37516 was a winner for me and certainly the best sounding 37 I've travelled behind in a few years.
West Coast Railways certainly can provide good locos but yet again let their customer down with the stock. That's the third railtour in a year that I have been on where their coaches have caused problems, or to be specific, the lighting have caused problems.
At one stage last night it was feared that the tour would be cut short, lucky this did not happen in the end. On heritage railtours, we expect that if anything is to break down it will be the engine, but not the coaches.
Regarding the patronage, well I was surprised at the low turnout. We bounced all the way back to Worksop. I can think of a few reasons, although of course I could be very wrong.
Normals:
For a start there was only five pick up points, and areas that perhaps are generally left off the railtour map, so there would not be as much guaranteed business. However fair play to the organiser for tapping into an untouched area. Also, travelling home today through the Robin Hood line in daylight it seems that the towns of Mansfield, Shirebrook and Worksop are not that big, so it may never have a big enough customer base.
Normals sat in first class had to be moved into a standard coach with lights, who I'm sure were not best pleased. I expect a first tour not to have a huge amount of patronage, and if normals have a good trip then they will spread the word and gradually a tour operator builds up loyalty and a good reputation. I suspect that there were some unhappy normals last night. Not the organisers fault but he will be the one who suffers ultimately due to their supplier letting them down.
Also, a 50 minute late arrival into Worksop for unknown reasons didn't help either. The Robin Hood line is such a stagger.
Enthusiasts
Fussy as we are, the traction would have put a lot of cranks from doing it. For example I know that when the tour reverted to been 33 & 37 traction, this put a lot of 37 fans off doing it, and when they heard about 37s going to Weymouth, it was obvious what was more attractive as there was 37 haulage both ways. I know from myself, that had it been the 33 going northbound, I would not have done it.
