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Vintage Trains - 2021

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by Will RL, Dec 16, 2020.

  1. gricerdon

    gricerdon Well-Known Member

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    Blimey. Pubs must open early round your way. :)[/QUOTE]


    I was asking if that was certain as 9466 is still on the website. Going to the pub sounds like a good idea
     
  2. steamvideosnet

    steamvideosnet Well-Known Member

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    It’s 5 o’clock somewhere in the world...
     
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  3. Sean Emmett

    Sean Emmett Member

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    RPS website advises the 50 TSR in the Severn Tunnel on the up was between 14m 60c and 13m 26c, so on the descent to the abyss!

    Got email from VT advising the Lickey bankers will not now feature the pannier, 7029 and 46233 unassisted on load 7.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2021
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  4. 16Ventnor

    16Ventnor New Member

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    I have a few queries/requests re the VT York 15th December
    Last week I booked a two person bubble and note on my Visa account that I have only been charged £99. Is this correct? That sounds like a single ticket yet I've relooked at the site and it seems I've filled all the right boxes. Also I have not received a confirmation email which I always get from them.

    I would normally call them but option 1 (the booking line) has been a dead line for the last two days.

    Has anyone out there any thoughts?

    Neil
     
  5. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    I just had a quick look. It seems there is something wrong with the booking system as if you select individual it comes up as £99, if you go for table for two or a compartment it also shows the price of £99. In fact the only way I could get the price to increase was to add some bacon rolls - the travel options all giving the same £99 total so something must be wrong somewhere in the booking system.
     
  6. 16Ventnor

    16Ventnor New Member

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    A tad concerning though that the phone is dead.
     
  7. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    It does make it somewhat difficult to resolve the problem…
     
  8. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Interesting you got an email Sean. We have 4 booked on each train and haven't heard a thing.
     
  9. acorb

    acorb Part of the furniture

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    I had a conversation with Vintage Trains yesterday after sending them an email. They have staff isolating awaiting results of covid tests so the office is not being staffed fully at the moment - recommended you drop them an email with your concerns as they are picking these up.
     
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  10. 16Ventnor

    16Ventnor New Member

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    Thank you for this update; I've sent an email a little earlier especially reporting the apparent fault with the booking £ amounts. As soon as I hear I'll post on NP.
     
  11. 16Ventnor

    16Ventnor New Member

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    I have heard from VT and whilst the issue of the bill for one person on ordering table for 2 hasn't been discussed, all the other issues have. My computer died about 3 weeks ago and unbeknown to me my new one obtained this week defaulted to a gmail account which I very seldom use. So when filling a booking form the wrong email address went in and the confirmations etc. all went into the wrong account. I've apologised to VT. As regards the phone not working I have been advised by an NP contributor that VT is short of staff through Covid related issues.
     
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  12. Leviathan

    Leviathan New Member

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    It is quite depressing to think that we may not have further opportunities to ride behind a double chimney Castle over Sapperton, Shap, Ais Gill, Standedge, Copy Pit, or the Devon Banks without a diesel in the consist.

    It does make me wonder exactly what advantages becoming a TOC has conferred on Vintage Trains. Its resources, both financially and in terms of physical assets are obviously quite limited in comparison to the other big players in the steam excursion market and this seems to have understandably led to VT becoming very risk averse.

    My next booking with them is on the morning Lickey No Banker and we still await confirmation of whether or not a diesel will be tagging along for the shunt move at Worcester.

    Nick M.
     
  13. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    please feel free to explain how you would run Ais Gill, Standedge, Copy Pit , and Devon Banks on a tour at no risk to any other operator on the line from the base in Birmingham ?
     
  14. LMarsh1987

    LMarsh1987 Part of the furniture Friend

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    For excursions over the S&C surely the diesel can stay at Hellifield, so then its relatively close by. For Shap, couldn't WCR be used as a Thunderbird ? With the Devon Banks couldn't a Royal Duchy model be used, I'm assuming the cost of the additional LE paths on the Duchy are included in the fare ? I would be happy to pay additional 20-30 ? extra in standard to cover the cost.
     
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  15. steam_mad

    steam_mad Member

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    I think that is the point being made - historically Vintage Trains could run over these routes unassisted as they used WCRC as TOC who had the standby locos nearby. Now it would appear that they cannot - what has been gained from the time and cost involved in becoming a TOC?
     
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  16. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    trouble is , if an issue arises then the loco has to navigate its way around other services that will be stacking up behind steam , wrong line working potentially . you are right in that collaboration between TOC's would help open doors on some tours but is there a will and the collaboration for that to happen ?
     
  17. Leviathan

    Leviathan New Member

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    Martin,
    Well of course, there can never be “no risk” to other operators, so no explanation is necessary!

    It is precisely my point that in the past, it was possible for VT to operate unassisted steam on these routes thanks to the substantial resources of its former TOC. Those days are over, and I accept (with sadness) the new reality.

    Nick M.
     
  18. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    What comes across from the "Tyseley story " book is whilst there is a tremendous gratitude for the support WCRC gave to vintage trains, however the two suspensions had a profound impact on the VT business and that indepenent operation was the outcome . The second point which will be forever in the we will never know was could WCRC continued to have supported the VT operation long into the future given the subsequent decision to focus on core operations as drivers became short .
     
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  19. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Don't rule out the possibility of 'hire outs'. But for the superheater header issue VT would have 2 double chimney Castles with mainline tickets and not enough work for them. There are always relatively few locomotives in the south. Don't know where Castles can go now without too many restrictions for clearances, but I would have thought some revenue from hiring one out would help the CBS.
     
  20. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    I suppose the ability to keep running steam as if I remember WCRC said they did not have the resources to support Vintage Trains.
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2021
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