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Railtour Normality

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Masboroughlad

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When will railtours return to normal ie. No seating restrictions, social distancing etc.?

Will it be June?
 
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JonathanH

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When will railtours return to normal ie. No seating restrictions, social distancing etc.?

Will it be June?
No one knows at this stage. One potential issue is likely to be the likely nervousness of people to cram themselves together for a whole day with people they don't know. A key part will be getting people used to being close to each other again.

I think there will have to be an assessment as to how well the number of cases of COVID-19 falls and the progress of vaccination. The railtour operators will also have to carry out their own risk assessments.

Socially distanced railtours with first class seating only and a minimum of two people booking are likely to return first in any case, perhaps from 12 April.

However, it seems unlikely that conventional railtours would return before 21 June given that is the earliest date on which the legal restrictions end.
 

Ianno87

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No one knows at this stage. One potential issue is likely to be the likely nervousness of people to cram themselves together for a whole day with people they don't know. A key part will be getting people used to being close to each other again.

I think there will have to be an assessment as to how well the number of cases of COVID-19 falls and the progress of vaccination. The railtour operators will also have to carry out their own risk assessments.

Railtours are presumably relatively ideal for "Test and Trace", i.e. you can collect the details of everybody on board and in the event of a subsequent Covid case everybody sat nearby can be notified.
 

43096

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Railtours are presumably relatively ideal for "Test and Trace", i.e. you can collect the details of everybody on board and in the event of a subsequent Covid case everybody sat nearby can be notified.
Railtour participants tend to be of the older generation so will presumably have had at least a first vaccination by then.
 

B&W

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Railtour participants tend to be of the older generation so will presumably have had at least a first vaccination by then.
For us depends on how Vaccines and Variants have gone/developed. A family friend works in Care and an Asymptomatic Agency worker brought the virus in 1 week after vaccines had been given - 3 dead. Looking at the timescales for Jabs not sure the mad dash to reopen railways in early April is right either, it may be legally permissible from a technical perspective but morally?
 

IanXC

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A family friend works in Care and an Asymptomatic Agency worker brought the virus in 1 week after vaccines had been given - 3 dead.

Depending on the specific vaccine given it seems that it takes at least 3 weeks for there to be any protection provided, so this outbreak wouldn't seem to be a particular marker of a problem, just a reminder that we need to allow for the time vaccines take to provide protection.
 

yorkie

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When will railtours return to normal ie. No seating restrictions, social distancing etc.?

Will it be June?
In theory from 21st June onwards given the current roadmap.

For us depends on how Vaccines and Variants have gone/developed. A family friend works in Care and an Asymptomatic Agency worker brought the virus in 1 week after vaccines had been given - 3 dead. Looking at the timescales for Jabs not sure the mad dash to reopen railways in early April is right either, it may be legally permissible from a technical perspective but morally?
I think you fundamentally misunderstand how immunity works but I won't debate it in this thread as it's the wrong place for it.

Edit: I have replied here.
 
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packermac

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No one knows at this stage. One potential issue is likely to be the likely nervousness of people to cram themselves together for a whole day with people they don't know. A key part will be getting people used to being close to each other again.

I think there will have to be an assessment as to how well the number of cases of COVID-19 falls and the progress of vaccination. The railtour operators will also have to carry out their own risk assessments.

Socially distanced railtours with first class seating only and a minimum of two people booking are likely to return first in any case, perhaps from 12 April.

However, it seems unlikely that conventional railtours would return before 21 June given that is the earliest date on which the legal restrictions end.
I would not be expecting full seating on any railtours this year. Social distancing and perhaps masks I would expect to be a requirement going forward.
RTC, Saphos and it various associated tour names look like starting up again in April if things go well, but at a reduced capacity as per last year.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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I would not be expecting full seating on any railtours this year. Social distancing and perhaps masks I would expect to be a requirement going forward.
RTC, Saphos and it various associated tour names look like starting up again in April if things go well, but at a reduced capacity as per last year.
Yes, that is how a few railtours did run when they were able to during last year, just remove the masks when eating and drinking.

The virus surely wouldn't be able to survive being gassed out by a certain former BLS member?
Ha Ha. (I have noticed that issue with a few people on some railtrips.)
 

43096

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I would not be expecting full seating on any railtours this year. Social distancing and perhaps masks I would expect to be a requirement going forward.
Why? If not this year, when?

Once everyone’s had a first shot of the vaccine, there is no reason why any restrictions should be in place.
 

matt

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Once we get to stage 4 (June 21st or whatever the actual date is) night clubs will reopen. I really can't see night clubs having a mask and social distancing requirement so I see no reason for it to apply to railtours.
 

packermac

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Once we get to stage 4 (June 21st or whatever the actual date is) night clubs will reopen. I really can't see night clubs having a mask and social distancing requirement so I see no reason for it to apply to railtours.
Well the Government as I understand have not said that social distancing will end on June 21 or whatever date it actually becomes.
You also need to view the demographic of railtour passengers. Sure your average diesel crank tour passenger may not worry, but as a percentage of the total railtour market these are quite low. Each week there are a number of steam tours, Belmond and Northern Belle operations that may or may not be steam but attract the same group of people. Mainly older generation with money to spare who may be less than happy to be jammed in on a full train. Remember the vaccine is only going to stop you getting seriously ill (hopefully) and thus not need hospitalisation, it does not make it go away.
Tours due to low bookings, if potential passengers feel unsure, will normally end up get cancelled.
This years Great Britain for example has been moved to next year rather than a reschedule to later this year.

New email from RTC now says trips can run after May 17 (although Saphos still show two before that date on their website which I assume will also be rescheduled.)
 
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