Sunday's Looe branch Railmotor CANCELLED

[dave6023]

From Didcot Railway Centre Facebook page

URGENT MESSAGE FROM GREAT WESTERN SOCIETY LTD
Cancellation of Rail Motor event on the Looe Branch on Sunday 4 November 2012
Owing to circumstances outside the Society’s control, it has been necessary to cancel the operation of Rail Motor No93 on the Looe branch this Sunday, 4 November 2012. The Society expresses its very sincere apologies for this cancellation, particularly at such short notice.
It is intended to try and re-schedule this event as quickly as possible and your co-operation in waiting for further information would be greatly appreciated. If it is possible to re-schedule the event then the tickets you have purchased will be valid on that day. If it is not possible to re-arrange then your ticket monies will be refunded in full. Any ticket holders who wish to have a full refund before it is known whether a re-scheduled event can be arranged, should contact the Society by e-mail at [email protected]
At this stage the event scheduled for Sun 11 November will be taking place.

 

[83G/84D]

A real shame, what are the circumstances leading to the cancellation?

 

[Tracky]

I believe the Class 47 due to collect it from the South Devon Railway failed. Being a West Coast job they did not have another loco in position to do the move...

 

[455driver]

The 37 broke, this was replaced with the 47(245) which broke, this was replaced with the 33 which couldnt be crewed as not many drivers sign the 33.

Pity really they looked at every possibility to get a vaccuum braked loco down there but it just wasnt possible in the time left.

 

[Nat the Ned]

I find it strange that they knew Friday evening they had no loco. They had all Saturday to get a vac fitted loco from somewhere, Carnforth?? Can WCRC not dig a driver out of a coffin somewhere to work it down? Also nice of those people who've booked on it to be informed, whats the point in inputting your email and phone number when you book for them not to of actually told ticket holders of this fact??? (apart from through website, face it, most kettle veg can't use the internet)...

 

[ACE1888]

I find it strange that they knew Friday evening they had no loco. They had all Saturday to get a vac fitted loco from somewhere, Carnforth?? Can WCRC not dig a driver out of a coffin somewhere to work it down? Also nice of those people who've booked on it to be informed, whats the point in inputting your email and phone number when you book for them not to of actually told ticket holders of this fact??? (apart from through website, face it, most kettle veg can't use the internet)...

Fair point , well put Young Man

 

[dave6023]

From Didcot Railway Centre Facebook page

Further statement about the cancellation of Steam Railmotor operations on the Liskeard to Looe branch line on Sunday 4 November:

The diesel allocated to tow the Steam Railmotor from Bodmin to Liskeard failed. The back-up replacement diesel also failed. Despite best efforts by West Coast Railways (WCR), First Great Western and Network Rail no suitable replacement locomotive could be sourced. To observe operating restrictions on the vehicle there is no alternative method of transiting the Railmotor from Bodmin to Liskeard on the main line. The decision to cancel operations on Sunday 4 November was taken by WCR who have admitted responsibility. At all times the Great Western Society were kept informed, and took immediate action to inform ticket holders of the cancellation. WCR have given assurances that the trips scheduled for Sunday 11 November will proceed as planned. A decision on trips to replace those cancelled will be made on Tuesday 6 November and the information will be published on the Didcot Railway Centre website and Facebook page.

 

[sidmouth]

At least WCR have appeared to pull out the stops, before admitting defeat (and responsibility). Wonder how DBS would have fared?

 

[class57basher]

I believe the Class 47 due to collect it from the South Devon Railway failed. Being a West Coast job they did not have another loco in position to do the move...

Assume meant from the Bodmin and Wenford where it has been for the last few weeks. A shame its not a runner hopefully a second date can be arranged

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

It's a pity the steam railcar was not allowed to travel under it's own steam for the shortish distance from Bodmin to Liskeard.

I'd like to go travel on that railcar, does it run regularly on any of the preserved railways?

