Do you have more Diesel turns because you cant afford to get a Steam Locomotive out?
Nope. We have a steam and diesel turn each saturday as we realise the popularity of these turns, and we offer a different loco each week. As ever, its always 2 steam on sunday, so there are 2 in steam on Saturday anyway, so no cost expenses are changed.
D123 (Class 45)
D1705 (Class 47)
D3101 (Class 08)
D4067 (Class 10)
D5830 (Class 31)
37255
25265
D5185 (Class 25)
D6535 (Class 33)
E6003 (Class 73)
D8048 (Class 20)
D8098 (Class 20)
DMU101
DMU101
DMU127/120 Hybrid
(42)1393
Operatonal and capable of working passenger trains are:-
D123
D1705
D5830
D8048
D8098
E6003
and with
D6536
D5185
returning in 2006
( permanent way 25 and 37 not included ( as they are not rostered for passenger turns except at galas ), nor are diesel shunters and DMUs )
lets do the same for the ELR. ( again not including shunters, DMUs and Pway locos )
45135
D5054
D5600
D335
40145
47402
47575
D832
D7076
20901
with
D9531
55022
50015
20087
returning in 2006.
Therefore, we have far more operational diesels. I won't go into DMUs, and shunters, as these are not passenger turn locos.
Compared to the East Lancs Railway, the GCR theoretically has a larger Diesel Fleet to pool on, because most of ours actually work for their keep
As you so cleverly stated, you included shunters in the GCR Loco list, but not in the ELR one? For passenger trains, read mainline diesels ( Class 14-67 )
A 16 mile round trip on the GCR of which you will cover only 4.7 miles twice, with the rest being on the Up Main or Down Main.
Doesn't matter, its still exactly the same scenery. A round trip on the ELR is 24 miles, GCR is 16. Does it matter what side of the track its on? Its the same line.
How can you have more Gradients
8 miles of 1 in 100, 2 miles of 1 in 85, plus the ski jump at Bury, compared to the GCR.....discuss
Ontop of that we can run trains every 8 minutes in different directions at a time between Loughborough and Quorn, and every 10 minutes between Quorn and Rothley, every 8 minutes Loughborough to Rothley when we have Swithland Yard Signalbox operational, and every 9 minutes Loughborough to Leicester when we have double track, a second platform and a signalbox at Leicester.
Ah, but on a normal weekend, is there such a demand? We have the capacity to run 4 8 coach trains, and the stock to do it. However, on a normal weekend no line ( not even ELR or GCR ) would be able of meeting this demand. Sure you do it at galas, but again, somehow I cannot see the demand.
You'll probably only ever manage a rather timid 40 minute frequency in each direction.
Timid maybe, but very sucessful and makes us a tidy profit each year!
The main gimmick behind the GCR is the double track. I must admit I liked it at first, but now, I have grown tired of the line. Sure you have authentic stations and such, but its the loco up front that does it for me, and neither your steam or diesel fleet have changed much over the last few years. This has been corrected at a few diesel galas ( where I seem to remember you have hired many a diesel from the ELR over many past events ), however this appears to have been lost. It would be great to see a visiting loco for a year, just to get that bit of variety the ELR offers, and the GCR lacks.
One request. Can we have a proper discussion, where you are able to accept the GCRs flaws? I'm fully prepared to accept the ELRs, but the fact that you are not prepared to in your quest to 'shout from the rooftops' that 'GCR is best' without stating a valid opinion rather than "look we've got double track what more do you want" ( and beleive me I want a lot more than double track! ) means that this petty arguement will continue.
Yours,
David
David