Retro Railtours to Southend - Saturday 28 May

[yorkie]

Does anyone know which station in Southend this train will be coming into?

Southend Central (LTS / C2C route).

Also how many people from Rail Forums UK are confirmed in coming? I’m hoping I can get a ticket to come along, and hope that the air show still goes ahead it’s normally a good day if the weather is nice.

Not sure but quite a few members will be on board I hope! And it's £20 return payable in cash on-board if you are joining us at West Hampstead.

 

[theblackwatch]

Tickets were going out today when I spoke to James earlier.

 

[Neilandrewhall]

Thanks for the information Yorkie, Do you know which carriage is best to sit in to be with everyone from Rail Forums Uk Don’t want to be the one who is on my own.

 

[class313]

I am on this from West Hampstead, hope to see a few familiar faces on board.

 

[Whistler40145]

When did a pair of 31s last visit Southend on a Railtour?

 

[87015]

31s only as far as Nuneaton on the return apparently, skip miles all round presumably beyond there. Wonder what they'd have done for that if 31454 had still been on the train and it had all been sans-skip...

 

[Chester025]

31s only as far as Nuneaton on the return apparently, skip miles all round presumably beyond there. Wonder what they'd have done for that if 31454 had still been on the train and it had all been sans-skip...

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't 31/4s and the 6s have extended fuel tanks?

 

[nedchester]

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't 31/4s and the 6s have extended fuel tanks?

Assume that 31190 will run out of fuel before Leeds on the return?

How does this affect the return times?

 

[Masboroughlad]

Anyone know if the train is stabled in Leeds tonight or what time it will arrive in the morning? And where from?

 

[Chester025]

Anyone know if the train is stabled in Leeds tonight or what time it will arrive in the morning? And where from?

It's coming from Barrow Hill overnight arriving about 15 minutes before the tour is due to leave.

 

[theblackwatch]

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't 31/4s and the 6s have extended fuel tanks?

No they don't - Fragonset had a grand plan to fit 31461 with extended tanks, and if I recall correctly, it was due to be completed just after the Bedford-Bletchley loco-hauleds finished. As you can see from the picture at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jalapenokitten/5288492269/ , over ten year's later it isn't quite finished yet!
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Assume that 31190 will run out of fuel before Leeds on the return?

How does this affect the return times?

Not much difference - 22 minutes later into Stoke, 4 minutes later into Leeds.

 

[Whistler40145]

I know this might sound stupid, but why couldn't the 31s be re-fuelled by a Road Tanker down in the South East, then 31 haulage could be had back to Leeds?

 

[Drimnagh Road]

Any gen on the 67?

 

[Chester025]

No they don't

Ah, ta!

 

[theblackwatch]

I know this might sound stupid, but why couldn't the 31s be re-fuelled by a Road Tanker down in the South East, then 31 haulage could be had back to Leeds?

It sounds like it'd be a simple thing to do - if only it were in reality!

 

[matt]

The 31s seemed to going well past me near Rugby about on time.

 

[Masboroughlad]

It left Leeds a few minutes late. 2x31 on the front, silver 67 on the back. Watched it snake out of the station from my window at about 5.30am! Insomnia has its benefits sometimes

(As a matter of interest, how many mainline registered 31s are there?)

 

[class313]

31105, 31106, 31190, 31233, 31285, 31465, 31459, 31452, 31454, 31601, 31602. I think that is all of them.
105, 233, 285, 465 and 602 are in Network Rail Yellow
106 is in BR Blue
190 is in BR Green
459 and 452 are in Fragonset
601 is in DCR Green

 

[matt]

[youtube]1fQcQfUHvos[/youtube] My video of the tour plus a photo


I hope everyone had a good day. Was it anyone off the forum who waved to me at Shilton by the canal?

 

[33056]

Rather dull picture of the homeward journey can be found HERE . Was intending to go to a better location but ran out of time, of course sods law dictated that the sun should then make an appearance when the train passed

 

[nedchester]

Good day out to Southend yesterday with the 31s. Pretty slow (?!) down the WCML mainly due to following 350s on the slow line.