 

[Chris125]

At least WCR have appeared to pull out the stops, before admitting defeat (and responsibility). Wonder how DBS would have fared?

DBS don't have any suitable vacuum fitted diesels, and only operate steam if the train can be recovered by an air braked diesel.

Regarding the ECS move, the strict operating condition's for her use on the mainline simply don't allow it. Even if they did, it would hardly be wise for a vacuum-only fitted Railmotor, lacking the usual safety devices, to run unaccompanied over a steeply graded line featuring single track where a failure could cause serious delays and problems being recovered. I believe she's currently touring various preserved lines, including the B&WR and SDR, but is based at Didcot.

Chris

 

[dave6023]

Another post from the DRC Facebook page

A message from Railmotor 93’s Support Crew Responsible Officer

As you can imagine no one was more disappointed than myself to receive the phone call from West Coast Railways late Friday afternoon to say that the plug had been pulled on the 4 November Looe operations due to diesel locomotive failures. Having personally spent the last eighteen months in successful negotiation with the various Regulatory Authorities, First Great Western, Network Rail and West Coast Railways, and bringing everything to a satisfactory conclusion, it was ironic to be stuffed at the last moment by the failure of a couple of lumps of out-dated machinery, rather than some ‘jobsworth’ hidden in an office somewhere – which to be truthful is what I had expected to happen over a year ago. The co-operation and good-will the Society has received from all parties must be acknowledged and without this No 93 would be confined to Heritage Railways.

Having spent all day last Frid
ay preparing the SRM for its fitness to run exam, the support crew were in high spirits and looking forward to Sunday’s operations – The first new wood bodied vehicle on Network Rail for some considerable time, coupled with no on-board safety systems or central locking, small driving wheels, and only a twenty mile range has broken many barriers, and gives us a lot of satisfaction. We were all working hard to ensure that No 93 was as fit as we could make it in preparation for its first Main Line workings when the call was received.

To the many disappointed who have purchased tickets and are sticking with us to see if we can rearrange operations for 18 November – thank you – we are working to achieve this. To those who just wished to photograph – there will be other days to do that, and to those who demand a ticket refund – these are being arranged, so please don’t take it out on the Society’s Office Staff. Come and have a moan at me instead next Sunday, and maybe I can persuade you to donate your returned cash towards No 93’s maintenance!

Graham Drew
Great Western Society, Didcot
Railmotor No 93 Responsible Officer

 

[Nat the Ned]

Got a phone call at 08:00 today to be told my 10:30 trip was cancelled, even though this was known Friday evening!!! The are looking at rescheduling todays til nov 18th.

 

[noddy1878]

I had a phone call at 0800 on Sunday morning saying it had been cancelled and my trip was due to be 0830! It would have taken me at least 30 minutes to even get to Liskeard and that would have been pushing it! Luckily I already knew it had been cancelled!

 

[dave6023]

From DRC Facebook page

Didcot Railway Centre
Railmotor on the Liskeard to Looe branch rearranged for Sunday 18 November

We can confirm that there will be additional operations on 18 November to replace those cancelled on 4 November. Timings and operations are the same as 4 November – only the date has changed.

Existing tickets for 4 November will be valid on the 18 November trains, except for those who have already requested a refund. Requests for refunds from those who cannot make 18 November will be processed through Ticketweb up to Saturday 10 November.

Remaining tickets will be put back on Ticketweb for resale from Wednesday 7 November.

Everything is going ahead as planned for Sunday 11 November too.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Did anyone go on the trips that did run on the Looe line with the railmotor? I wondered how they ran? Hope all was ok in the end. (Is there no FGW Service on Sundays on this line in the winter?)

 

[fgwrich]

Did anyone go on the trips that did run on the Looe line with the railmotor? I wondered how they ran? Hope all was ok in the end. (Is there no FGW Service on Sundays on this line in the winter?)

Nope. Certainly hasnt been a Sunday winter service down to Looe for a while, but at least FGW has improved the timetable for the rest of the year.