Railtour 2012 wishlist

[theblackwatch]

My wish is that tours run as advertised and they don't keep getting redated/cancelled. I'm sure most if not all the tour promoters share my wish!

 

[Whistler40145]

Why is it that when a railtour is planned & details passed to Network Rail that at that point they can say yes or no to routing & pathing, reducing the chance of cancellation?

I know the situation has got a lot better in recent years, but more improvements would see less cancellations.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Why is it that when a railtour is planned & details passed to Network Rail that at that point they can say yes or no to routing & pathing, reducing the chance of cancellation?

I know the situation has got a lot better in recent years, but more improvements would see less cancellations.

Got better? You need to wait until the Wednesday before a weekend tour to get confirmed timings!

NR have a massive planning / routeing backlog, and I doubt many trainplanners could look instantly at a proposed route and timings and say 'Yeah that's fine'!

 

[Whistler40145]

What I was really getting at is that Network Rail surely know months in advance of a Railtour running any planned Engineering Works which would cause problems?

 

[Phil6219]

I think the main issue this year was that there were last minute issues arising from the equipment provider (sudden shortages in coaching stock) rather than Network Rail dropping one on the charterer, that being said things can and do go wrong - it's part the day to day running of the railways

I must admit that I do get very antsy though when we hit the two weeks to departure window, another of which is fast approaching...

Phil

 

[mappman1000]

A routes and branches 4 would be good, enjoyed my day on the routes and branches 3, although the original itinery was way too ambitious. East Putney!!?

 

[mappman1000]

I'm afraid it holds a special fascination for me. For years I've seen it curving away enticingly when passing through Appledore Junction. I've also always wanted to see a train go by when travelling along the A259, but sadly those crossing lights have never so far started flashing.

Traction would have to be a Thumper though.

I did the Ness Monster in summer 2010, and it was a brilliant day. Linford Street Viaduct, Sheerness, Dungeness, part of Dudding Hill, Kew East.

I'd like to see a tour down the Sizewell branch again!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

A routes and branches 4 would be good, enjoyed my day on the routes and branches 3, although the original itinery was way too ambitious. East Putney!!?

Could easily be done late at night, the only thing that stopped them was engineering works!

 

[Whistler40145]

A 20 tour around Kent would be nice.

 

[QJ]

Liskeard connection.

Go on NR you know you want to allow it. I'd happily settle for the Looe branch stock transfer for a charitable donation. The UK's shortest distance charter train to be named the "Short and Sweet".

Stourbridge Jn plat 3 to the Goods loop or vice versa.

A class 139 railtour!!!!! "The Short and Sweet II"

NR to and from Manchester Liverpool Road. "Another Short and Sweet"

And yes I am aware that the routes have been done in the past by various means (legitimate or otherwise) - just not by me.

If I ever got the funds 40xxx would be whistling its (their) way to and from Kings Lynn, Southport, Barrow in Furness, the LSWR West of England mainline and Skegness.

Even more funds (lottery top prize - hint) and I would be sponsoring rats and mcrats and a Hymek, Warship or two to mainline standard for various jaunts around the UK.

I shall wake up in a minute. It's almosty time to finish work :grin:

 

[scotsman]

Got better? You need to wait until the Wednesday before a weekend tour to get confirmed timings!

NR have a massive planning / routeing backlog, and I doubt many trainplanners could look instantly at a proposed route and timings and say 'Yeah that's fine'!

Not true, I have got full WTTs considerably before then

 

[yorksrob]

I did the Ness Monster in summer 2010, and it was a brilliant day. Linford Street Viaduct, Sheerness, Dungeness, part of Dudding Hill, Kew East.

I'd like to see a tour down the Sizewell branch again!

Been a few years since I've done the Sheerness branch as well !

 

[robertbishop]

A routes and branches 4 would be good, enjoyed my day on the routes and branches 3, although the original itinery was way too ambitious. East Putney!!?

Would be hard pressed to find a place around London that an RnB/Buffer Puffer hasn't been though...

 

[Whistler40145]

What motive power for a RnB 4?

Top n Tail 20s would be different, not DRS/GBrF locos. 20096/20142 in BR Blue.

Or

GBrF 73s working on Diesel would be quite good fun!

A bizarre route would have to be drawn up.

 

[theblackwatch]

GBrF 73s working on Diesel would be quite good fun!

A bizarre route would have to be drawn up.

