indeed, I wish them a good day. And remember that for those who do cancel they only get a credit note, and how many steam tours do Pathfinder do ? Very few.

I accept the point you have made many times that companies should be left to get on with what they do, and for many trips "show pony" is better than cancelling for many passengers. However, this was a one-off for a specific anniversary event which deserved to be treated differently, and it is unarguable that Pathfinder are NOT delivering anything like the extremely lyrical, almost a bit "over the top", write-up in their brochure for this trip.

I truly believe Pathfinder have behaved appallingly here , in not redating the trip.

 

I didnt hear many Northern places mentioned they all seemed to be Yorkshire and Lancashire

 

If you enjoy irony, I suppose there is plenty of it in seeing the 50th anniversary of the date when diesel finally ousted steam on the network celebrated by a charter trip which features diesel replacing steam motive power. Appropriate as the symbol may be, it just makes me revisit the sadness I felt 50 years ago. Couldn't we have done better, even if not on the correct date?

 

We will just have to wait for the 60th now and cross fingers 70013 and a couple of Black Fives will be available, like they were for the 40th and 45th re-creations. You are very right in tomorrow being ironic.

 

You could add reasonably fitting commemorations for the 20th, 25th and 30th to those but the 50th has yielded extraordinary indifference it seems. Most odd but perhaps fortuitous in the event than a more memorable spectacle got ruined by showponyitus.

 

For all the expressions of dismay, disappointment and outright frustration at the outcome of Pathfinder's efforts to make a decent fist of GE1, I do feel that after 125 posts that delve deeply into matters like weather forecasting and rail tour T's & C's, it might just be appropriate to pause and reflect on John Cameron's praiseworthy role in helping to rescue something worthwhile - for the some or maybe even the many - by making No.9 available for this outing.

I recall back in December 2013 that when No. 9 suddenly became unavailable at short notice prior to its planned working of the Lindum Fayre (Cromwell substituted), he took the time and trouble to compose and circulate amongst its passengers a letter of apology and explanation..... it struck me then as the act of a gracious man, and I would like to think that in making available his locomotive for this occasion, we are witnessing yet another outstanding expression of that same considerate mindset. And obviously following on so closely from RAF 100, that impression is just still further magnified.

Pathfinder's "Invitation to Treat" with GE1 may be flawed, but as a previous post has observed, what a real treat the sound of No.9's chime whistle is going make in the High Pennines tomorrow. The images may be a bit incongruous with a DBC diesel, but surely the soundtrack will be worth its weight in gold!!

 

4 of them were mine. I cancelled just in time to get a 50% 'refund as I foolishly paid over £500 in January in good faith for the train advertised below. What have I got to show for it? A credit note for £250 that can ONLY be used on another Pathfinder Train within the next 12 months. How many will be steam hauled? And they claim their Ts&Cs are fair to customers. Interestingly TBEL Credit Notes can be used on their or Pathfinder Trains.

Incidentally this is STILL on their web page now:

It was fifty years ago - to the very day - that a glorious chapter of Britain's history ended with the (in)famous 'Fifteen Guinea Special', bringing down the curtain on steam on the main line network. From then on soulless diesels and electrics would rule the rails, with the living, breathing giants confined to short and low speed preserved lines.

Fortunately there were those who had other ideas, and steam returned to the main line in 1971, since which time there have been few corners of this 'sceptred isle' that have not witnessed the majesty of steam.

A feature of that fateful day half a century ago was a run over the Settle & Carlisle line, a route whose popularity continues to grow year on year, and no wonder, for anyone who joins this excursion will sit back and wonder at the magnificent vistas that open up at every turn. And yes, you will be steam hauled as well. We had arranged for no. 60163 'Tornado' to haul the train, but due to ongoing maintenance, we are pleased to announce that the ex-LNER A4 Pacific no. 60009 'Union of South Africa' will be hauling this special train.

Our day begins with a diesel hauling the train from Bristol to Preston, where our steam locomotive will take command, northwards to Lancaster, past Morecambe Bay and climbing through Oxenholme to Grayrigg Summit. An easing through the Lune Gorge is followed by an assault on the famed climb to Shap, then descent through Penrith to Carlisle, where we avoid the station and make for the Settle & Carlisle line, following the verdant Eden Valley to market town Appleby for a break (13:30 to 15:55). A complimentary bus shuttle will link the station with the town.

