They will not get a further examption without a binding commitment to fit CDL in an agreed timeframe. If the ORR did anything else they'd be facing legal claims from those operators that have complied.
Nope. They’ve done well out of hiring them to a lot of Pres Railways (Embsay, South Devon, Spa Valley to name a few). They are still earning money for the company, if not being used on the mainline. And I suspect this arrangement will continue until they decide to either return them to the mainline with the required changes, or keep them hired out.
www.scotsman.com
They've already fitted opening windows to a few of the mark 2 coaches.
That wasn't WCRC they were done by Rivera and then bought by them, I doubt with there record they will do any themselves
They are currently being used in the Jacobite stock at the moment.
'Harry Potter' Jacobite train operator slammed for substitute 'Primark' carriages
Former British Rail blue and grey coaches deployed amid ongoing safety
Dialogue? Really?
Is the dialogue something like:
"Pleeeease"
"No"
"Pleeeeeease"
"No"
"But I'll be good!"
"No"?
I think Wyrleybart it would be very highly unlikely that V.T. at Tyseley loco wks wouldn't hire or even do the jacobite trains for 2 reasons:
More importantly, the carriages that Vintage Trains run have vacuum brakes to match their locomotives. Without that set of coaches they can't operate.
Oh yes. Vintage Trains have their own programme and obviously would not prejudice that. The point i didn't really expand on is their precedent for operating vacuum braked Mk1and Mk2s in commercial service on Network Rail metals.
The Harry Potter films feature (mainly) compartment stock but. (no spoilers) there are a few scenes using open carriages. All are MK1. I think young people are very much aware of things such as the type of carriage. The VT BFK got a lot of attention at Birmingham New Street the other evening with many asking "is this the Harry Potter train?".
Have a butchers at West Coast's TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, Trustpilot etc, almost all of the complaints feature the use of "modern" mk2 carriages and not the mk1s (not that there is a massive time gap between the two mks being constructed!). And if they don't mention that, it's diesel substitution.
To be honest, I really don't the proprietors of WCR give a stuff about this. The ORR rescindment of the WCR's exemption for use of non CDL was withdrawn in November 2023, so WCR have been forced to use CDL fitted Mk2s for seated passengers ever since, although trains have still operated with buffet / shop / brake vehicles.
It is noticeable that a lot of RTC tours are now made up of around 9 coaches, whereas prior to 2024, they were often load 11 or 12. So, while some won't mind the 'aircons', I suspect they have lost a number of customers as a result of WCRC's policy.
They do indeed have a compartment layout (4+4). The windows, along with the internal windows to the corridor are actually screens that allow animations to be displayed. The "accessories" may well be genuine BR surplus or reproductions.
Weren't they always that way? Wasn't there a rake of Mk2s in a special livery for the train?
