Intercity Push/Pull Railtour

MiNi · 31 Jan 2023

50002Superb said:
Given how quickly the 47/7 plus DBSO tour sold out I’m amazed that they haven’t announced a re-run.

Seems like the demand is there.

I agree totally. With the limited amount of bookings and the way it sold out so quickly they should'fill their boots'.

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12LDA28C · 31 Jan 2023

MiNi said:
I agree totally. With the limited amount of bookings and the way it sold out so quickly they should'fill their boots'.

There are more tours planned with the DBSO set to various locations, Paignton being one I believe.

50002Superb · 31 Jan 2023

12LDA28C said:
There are more tours planned with the DBSO set to various locations, Paignton being one I believe.

That may well be but the tour in question with that loco and stock will print cash.

Pathfinders do a couple of tours on the 97s every year that are broadly identical yet the uptake is always pretty high.

TheBeard · 1 Feb 2023

I think the online criticism was nefarious to say the least. All I heard on the tour with 9000 was high praise and friendliness. Railtours is a small pond and there is a lack of bookings

Tester · 1 Feb 2023

contrex said:
Aged 8 in 1960, I was fond of the Associated-Rediffusion TV programme, 'The Old Pull and Push', set on a branch line in Kent, and, I now read, mainly filmed around Goudhurst on the branch from Paddock Wood to Hawkhurst shortly before it closed in 1961. Two series altogether, in 1960 and 1961. The plot involved a campaign by two children to save a fictional branch line from closure. I believe the series is now lost, but the theme tune by Terry Lightfoot and his New Orleans Jazzmen is on Youtube. I distinctly remember the singing in which we were told 'it won't break any recurds' and the train seemed to be called 'The old Bull and Bush'. My mother said the singer was 'trying to sound American'.

I can just about remember that!

One of the large GOUDHURST station nameboards is on my mother's garden wall.

TheBeard · 1 Feb 2023

Here's hoping for a Thames Clyde Peak....

12LDA28C · 1 Feb 2023

TheBeard said:
I think the online criticism was nefarious to say the least. All I heard on the tour with 9000 was high praise and friendliness. Railtours is a small pond and there is a lack of bookings

I've seen plenty of online criticism, particularly around the non-appearance of the Peak, for example. Of course, LSL can run whatever tours they want with whatever traction they like, they are in a rather different position to most charter operators - I don't think a lack of bookings would be a major concern.

50002Superb said:
That may well be but the tour in question with that loco and stock will print cash.

Pathfinders do a couple of tours on the 97s every year that are broadly identical yet the uptake is always pretty high.

Bearing that this will be the first time a 47 and DBSO set has worked a train in over 30 years I imagine they will want to ensure everything goes to plan before announcing any further dates. Seems sensible to me.

50002Superb · 1 Feb 2023

TheBeard said:
I think the online criticism was nefarious to say the least. All I heard on the tour with 9000 was high praise and friendliness. Railtours is a small pond and there is a lack of bookings

On the whole yes but when something sells out as quickly as this did then that should tell you something

Wyrleybart · 1 Feb 2023

12LDA28C said:
Bearing that this will be the first time a 47 and DBSO set has worked a train in over 30 years I imagine they will want to ensure everything goes to plan before announcing any further dates. Seems sensible to me.

Saw some youtube video of 47712 propelling the DBSO around the LSL depot at Crewe. They are clearly working on it

12LDA28C · 1 Feb 2023

Wyrleybart said:
Saw some youtube video of 47712 propelling the DBSO around the LSL depot at Crewe. They are clearly working on it

Mainline testing will commence shortly, initially between Crewe and Chester.

bleeder4 · 1 Feb 2023

I would have hoped that it was mainline tested before they starting selling tickets for it. They've got a fully booked train to uphold, so let's hope they don't find any problems.

Masboroughlad · 1 Feb 2023

Had a Statesman leaflet through the letterbox. It refers to sister companies, Saphos and Midland Pullman but no mention of Intercity....

Wyrleybart · 1 Feb 2023

bleeder4 said:
I would have hoped that it was mainline tested before they starting selling tickets for it. They've got a fully booked train to uphold, so let's hope they don't find any problems.

What problems are you anticipating ?
The loco is around 55 years old and has been run in. It has has the DRS multi working system which is basically blue star in different connectors, and has worked for DRS for a number of years
The DBSO was modified for DRS to use the blue star system with, working with class 37/4s in Cumbria. The coaches that go in between the loco and DBSO are air braked Mk3As which will have the blue star cabling, sockets and MU control pipe.

The only problem I foresee is the age old one of blue star control air pressure, which I am sure LSL engineers are on top of.

Techniquest · 2 Feb 2023

Masboroughlad said:
Had a Statesman leaflet through the letterbox. It refers to sister companies, Saphos and Midland Pullman but no mention of Intercity....

I had one through mine recently for a circular S&C tour, some time in April I think it was. As it falls on a rest day, I was tempted but I just can't justify spending that long sat on one train. I'd have gone for non-dining, given the menu offered which wouldn't appeal to me, and the £185 for non-dining and a bit of a higher class day out was tempting.

I'm guessing that's likely to be a 47 hauled job?

12LDA28C · 2 Feb 2023

Techniquest said:
I had one through mine recently for a circular S&C tour, some time in April I think it was. As it falls on a rest day, I was tempted but I just can't justify spending that long sat on one train. I'd have gone for non-dining, given the menu offered which wouldn't appeal to me, and the £185 for non-dining and a bit of a higher class day out was tempting.