On the restart our magnificent locomotive will hasten into speed for the climb ahead, through Kirkby Stephen and into the mountains that close in as the line runs on the flanks of Wild Boar Fell, with Mallerstang Common towering across the infant River Eden. A final fling sees our loco breast the summit at lonely Ais Gill to run then across the 'roof of England', high above Dentdale to Blea Moor Tunnel and to the magnificent Ribblehead Viaduct, looked down on by the Three Peaks of Whernside, Ingleborough and Penyghent. Down Ribblesdale we race to Settle then Hellifield, where we take the cross country line to Clitheroe and the hardest climb of the day, to Wilpshire Tunnel.

Down then to Blackburn and soon to the West Coast Main Line for what will hopefully be a fast romp through Lancashire to a crossing of the River Mersey and to the end of our steam journey today at Crewe, followed by the diesel hauled run back to Bristol to conclude our historic day.

 

The 15 Guinea Special.

The afternoon of a hot and sunny Sunday, 11th August 1968. Britannia 70013 cuts a folorn and lonely figure at Durran Hill as it leaves Carlise for what we all thought would be the last time after hauling the northbound leg of the final steam-hauled BR service into Carlisle. The return leg had departed behind two Black Fives earlier.

Only 4472 would have permission to run on BR metals, but even that was for a short limited period and it was to leave for its ill-fated trip to the USA during 1969 in any case.

How things have changed in those 50 years.

 

The reason @RalphW "misses the point" is that he only ever looks at an issue from the promoters perspective, failing to recognise that individual customers are the ones in greatest need of defence and protection. The businesses generally have insurance options and ultimately have wealthy backers so their financial risk is more secure than the customers. The promoters also have the information advantage on which to base their spending decisions so my thoughts are much more orientated towards the customers when things do not go as planned.

 

Spanish built 67.002 is hauling the S&C Golden Express railtour from Bristol.
If possible, for the 1968 period, class 40 D213 would have been more appropriate.
The load today has been reported as 12. The train departed from Brstol TM on time at 04:44 !!<BJ>

 

Do we know what loco is with UoSA

 

In the circumstances, misleading.

 

The issue isn't about "running a business" its about doing the right thing by your customers. Quite clearly there are diametrically opposed views of what constitutes good behaviour and how it is actuated.

 

Should be 66172.

 

Confirmed. AN

 

I am re-posting here much of what I have said on The Waverley thread because 'the date' is perhaps more relevant here.

Please could the usual suspects would, to coin a phrase, 'wind their necks in' - I am sure most of us want to hear reports of how these trains are doing, not the same tired old arguments as have been rehearsed (what seems like) a thousand times before! OK, some people are the 'Steam Taliban' and won't accept anything other than pure steam. We hear you - some of us don't agree, especially given the date and 50th anniversary.

I am sure most passengers understand that the dry weather means compromises are necessary and would definitely prefer that their day out runs as planned, albeit with diesel assistance.

As @IamDaniel says on the thread for The Waverley, given the date, surely this is even more important - steam didn't die when it looked as though it did - it have been reborn, different, recreated in a new form and that is what is rightly being celebrated today, in the only way that, in the circumstances, is possible.

I, for one (and I would never have considered travelling on any of these trains regardless of diesel assistance for a variety of reasons), am grateful that steam is still able to run on the national network and the preserved lines and that the date and this fact - steams 'final victory' - that it need never truly 'die' - is being celebrated!

As for 'oh, you should cancel marking the date of the 'last BR steam special' on the actual anniversary, do I need to add anything to that comment - the date is the point here! What would a commemoration be if it doesn't run until November - 50 years, and a few months and maybe the odd day after. It is the 50th Anniversary. None of the events to commemorate key dates in WWI or WWII have been adjusted to more convenient dates - world leaders have generally made themselves available or had to accept they would send a representative because it is the date that matters. Especially with no 1T57 locos available, marking the date with a festival of steam locos on the S & C seems highly appropriate and that is what has happened - I don't really think you could ask for anything more, and in the circumstances of the weather, what has been done is an even greater achievement.

Steven

 

Well there was a bit of smoke and a whistle from No.9 on KS Webcam. Sad.