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Waverley 2014

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by RalphW, Jul 17, 2014.

  1. Phil B

    Phil B New Member

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    Thats good to know thanks.

    I'm really torn between still doing the day out on my sons birthday(he's 9 on the 10th!) but risking diesel......or postponing til later in the month in the hope of steam.

    I'm also taking my Dad and its probably going to be the only time for us all to have a proper family steam day out before he's too old! He would hate a diesel, so I'm probably swaying more towards postponing.....which is a real shame......
     
  2. gwr4090

    gwr4090 Part of the furniture

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    This looks likely for Sun 10th August. At present there is a path for a possible loco move from Carnforth to Carlisle on Saturday evening and from Hellifield to back to Carnforth on Sunday evening.
     
  3. sgthompson

    sgthompson Part of the furniture Friend

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    Been told the path on Saturday evening is for 48151 so it can do the return leg of the Waverley on Sunday .
     
  4. Phil B

    Phil B New Member

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    Thanks for the updates everyone.

    I think I'm going to see about swapping dates if possible, as a diesel all the way to Carlisle would be a bit of a let-down... :-/

    We have a reasonable amount of rain forecast in the next few weeks; does anyone know how close the steam ban is to being lifted?

    Thanks

    Phil
     
  5. andalfi1

    andalfi1 Well-Known Member

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    It would appear that WCRC are making every effort to work within the not inconsiderable constraints placed upon them by NR and the FBU, to give their customers at least SOME steam mileage. Well done I say...
     
  6. Phil B

    Phil B New Member

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    From the point of view of a fare paying customer that is the very least they should do.

    My gripe really is that there was no info at all when booking with RTC(10 days ago) that there was a good chance that it could be diesel hauled in part. Its all about 'steam' in all the info, which as we know is the whole reason for doing a tour.

    As someone who comes from the modelling fraternity as opposed to a 'spotter' I only discovered by pure chance via browsing on you-tube at other tours, and then more digging on forums like this that it would be diesel hauled/assisted.

    .......I could have well turned up at York on Sunday morning with birthday 9 year old in tow with the promise of all-day steam....to be greeted by 47/37.
     
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  7. andalfi1

    andalfi1 Well-Known Member

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    Read the small print, or you only have yourself to blame !
     
  8. Phil B

    Phil B New Member

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    Very unfair comment I think.........

    The small print should to cover things that crop up at the last minute like the fire strike or loco failure.

    .....NOT something like a steam ban in the York area which I have since found out was in place when I booked 10 days ago, has been in place for a while, and judging by the cancellation of other tours like the Coast to Coast and Scarborough Flyer, has a few weeks to run yet!

    If I'd been informed of this fact at booking I simply wouldn't have booked the tour! It smacks of a complete lack of transparency.
     
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  9. Desert Songster

    Desert Songster New Member

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    .
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2015
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  10. Phil B

    Phil B New Member

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    My point exactly.....if I treated my retail customers in such a way they probably wouldn't come back.
     
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  11. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    Really?
    Unfair terms and conditions are prohibited to protect the unwary. I think we have moved on from caveat emptor, haven't we? I know the product on offer is a heritage style one but that's not part of the past we want to see recreated is it?
     
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  12. andalfi1

    andalfi1 Well-Known Member

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    First of all, let me say, whilst I do sympathise with Phil B on what is obviously a very important family occasion, small print is there to protect YOU and yes, if required, I would advise any of MY customers to familiarise themselves with our Terms and Conditions (small print). Although you state that he was "told by them only a couple of days ago that it would be steam" I cannot find any of Phil's posts that refer to it ? I would also suggest that low bookings are due to the FBU strike and or the NR York area Steam ban, by people who have made themselves aware of the current situation and NOT as YOU say, the fault of RTC or WCRC for that matter.
     
  13. Desert Songster

    Desert Songster New Member

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    Last edited: Apr 4, 2015
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  14. 26D_M

    26D_M Part of the furniture

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    Any disclaimers must be as bold as the offer purported. It is totally disingenuous if the tour operator is evasive when it has reasonable belief a tour will not run as advertised. Obviously contingency for short notice events need to be made in the terms but if there is a reasonable probability of something happening the business ought to make customers aware at the earliest opportunity and certainly when asked directly.
     
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  15. andalfi1

    andalfi1 Well-Known Member

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    Phil B stated in an earlier post that RTC 'just kept on rattling about a firemans strike' so don't you think they were making an effort to inform a customer about the current situation ? and just maybe this customer wasn't really listening ? he also states that as regards the steam ban, 'they were very vague on this' so he had been informed ! it was just up to him to qualify what they were saying....
     
  16. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Unless you are booking on the Scarborough Spa Express that is both publicised by and operated by West Coast they have nothing to do with informing the public. Is it not the case that they are responsible for keeping the tour operator up to date, probably on a daily basis, over any matters that might affect the trip as notified to them by Network Rail (and the locomotive provider, if it is not one of their own engines)? It is then the responsibility of the tour operator - RTC in this case - to keep the web site and telesales staff up to date on a daily basis about any issues. So if I were to phone them up today and ask for a ticket for the Waverley on Sunday then I would expect to be told about the diesel element. Whether that actually happens is not for me to say.
     
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  17. Desert Songster

    Desert Songster New Member

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    Last edited: Apr 4, 2015
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  18. andalfi1

    andalfi1 Well-Known Member

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    Granted and on the same theme, I see that West Coast are running the TV ad campaign (Yorks area) again for the SSE with Pete Waterman and a gleaming Scot, absolutely NO mention about the current problems !!!
     
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  19. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    To be fair, you wouldn't expect that in publicity over something that should normally be ok, would you? Exactly what is "normal" is the current question. This has, after all, been a typical summer with good weather and some rain although NR do not view it that way. The fault line, if there is one, will almost certainly be at the point of booking and you can't hide behind the T&C on that one if there is knowledge that is not shared with the innocent customer at the point of engagement.
     
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  20. andalfi1

    andalfi1 Well-Known Member

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    Pleased to know we are in agreement on both points.
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2014

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