EMT final valenta special

[theblackwatch]

PM Sent.

I suggest to familarise yourself with the forum rules, in particular the first sentence of Rule 1h.

 

[Techniquest]

I was on this special (surprise, surprise). For those of you who are HST enthusiasts and weren't on it, where were you? You missed a fantastic run both ways (although the delays near East Garforth were annoying, led us to be 18 late into Leicester ), especially since we came back via that town that hardly sees HSTs, Barnsley!

43064 and 081 put in a wonderful performance and was well worth going out for.

My photos are on my PC at home, but I cannot upload stuff from library PCs so they will have to wait (as do about 2,000 photos from other trips). Got about 26 minutes of video footage (could do no more due to running out of tape), when the video is eventually put on YouTube I imagine it should show the run in good light. Plenty of thrash and clag from both power cars and my finally finishing the class for sight (now down to 16 passenger power cars to get for haulage, changing that on Saturday!) made it a trip to remember for me. Certainly going to be one of my top 10 trips for 2008.

 

[class 313]

The fact the tour didn't start from St Pancras was a big put off.

 

[P156KWJ]

I thought that too actually, usually tours are a lot more complex. They could have done it to go via Nottingham too, would attract more from the east and would be a longer run

 

[Techniquest]

There were connections available from London...:roll: Hardly difficult to get there from Nottingham either...

Some of us made the effort to travel right across the country and stay overnight in the Midlands for this trip. How hard would it have been to get to Leicester from London if you had wanted to do the trip?

And wasn't the return via Leeds and Barnsley tempting enough? Going to Scarborough on a HST is hardly a common event, so it was worth doing for that reason alone.

I just want to know one thing. If this had been a pair of 37s, 47s, 50s or 20s would it have been more appealing to some of this forum?

 

[class 313]

There were connections available from London...:roll: Hardly difficult to get there from Nottingham either...

Some of us made the effort to travel right across the country and stay overnight in the Midlands for this trip. How hard would it have been to get to Leicester from London if you had wanted to do the trip?

And wasn't the return via Leeds and Barnsley tempting enough? Going to Scarborough on a HST is hardly a common event, so it was worth doing for that reason alone.

I just want to know one thing. If this had been a pair of 37s, 47s, 50s or 20s would it have been more appealing to some of this forum?

It it was 37s or 20s then I'd probably have mad the effort, oh wait I did for 37410 last year.

Fact is EMT would of got more people doing it if it had started in London. Also in my personal opinion would of been a better farewell as Valentas served (still do) St Pancras. No need to forget the whole of the southern MML. :roll:

 

[devon_metro]

££££££££££££££££££££

 

[class 313]

££££££££££££££££££££

I don't think it would of cost them a lot more than it would from Leicester. Plus more people would of done it from London. Fact.

 

[David]

Would there have been any space available for the HST to stand at St. Pancras? And don't forget they would have had to pay the TAC from there to Leicester (and fuel, and staff costs).

Don't forget that EMT did donate all the profits from the day to charity, so any extra payments to be made would have cut into that ....

The most annoying thing about all this though is that even though EMT went to all this trouble, some people are still moaning because EMT did what they wanted on the day, and didn't cater for the demands of 1 or 2 people .....

 

[class 313]

Would there have been any space available for the HST to stand at St. Pancras? And don't forget they would have had to pay the TAC from there to Leicester (and fuel, and staff costs).

Don't forget that EMT did donate all the profits from the day to charity, so any extra payments to be made would have cut into that ....

The most annoying thing about all this though is that even though EMT went to all this trouble, some people are still moaning because EMT did what they wanted on the day, and didn't cater for the demands of 1 or 2 people .....

I'm just saying the tour would of been a lot better IMO if had started from London St Pancras, and others seem to have the same opinion.

 

[EE Type 3]

I'm just saying the tour would of been a lot better IMO if had started from London St Pancras, and others seem to have the same opinion.

Other people from London by any chance?

 

[richa2002]

Other people from London by any chance?

Unsurprisingly, yes!

 

[David]

You included?

 

[class 313]

You included?

Is Harpenden quite near London?

 

[David]

Still doesn't change the fact that 2 people who live near London are moaning that EMT didn't run the Valenta Farewell from London, and despite claiming to bash (valenta) HSTs whenever they get the chance couldn't be bothered to get to Leicester when others travelled a longer distance to get there.

 

[richa2002]

Still doesn't change the fact that 2 people who live near London are moaning that EMT didn't run the Valenta Farewell from London, and despite claiming to bash (valenta) HSTs whenever they get the chance couldn't be bothered to get to Leicester when others travelled a longer distance to get there.

Totally justified for me wanting it to be more convenient, can't see why I wouldn't have wanted it to start at London... I was planning to go on a steam tour that day so that's partly why I wasn't on it. Also, we've never claimed that we bash valentas wherever possible, that's just a figment of your imagination. I do apologise for being so out of order though for wanting something to be more convenient!

