DB Cargo - Withdrawing from future Railtour Operations

[Iskra]

UK Railtours latest email mailing list update contained the following statement:

We've been asked several times about our plans for 2024, and we'd hoped to have our Q1 and Q2 trains live by now, so we thought we'd include an update in this week's newsletter.

You may have seen in the railway press in the past couple of weeks that DB Cargo, one of our operating partners, has announced a large number of redundancies across their driver pool. Unfortunately this has also led to DB Cargo declining any new charter work, and so we've had to go back to the drawing board with a lot of our plans.

This could have a large effect on railtour operations in the UK, presumably ones to freight installations especially. With DRS and apparently ROG not interested in railtours either anymore, it does look like the options are dwindling for future railtours and this decision could have quite a big impact.

 

[renegademaster]

So what ones are left?

GBRf
LSL
West Coast
don't think freightliner has a passenger licence though I did see a charter pulled by one once but presumably with someone else's drivers.

 

[43096]

So what ones are left?

GBRf
LSL
West Coast
don't think freightliner has a passenger licence though I did see a charter pulled by one once but presumably with someone else's drivers.

RailAdventure.

 

[bleeder4]

They're not withdrawing entirely, just confining themselves to the regular repeat contracts like the Belmond, rather than the one-off ad-hoc ones. Any already-agreed ad-hoc tours for 2024 will be honoured.

DB Cargo confirms position in charter train market

DB Cargo UK has confirmed to RailAdvent its current position in the charter train operation market after various rumours started circulating.

www.railadvent.co.uk

 

[ainsworth74]

Blows quite a large hole in the railtour market I'd suggest. Feels like DB were quite key to a number of different promoters plans even if they're still keeping going with their repeat contractors.

don't think freightliner has a passenger licence though I did see a charter pulled by one once but presumably with someone else's drivers.

Yes I believe they're willing to provide their locomotives but don't actually operate any charters themselves. The charters I've done featuring Freightliner locomotives have very much been DB Cargo operated but with Freightliner traction at the appropriate moment.

 

[warwickshire]

Could it possibly be in the end, Lsl and Wcrc do the majority of tours, with Gbrf doing the more adhoc, tours? If Db pull away fully, in years to Come.?
However haven't seen much from rail adventure, or any future planned tours with its class 50 or mk3 set either. At Gasgoine Wood. However means more for Wcrc due to Db situation so obviously the door mods it needs ie to Wcrs stock, will be more than worth it to them.

 

[43096]

However haven't seen much from rail adventure, or any future planned tours with its class 50 or mk3 set either. At Gasgoine Wood.

Neither the stock nor the Class 50 is RailAdventure owned. They have been the train operator for tours using that stock.

RailAdventure were also the train operator for 125 Group’s first mainline tour during October.

 

[Townsend Hook]

So what ones are left?

GBRf
LSL
West Coast
don't think freightliner has a passenger licence though I did see a charter pulled by one once but presumably with someone else's drivers.

Vintage Trains

 

[12LDA28C]

So what ones are left?

GBRf
LSL
West Coast
don't think freightliner has a passenger licence though I did see a charter pulled by one once but presumably with someone else's drivers.

I can't see LSL wanting to take on any third-party work, they're busy enough with their own various charter brands already. I predict more work coming West Coast's way.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

GWR (trading as First Greater Weatern) also has a charter license / track access agreement. The only TOC to do so currently.

https://www.orr.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-07/first-greater-western-limited-charter-consolidated-agreement.pdf

 

[renegademaster]

GWR (trading as First Greater Weatern) also has a charter license / track access agreement. The only TOC to do so currently.

https://www.orr.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-07/first-greater-western-limited-charter-consolidated-agreement.pdf

Isn't this so they can run their occasional services to MineheadTaunton via west Somerset railway ?

 

[Townsend Hook]

Isn't this so they can run their occasional services to Minehead via west Somerset railway ?

They’ve had it since privatisation, GWT as was ran charters with their HSTs all round the country, in conjunction with Hertfordshire Railtours.

 

[alastair]

Isn't this so they can run their occasional services to Minehead via west Somerset railway ?

Don't think they have ever run to Minehead, but they have sometimes run shuttles to Bishops Lydeard from Taunton.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

CrossCountry recently ran their HST Farewell railtour to Swanage. Under who’s charter license was it operated out of interest?

 

[Intercity110]

CrossCountry recently ran their HST Farewell railtour to Swanage. Under who’s charter license was it operated out of interest?

I can remeber RailAdventure being mentioned somewhere on this forum.

 

[43096]

CrossCountry recently ran their HST Farewell railtour to Swanage. Under who’s charter license was it operated out of interest?

I believe it was under XC’s own passenger licence? Almost the entire route was covered by XC’s existing operation.