Surely tomorrow's tour with UK Railtours pretty much fits this bill, it will have to be diesel for part of the tour. Having done several tours with 73s staggering around on diesel for part of the trip (remember, they have the power equivalent to less than two 08s), the thought of a tour with them doing it for a full tour makes a day at home seem very appealing.

 

[Whistler40145]

It's a shame that at present a 33/1 isn't mainline registered. I can picture a 33/1+73/1 combination with the 73 working on Diesel.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

What motive power for a RnB 4?

Top n Tail 20s would be different, not DRS/GBrF locos. 20096/20142 in BR Blue.

Or

GBrF 73s working on Diesel would be quite good fun!

A bizarre route would have to be drawn up.

Surely the whole selling point of R'n'B / Buffer Puffer is the rare trackwork, not unusual traction...

 

[theblackwatch]

Surely the whole selling point of R'n'B / Buffer Puffer is the rare trackwork, not unusual traction...

No, it's about a combination of the two. That's why the front coach tends to be full of the 'Tractor Massive'. Do you think they'd be so popular if the motive power was a 150?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

No, it's about a combination of the two. That's why the front coach tends to be full of the 'Tractor Massive'. Do you think they'd be so popular if the motive power was a 150?

I wouldn't go that far, but I doubt there would be a massive drop in sales if it was bog-standard 37s, 66s etc in lieu of rarer 31s.

 

[Whistler40145]

A Routes & Branches or Buffer Puffer is as I understand, the combination of unusual track/curves along with traction having the appropriate Route Availability & rarity to the route specified.

So, e.g. if the likes of 20096, 20142, 20189 & 20227 were available, then these would make a welcome change to DRS 20/3s.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

A run up from London on the Midland mainline up to Kettering, then branching to Corby, over the Harringworth Viaduct to Melton Mowbray for a pork pie lunch then onwards to Burton-on-Trent for a brewery tour. Returning along the Ashby line and back down to London on the Midland mainline.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

A run up from London on the Midland mainline up to Kettering, then branching to Corby, over the Harringworth Viaduct to Melton Mowbray for a pork pie lunch then onwards to Burton-on-Trent for a brewery tour. Returning along the Ashby line and back down to London on the Midland mainline.

That sounds quite good: open country, an awesome viaduct, and a pork pie!

But seriously though, there could well be a market for such excursions.

 

[Whistler40145]

Like the sound of the Brewery tour!

Do you have any particular choice of motive power?

 

[60163]

Desired traction:

Gresley A4 top and tailing with a Deltic.

A Western, a Peak, a 40, a 33, restored 58016, the Baby Deltic, the Co-Bo, a Super 60...


I'd also like to see the re-creation of trains gone by - a Regional Railways 37 + RR-liveried mk2s, for example.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Like the sound of the Brewery tour!

Do you have any particular choice of motive power?

Not especially - would be more concerned about the pie quality and which brewery to tour.

..and I suppose traversing track I have never been on before (hence the mention of a run over the Burton-Ashby-Leicester line)

 

[scoope]

Would like to do a Euston to Glasgow double headed class 50s
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It's a shame that at present a 33/1 isn't mainline registered. I can picture a 33/1+73/1 combination with the 73 working on Diesel.

Saw 33109 at Leeming Bar last week, looked in good condition.............maybee that will one day be registered

 

[Whistler40145]

If 25309 & 25322 are going mainline, I would like to do a tour from St Pancras or Kings Cross to Glasgow via the S&C & Beattock behind a pair of Rats throughout, but this will depend on fuel range. If not, then 33207 to Leeds & back and Rats forward.

 

[QJ]

Would like to do a Euston to Glasgow double headed class 50s

Seconded

 

[ainsworth74]

Class 37s on the Far North Line for me.

 

[philjo]

A run up from London on the Midland mainline up to Kettering, then branching to Corby, over the Harringworth Viaduct to Melton Mowbray for a pork pie lunch then onwards to Burton-on-Trent for a brewery tour. Returning along the Ashby line and back down to London on the Midland mainline.

UK Railtours did something similar with a circular tour in October 2010.
The train started at Stevenage, also picked up at potters Bar & finsbury Park.
Ran via KX incline, NLL, WCML to Bletchley, Bedford, Corby with a 2-3 hr break in Melton Mowbray. Then ran via MML, Nottingham, Newark Castle, Lincoln, Spalding, Peterborough & ECML setting down en route to terminate at Kings cross.
Good views over the Harringworth Viaduct.