 

[class 313]

Totally justified for me wanting it to be more convenient, can't see why I wouldn't have wanted it to start at London... I was planning to go on a steam tour that day so that's partly why I wasn't on it. Also, we've never claimed that we bash valentas wherever possible, that's just a figment of your imagination. I do apologise for being so out of order though for wanting something to be more convenient!

Indeed, to further your point Richard and to further back up my earlier point which was fair enough its us two voicing it on here but I can promise you lots of others would share this opinion and there's nothing wrong with it all.

 

[theblackwatch]

Indeed, to further your point Richard and to further back up my earlier point which was fair enough its us two voicing it on here but I can promise you lots of others would share this opinion and there's nothing wrong with it all.

Similarly, lots of people in East Anglia (as an example) would no doubt have preferred it to start there! It's not like it was difficult for you to get to, and you could even do the full trip comfortably as a day out - unlike others who had to put in a lot more effort and actually did the train.

 

[class 313]

Similarly, lots of people in East Anglia (as an example) would no doubt have preferred it to start there! It's not like it was difficult for you to get to, and you could even do the full trip comfortably as a day out - unlike others who had to put in a lot more effort and actually did the train.

That's not the point! The point is that it would make the tour complete seeing as MML Valentas ran into St Pancras (not the East Anglian region, as an example).

 

[David]

So what about the extra costs that would have been incurred if it started from London?

You have the track access charges to get the set to London, then back to Leicester. You have the extra fuel used, you have the additional crewing costs, etc ....

I don't know exactly how much EMT raised for charity bu running the special, but the added costs would have taken a fair amount away from charity. Perhaps that's why EMT started from Leicester, and not catered to a few people by starting at London.

 

[class 313]

So what about the extra costs that would have been incurred if it started from London?

You have the track access charges to get the set to London, then back to Leicester. You have the extra fuel used, you have the additional crewing costs, etc ....

I don't know exactly how much EMT raised for charity bu running the special, but the added costs would have taken a fair amount away from charity. Perhaps that's why EMT started from Leicester, and not catered to a few people by starting at London.

I don't think you're seeing the point that when tours start in London there is a significant boost to people who would book on a tour. Saying that it would help just a 'few' is unjustified.

The fact is it would of completed the farewell to the Valenta as they ran down to there as much as they did all over the Midland Mainline. That is the point I am making.

 

[theblackwatch]

That's not the point! The point is that it would make the tour complete seeing as MML Valentas ran into St Pancras (not the East Anglian region, as an example).

You've already had plenty of chance to complete that section of line on a Valenta without having to do it on a 'tour'. Think of the extra crewing required too - the set would probably have had to go down Friday (one crew), and Saturday would have require extra crews too. EMT would have had to find more crews willing to work for nothing (the drivers gave their day's wages to charity), or pay drivers which would have reduced the amount raised from the running of the train (which was quite considerable).

 

[richa2002]

So what about the extra costs that would have been incurred if it started from London?

You have the track access charges to get the set to London, then back to Leicester. You have the extra fuel used, you have the additional crewing costs, etc ....

I don't know exactly how much EMT raised for charity bu running the special, but the added costs would have taken a fair amount away from charity. Perhaps that's why EMT started from Leicester, and not catered to a few people by starting at London.

If it was fully booked from Leicester then I say fair enough to be honest, there would be no real incentive to run it from London in that case. If the primary objective of the train was to raise money for charity then starting at Leicester was the right thing to do. If it was to commemorate the end of Valentas on the Midland Mainline then it would seem running it down to London would have been the right thing to do. It all depends what the priorities were.

 

[class 313]

You've already had plenty of chance to complete that section of line on a Valenta without having to do it on a 'tour'. Think of the extra crewing required too - the set would probably have had to go down Friday (one crew), and Saturday would have require extra crews too. EMT would have had to find more crews willing to work for nothing (the drivers gave their day's wages to charity), or pay drivers which would have reduced the amount raised from the running of the train (which was quite considerable).

I'm not going to keep repeating my self. Its my opinion and that's that.

 

[richa2002]

You've already had plenty of chance to complete that section of line on a Valenta without having to do it on a 'tour'.

Well in that case, surely the tour should have started from Sheffield seeing as we have all had plenty of chances to do Sheffield - Leicester.

 

[class 313]

If it was to commemorate the end of Valentas on the Midland Mainline then it would seem running it down to London would have been the right thing to do. It all depends what the priorities were.

'Valenta Farewell'

Would suggest it was for the Valentas.

 

[theblackwatch]

Well in that case, surely the tour should have started from Sheffield seeing as we have all had plenty of chances to do Sheffield - Leicester.

Absolutely, would've suited me!

 

[richa2002]

Absolutely, would've suited me!

But surely would have defeated the object of commemorating the end of Valentas on the Midland Mainline.

 

[devon_metro]

Network Fail didn't want it running from STP anyway.

 

[richa2002]

Where did you hear this?