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"Jacobite" Fort William to Mallaig - No Heating??

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kermit

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Just been looking into the possibility of going on WCRC's Jacobite next year, but on reading Trip Advisor reviews, there seem to be regular comments of "No Heating". Assuming the Mk1 coaches used are steam heated, can that be right?
 
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alexl92

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I would guess that given the service runs predominantly through the summer, heating isn’t generally used?
 

kermit

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Given that it runs from early April to late October, in Scotland, I think there will be many days when passengers would legitimately expect a working heating system. I have experienced many a toasty Mk1 heated by steam (from BR diesel days),so I know it can be done. Does anyone have direct experience of this tour in April or October?
 

Journeyman

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Just been looking into the possibility of going on WCRC's Jacobite next year, but on reading Trip Advisor reviews, there seem to be regular comments of "No Heating". Assuming the Mk1 coaches used are steam heated, can that be right?

I wouldn't place much trust in TripAdvisor reviews. Some of the comments relating to The Jacobite are just plain odd, and it seems like people are expecting far more than the promoters actually promise. They seem to think they'll get some sort of super-luxurious Pullman.
 

Journeyman

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In my experience, steam heating is useless.

Depends where you're sitting. Generally it works far better at the front of the train than it does at the back, but the design of it is fundamentally very inefficient.
 

UP13

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Depends where you're sitting. Generally it works far better at the front of the train than it does at the back, but the design of it is fundamentally very inefficient.

if sat close to the engine. if not......................................

I'm glad I'm not alone in my feelings towards steam heating. It's romantic and all that but very inefficient.

I've been on a railtour in October where I froze under Union of South Africa's steam heating and melted under the electric heating of Les Ross when they switched locomotives.
 

hexagon789

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Given that it runs from early April to late October, in Scotland, I think there will be many days when passengers would legitimately expect a working heating system.

That's roughly the time period they used to suspend heating for in steam days on the Scottish Region so it's nothing new in that sense.
 

goldenarrow

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I've travelled on the Jacobite a few times at the height of summer and at the end of the season. I can't say I ever felt cold but some do choose to keep their coats on whilst inside the train which as others may have highlighted might be down to the inefficiencies/poor maintenance of steam heating.
 

JLH

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An alternative that I did last year is to use the ScotRail service but time it so that you will see the steam train at Mallaig. Your ScotRail train is likely to be less busy and you can book a window seat. My priority was the views which didn't disappoint. The ScotRail option is a lot cheaper and was warm when I travelled in April.
 

Cowley

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There’s nothing like storming the banks on that line behind a Black 5 though (although a 37 comes close).
What a wonderful sound...
 

theironroad

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An alternative that I did last year is to use the ScotRail service but time it so that you will see the steam train at Mallaig. Your ScotRail train is likely to be less busy and you can book a window seat. My priority was the views which didn't disappoint. The ScotRail option is a lot cheaper and was warm when I travelled in April.

Haha, don't bank on it.

I've traveled Glasgow to fort William and vv in winter on regular ScotRail services and there's been very limited heating.......to say the least
 

Coolzac

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Are there no Christmas services this year either? I know there weren't any last year due to track renewal.
 

Stewart2887

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I did the Jacobite at the end of September. Wasn't very cold weather, but was right at extreme end of the train. No difference in heat in either direction... Well worth it though, and found a great pub for lunch before most of the other travellers arrived. I was surprised how many one-way travellers there were
 

kermit

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I did the Jacobite at the end of September. Wasn't very cold weather, but was right at extreme end of the train. No difference in heat in either direction... Well worth it though, and found a great pub for lunch before most of the other travellers arrived. I was surprised how many one-way travellers there were

Thanks - but when you say no difference in heat, do you mean some, or none?
 

paul1609

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I went down to Arasaig in July on Scotrail, the Mallaig guard I was talking to (he was doing bi lingual announcements in Gaelic) was adamant that the Jacobite was a massive boost to the service trains including numerous coach parties now regularly booked.
 
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