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Why Can’t ‘Specials’ Have the Correct Headboard?

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Envoy

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Last week’s Flying Scotsman trip from Holyhead to Paddington via the Marches line was advertised as ‘The Cambrian Coast Express’. OK, so it was not travelling the route of the original Cambrian Coast Express but did travel along the north Wales coast before picking up FS at Crewe. However, the headboard said 'The Cathedrals Express’ - which as we all know ran from Paddington to Oxford > Worcester & Hereford.

Invariably when these steam specials run, they carry The Cathedrals Express headboard. Surely, those operating such trips could get hold of the relevant headboard for the advertised journey? Failing that, could they not make replicas out of fibreglass and use them?
 
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Bushy

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Its advertising for Steam Dreams, who managed the booking of seats for the trip. They use Cathedrals Express as branding for many of their tours.
 

Envoy

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Its advertising for Steam Dreams, who managed the booking of seats for the trip. They use Cathedrals Express as branding for many of their tours.

That is regrettable as I am sure that many rail enthusiasts would like to see the correct headboards used - preferably on the same engines that were used in the days of steam on these historic expresses.
 

DarloRich

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Obviously not you!

Do you honestly think that most of the people who pay to go on a one off steam trip care about the headboard on the front end? The wibbly kettleistas will care, of course, but do Bob and Joan who are going for a nice day out on a steam train with a meal and a few glasses of wine thrown in care?

I doubt it.
 

Crawley Ben

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Do you honestly think that most of the people who pay to go on a one off steam trip care about the headboard on the front end? The wibbly kettleistas will care, of course, but do Bob and Joan who are going for a nice day out on a steam train with a meal and a few glasses of wine thrown in care?

I doubt it.

Have to agree with DarloRich. For those travelling on the train you won't see the headboard anyway, so can't see what the problem is in all honesty.

Thanks

Ben
 

Aldaniti

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Have to agree with DarloRich. For those travelling on the train you won't see the headboard anyway, so can't see what the problem is in all honesty.

Thanks

Ben

Almost every weekend you'll see punters standing on station platforms waiting the arrival of their charter train. Quite a few will be watching their train arrive. Locomotive names, named trains and headboards have been of interest to many rail travellers and enthusiasts for many a year and they add a little - just a little - panache and interest to those of us with a soul. ;)
 

Bungle965

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Almost every weekend you'll see punters standing on station platforms waiting the arrival of their charter train. Quite a few will be watching their train arrive. Locomotive names, named trains and headboards have been of interest to many rail travellers and enthusiasts for many a year and they add a little - just a little - panache and interest to those of us with a soul. ;)

Of course that can be very much accepted but does anyone need to work up a fuss over a headboard?
Sam
 

Aldaniti

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Of course that can be very much accepted but does anyone need to work up a fuss over a headboard?
Sam

Who is working up a fuss? The OP asked a short, simple and perfectly legitimate question about a railway topic on a railway themed forum. Honestly, if members have nothing positive to say then simply move on. :roll:
 

Deepgreen

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Who is working up a fuss? The OP asked a short, simple and perfectly legitimate question about a railway topic on a railway themed forum. Honestly, if members have nothing positive to say then simply move on. :roll:

It is extraordinary how many people profess to find a particular subject or post uninteresting or pointless, but then feel the need, and find the time, to comment on it.
 

Aldaniti

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It is extraordinary how many people profess to find a particular subject or post uninteresting or pointless, but then feel the need, and find the time, to comment on it.

Indeed Deepgreen, and I've noticed we have one or two 'regulars' as well. Unfortunately the ability to hide behind a keyboard turns quite a few - I have no doubt otherwise reasonable people - into so-called keyboard warriors. I just don't understand it.
 

DarloRich

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"The Cathedrals Express"?

To Holyhead?

Quite.

:D

The Cathedrals Express - the marketing name of the series of trains run by Steam Dreams to various destinations. :lol:

BTW - i was at a recent gala at the GWSR. Locomotives wore headboard named the Cornishman and the Red Dragon. Not very accurate but there didn't seem to be much wibbling. WHY cant preserved railways use the correct headboards?

:roll:
 

Deepgreen

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The Cathedrals Express - the marketing name of the series of trains run by Steam Dreams to various destinations. :lol:

BTW - i was at a recent gala at the GWSR. Locomotives wore headboard named the Cornishman and the Red Dragon. Not very accurate but there didn't seem to be much wibbling. WHY cant preserved railways use the correct headboards?

:roll:

Who cares??
 

co-tr-paul

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I fear they have gone the same way as decent names.I understand the wanting of the correct image but Back in the day though, how many trains actually carried them day in day out in normal service ? We have two for the Night Riviera but one has been used only once in about the last five years.
 
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Shaw S Hunter

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What on earth is a "decent name", in a railway context?

Go to Europe and you will find very many long-distance trains, both domestic and international, are named but you will not see headboards. Rather the names are "attached" to the train running number and so appear on all relevant material, such as timetables, information displays, on-board information leaflets, etc. Perhaps what we need here is a proper use of train running numbers in the public domain, and only then worry about names.
 

DMU180

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Almost every weekend you'll see punters standing on station platforms waiting the arrival of their charter train. Quite a few will be watching their train arrive. Locomotive names, named trains and headboards have been of interest to many rail travellers and enthusiasts for many a year and they add a little - just a little - panache and interest to those of us with a soul. ;)

The railway isn't run for enthusiasts its run for profit.
 

sprinterguy

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The railway isn't run for enthusiasts its run for profit.
Railtours, however, are commonly targeted at the enthusiast and nostalgia market in order to turn a profit, so putting a little additional thought into the presentation of the train, even minor considerations such as headboards, does have some relevance here.
 

DMU180

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Railtours, however, are commonly targeted at the enthusiast and nostalgia market in order to turn a profit, so putting a little additional thought into the presentation of the train, even minor considerations such as headboards, does have some relevance here.

Headboards have very little relevance, to the point as that they are unnoticed.
 

Darandio

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Headboards have very little relevance, to the point as that they are unnoticed.

They are noticed, we wouldn't have this thread otherwise. It's a question of how many notice it.

I'd be inclined to agree with the 'not many' side of the coin.
 

andythebrave

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A headboard is there to show the name of the train. Advertising another name should be done pretty much anywhere except on the headboard. Steam tours are about tradition and nostalgia and should really carry, as near as possible, authentic accoutrements.
 
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