Over the top behaviour by hired in security gimps on arrival at Southend where there must have been 10 -15 of these idiots (plus 5 or 6 BTP) shouting at passengers to clear the platform. Some bint with a megaphone also shouting 'you are not allowed to take photographs' (at which point I got my camera out and did just that. Fortunately on the return 'security' was outside the station with c2c staff (again a lot of them!) on the platform. This time the c2c station manager bloke told everyone to stand back from the platform edge so we could get pictures. Once we got on the train he produced a camera himself and started taking pictures!!

Thought we were going to get a 50 early arrival into Stoke until some idiot starting running round the track with a knife but hey ho these things happen!

Thanks to James and his crew for a great day out. Like the idea of the handpumped ale off the trolley. Top idea!

Here's the Goyles waiting to leave Southend:

 

[Whistler40145]

nedchester, wasn't impressed with C2Cs welcome to the tour participants, almost thought we were Prisoners awaiting a Ball & Chain!

This isn't good publicity for C2C!

What a pity the 31s didn't go back to Leeds. I just hope 31454 is back in action shortly.

Most impressed with RETRO Railtours, James & his team do a wonderful job, was also impressed with the quality of the Cargo-D Stock, better than WCRC or Riviera!

Also, Andy in the Buffet with his outfits were quite amusing!

 

[Masboroughlad]

Have Retro any plans for future trips yet?

 

[nedchester]

nedchester, wasn't impressed with C2Cs welcome to the tour participants, almost thought we were Prisoners awaiting a Ball & Chain!

This isn't good publicity for C2C!

What a pity the 31s didn't go back to Leeds. I just hope 31454 is back in action shortly.

Most impressed with RETRO Railtours, James & his team do a wonderful job, was also impressed with the quality of the Cargo-D Stock, better than WCRC or Riviera!

Also, Andy in the Buffet with his outfits were quite amusing!

Indeed. It was like some football special had arrived with people being shouted at. This wasn't a train of hooligans, it had some elderly passengers there for a day out who must have shocked at the way the over the top security treated them. Appalling. I feel like writing to c2c about this especially the woman and her aggressive shouting through the megaphone. Was there really a need for so much security/staff presence at Southend? I know that the air show is a busy day but does it take 30 or more staff, BTP and security to manage this event. It was the same Westcliffe (where we went for a drink) BTP everywhere! See this picture Why?

However, as you say RETRO are a good outfit and I really enjoyed the day out. Here's to the next one.

Edit: Have dropped c2c an email about their security staff at: http://www.c2c-online.co.uk/about_us__1/contact_us/get_in_touch

 

[Whistler40145]

I heard rumours of a tour to Glasgow, but not sure when this will be posted on the RETRO website.

Also, what traction would be nice to accompany the Cargo-D stock on future tours?

 

[nedchester]

I heard rumours of a tour to Glasgow, but not sure when this will be posted on the RETRO website.

Also, what traction would be nice to accompany the Cargo-D stock on future tours?

55022 was mentioned yesterday....may not be on the date stated in the brochure though????

 

[Whistler40145]

What actually happened in the Macclesfield area last night?

 

[nedchester]

What actually happened in the Macclesfield area last night?

Some nutter was running around the track with a knife and the police stopped all trains until they caught him. Not sure if they caught him in the end or 'lost' him?!

 

[yorksrob]

An absolutely superb day - so much so that I could have done it all over again today

As well as the tour which was excellent I'd also like to mention Southend, in particular the rickety little tram along the pier (which will probably soon be operating Northern commuter services if McNulty has his way) and the cracking sit -down chippie outside the station

 

[4014540145]

An excellent day out. Good to be behind two class 31's a first for me and well done to James and colleagues organising another excellent trip. The stewarding by C2C was well over the top at Southend and I for one am strongly tempted to e-mail C2C. The station manageress at Southend was clearly 'on one' and it as if she was in an episode of 'The Apprentice' with her megaphone! Also out of order was two travellers reactions towards James where we frustrating delay just before Crewe (although this was eased, in my case, with the European Cup Final result), The individual from The Fylde Coast,who as I understood it had an early start at work was well over the top with certain comments I won't repeat here.If you go on a railtour you take your chances and iif there is a delay, like it or not you will get shunted (excuse the pun) to the back of the queue. It certainly wasn't James or RetroRailtours fault and it would be intersting to see if he would have been similarly fortright to a railtrack employee.Roll roll on Wednesday and the Compass Dundee trip.