I'm guessing that's likely to be a 47 hauled job?

47s are the standard traction for the Statesman tours until such time as LSL's 57s return to traffic which I am led to believe will not be until the Autumn at the earliest.

Techniquest · 2 Feb 2023

12LDA28C said:
47s are the standard traction for the Statesman tours until such time as LSL's 57s return to traffic which I am led to believe will not be until the Autumn at the earliest.

Thanks

I might pop down and see it depart, but given the leaflet suggested it would be literally on the train all day with no stops at say Carlisle, I can't justify it.

12LDA28C · 2 Feb 2023

Techniquest said:
Thanks I might pop down and see it depart, but given the leaflet suggested it would be literally on the train all day with no stops at say Carlisle, I can't justify it.

I think the clue is in the title 'circular tour'. These trains usually travel north via the S&C and generally have just a brief break at Appleby, returning either via the Cumbrian Coast or WCML. The same loco leads all day and there is no reversal required as the train does not reach Carlisle itself.

Kite159 · 2 Feb 2023

I presume that Statesman tour will cover a bit of rare track at the Carlisle end making use of the freight line connection from the WCML/Cumbrian coast & the line from the S&C.

xotGD · 2 Feb 2023

Kite159 said:
I presume that Statesman tour will cover a bit of rare track at the Carlisle end making use of the freight line connection from the WCML/Cumbrian coast & the line from the S&C.

Better than an hour's fester at Carlisle.

Kite159 · 2 Feb 2023

xotGD said:
Better than an hour's fester at Carlisle.

Unless you want to visit Spoons

12LDA28C · 2 Feb 2023

Kite159 said:
I presume that Statesman tour will cover a bit of rare track at the Carlisle end making use of the freight line connection from the WCML/Cumbrian coast & the line from the S&C.

Depends what you call 'rare'.... several Statesman tours traverse London Road Jn to Upperby Jn / Currock Jn via Bog Jn every year.

alexl92 · 3 Feb 2023

Wyrleybart said:
What problems are you anticipating ?
The loco is around 55 years old and has been run in. It has has the DRS multi working system which is basically blue star in different connectors, and has worked for DRS for a number of years
The DBSO was modified for DRS to use the blue star system with, working with class 37/4s in Cumbria. The coaches that go in between the loco and DBSO are air braked Mk3As which will have the blue star cabling, sockets and MU control pipe.

The only problem I foresee is the age old one of blue star control air pressure, which I am sure LSL engineers are on top of.

From what I heard, the problems with the mk2 sets on the Cumbrian coast sets was largely down to the DBSO unreliability.

Techniquest · 3 Feb 2023

xotGD said:
Better than an hour's fester at Carlisle.

I have to disagree, a proper good leg stretching would be seriously welcome. Unless it's done at somewhere like Appleby, which I don't believe the leaflet mentioned.

There's enough to do in Carlisle to fill an hour! Assuming the weather isn't horrendous at least!

JammyJames08 · 4 Feb 2023

Masboroughlad said:
no mention of Intercity....

Shame, I think they could have ran a few tours. I'm sure one to the coast with their 37s on a summer weekend to somewhere on the south coast would have been a seat filler. Or maybe a buffer puffer style trip.

Iskra · 4 Feb 2023

JammyJames08 said:
Shame, I think they could have ran a few tours. I'm sure one to the coast with their 37s on a summer weekend to somewhere on the south coast would have been a seat filler. Or maybe a buffer puffer style trip.

I still think you will see something appear.

I heard they were waiting to see if the Mk3 set would secure a long term lease (which it now hasn’t), before looking at doing a tour programme.

Wyrleybart · 4 Feb 2023

JammyJames08 said:
Shame, I think they could have ran a few tours. I'm sure one to the coast with their 37s on a summer weekend to somewhere on the south coast would have been a seat filler. Or maybe a buffer puffer style trip.

I think they tried a "buffer puffer" type tour around Merseyside a couple of years ago, but there was a lot of negative press because LSL / Saphos didn't use the engines that the potential punters wanted !!!

Iskra · 4 Feb 2023

Wyrleybart said:
I think they tried a "buffer puffer" type tour around Merseyside a couple of years ago, but there was a lot of negative press because LSL / Saphos didn't use the engines that the potential punters wanted !!!

It ran, with one class 40 instead of two due to a fall out between LSL and the other class 40's owners. It also didn't cover all the line promised to avoid branches damaging the stocks paintwork and was announced as a dry tour after bookings had already been taken. I think bookings were taken through BLS though rather than LSL.

It was still a good tour though and the stock was immaculate, so I can understand the desire to keep it that way.

JammyJames08 · 4 Feb 2023

I was a participant on the jolly slatemen tour in 2021. Got allocated a seat in a mk1 compartment. First one since the slam door units left us, the stock was immaculate and well taken care of! Got chatting to two gents in the compo and the day just flew by!

hexagon789 · 4 Feb 2023

For anyone interested, the timings for the LSL ScotRail Express 47/7 push-pull tour are now in RTT:

12LDA28C · 6 Feb 2023

Main line testing of 47712 and the DBSO rake has commenced, shortly departing Crewe heading to Chester.

Intercity Push/Pull Railtour

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