'Weymouth Seaside Express', 2014

OK..you explain to me exactly why you, as buseng, have a right to know the ins an outs of tour operations. If you had been on the train, as RalphW suggested above, and were concerned about any issues you could have gone up to the front and asked.

If, on the other hand, you are a bored, lonely individual with nothing better to do than dig here and there for snippets which you can then use to satisfy your innate need to moan and whinge, then, as I say, I really don't see the need to share information with people of that ilk.

 

OK then, like many others all the uncertainty, lack of info-call it what you like will prevent people booking on future trips, as many have already stated.
Public relations in the railway trade leave a lot to be desired, members of the public would not put up with such attitudes elsewhere.

 

Buseng,
Does it really matter to you.? The diesel on the back obviously gave a push from the back for whatever reason (needed to make up time, get upto line speed asap due to another train right behind, kettle bit shy of wind cause of clinkered fire.....just a few possible examples of the reason why) and if someone on the train wanted to know he/she could have just asked. You werent even on the train so why are you getting you knickers in a twist.

 

As I have asked many many times, is being a paying passenger a strict condition to be allowed to post or give opinions on here?
Can a mod direct me to said rule please?

 

Not all Buseng.......but does it really matter, in the big picture of things, that the diesel gave a shove.
The diesel gave a shove ......so what!
The main thing is the tour ran, kettle on the front........punters had a good day out and i presume they alighted fro the train happy bunnies.....Thats what is important...

 

It matters to some people. If RTC can fill its trains with people who don't give a stuff about box assisted steam tours then fair play to them but if they're struggling for bookings - and I don't know if they are on the WSE - then a clear statement about when diesels will and won't be diagramed may just persuade the "steam only" brigade to part with their cash.

 

Not at all, but, unfortunately, quantity does not always equate with quality.

You do appear to be the king of the sweeping statement.

 

Spamcan81,
Totally agree with you but in this instance there was a diesel on the back and at some point it gave a shove.
A decision was taken to "stick it on the back" (probably for insurance after the incident a week or 2 ago) and we as steam fans have to accept that sometimes this sort of decision is made at short notice. For whatever reason we can never have 100% guarentee that all steam railtours will be steam. Welcome to the railways in the 21st centuary

 

I think we have to look at the bigger picture here....there is apparently a blanket ban on steam around York for whatever reason, there was an incident with 34067 a week or two ago. Of course, there are incidents with other forms of traction, however usually these are within NR's 'bread and butter' revenue stream so possibly are accepted less reluctantly than incidents with steam traction, which must be a miniscule source of revenue for NR.

Railway travel seems to be gaining in popularity with increased attention on pathing and timings. I would suggest that steam operating tocs need to do everything in their power not to give ammunition to those in authority who see steam powered excursions as an irritant to be endured rather than welcomed.

If this means that we have to have diesels running round on the back to ensure that we don't suffer events which cause attention to be focussed on our operations, then it must be the way we have to go. Of course, when things go well we can all say 'there you are, we don't need them'. However when things do go wrong, and there is no immediate means of rescue, huge delays are caused etc., etc., well, it can easily be imagined that too many events like this could be the beginning of the end for what we do.

 

When I asked the above question I wasnt trying to be funny, it wasnt meant to be taken as having a go Chessie..just an enthusiast asking a question.. I have said in the past that if Im on a steam tour then I want the steam to be doing the work and not pushed. I also have said that having a diesel...not box please gentlemen..on the back is sometimes necessary for shunting/release purposes..

I just wanted to know what the agreement is between the crews of the locos..

 

This armchair enthusiast spends a lot of time reading the forum posts in order to plan which trips to book so as to best avoid a DL on the back. The retiming of the WSE on Sunday meant a DL was inevitable. That way I don't spend my time moaning about it on the forum afterwards. I may go on the DCE next Wednesday perhaps just from Bournemouth but if I do it will be because its going to be hauled by Tangmere and it will be in the full knowledge that there will be a DL on the back. It shouldn't need to push but if it does you won't find me grumbling about it because I knew the risks. If I want pure steam then I will just wait until the Duchy or Torbex has an engine I fancy or book with Vintage or maybe with an RTC/WCR trip once the dust had settled on the current troubled scene..

We cannot expect to turn the clock back to the real days of steam or even to 10 years ago as we have to live with all the constraints that exist now, like it or not

Don

 

Oh and I should have said that I had quite a few miles on the footplate in the real days of steam including some very rough trips with engines struggling for steam and if course not a DL in sight to assist, not that the Nine Elms men of those days would even give it a thought.

Don

 

Sorry this replying comment is so late but I have been abroad. Had someone had the foresight NOT to allow retro-incompatible buffing gear etc., on modern rolling stock the tour could have had a diesel shove on the back!

 

From one who does elect NOT to ride on Voyagers, admittedly because of lack of leg room not failures, - YES we do vote not to ride.

 

Sorry to go OT, but I had a similar experience on a Virgin trains Voyager some years ago; falsely imprisoned near Bodmin Parkway for about 4 hours and again later for a further hour, because of mechanical failure. Other trains went past us in both directions; it is a disgrace that TOCs get away with abandoning their paying customers. That has never happened to me on a steam train.

John