Upcoming Branch Line Society tours

[ExRes]

Two further tours announced both open for booking

15th July - The Merry Wherry - 50008 & 50007 TnT - Round trip from Derby to East Anglia

16th July - The Harrow Marrow - 50008 - Derby to Harrow & Wealdstone

Details and pricing on the BLS site

Announcement on BLS website that 'The Harrow Marrow' has been cancelled due to "an issue with the availability of the rolling stock"

 

[Forty29]

Announcement on BLS website that 'The Harrow Marrow' has been cancelled due to "an issue with the availability of the rolling stock"

Strange just looked at BLS website and Railway herald railtours no mention of cancellation unless l overlooked something.

 

[ExRes]

Strange just looked at BLS website and Railway herald railtours no mention of cancellation unless l overlooked something.

It's definitely on the BLS site, on the 'fixture list'

 

[Deepgreen]

Strange just looked at BLS website and Railway herald railtours no mention of cancellation unless l overlooked something.

RH is unreliable. BLS states it is cancelled.

 

[TrainTrackJack]

Locomotive owner Jason Hall has announced that the "Merry Wherry" will be 50008s last mainline tour for the foreseeable future. With the unfortunate combination of inflation and low bookings taking its toll, which is not sustainable to keep 008 running on the mainline for these events at present, it does however give some pause for thought over how lucky we have been to have a privately owned 50 still reaching places the class have never been before in 2023..

 

[MrJeeves]

New HST fixture has gone live for 28 Oct

BLS Fixtures List

branchline.uk

On behalf of 125 Group, the Branch Line Society is delighted to announce the Midland Venturer, the 125 Group’s first ever charter utilising their own rolling stock. Travelling along the Midland Mainline to London St Pancras and return, sit back and relax as you enjoy a return to form of a HST back on the Midlands. It is expected that traction will be 125 Group’s recently repainted 43159 in Midland Mainline livery, along with “EMT” 43089 on the other end.

Proceeds from the trip will go towards the upkeep and enhancement of 125 Group’s rolling stock for future mainline preservation of their HST.

125 Buffet will be serving a wide selection of hot and cold food and drinks, and 125 Shop will be open selling a range of memorabilia and the 2024 calendar.

Ilkeston (PU 07.48) - Codnor Park Jn - Trowell Jn - Radford Jn - Nottingham P1 (PU 08.30 / RM) - Radford Jn - Trowell Jn - Alfreton - Chesterfield P3 (PU 09.04) - Beighton Jn - Woodburn Jn - Sheffield P8 (PU 09.35) - Chesterfield P2 - Derby P6 (PU 10.16) - Loughborough P2 - Leicester P3 (PU 10.56) - Kettering - Bedford - Luton - London St Pancras P3 (SD 12.06 / break)

London St Pancras P3 (PU 16.19) - Flitwick P4 - Bedford P2 - Wellingborough P3 - Kettering P2 - Leicester P2 (SD 17.54) - Loughborough P3 (SD 18.14) - Nottingham P3 (SD 18.40 / RM) - Radford Jn - Trowell Jn - Ilkeston (SD 19.16)

 

[Iskra]

Sounds interesting, but too short notice again from the BLS for me to do it.

It will be good to see the teal livery at St Pancras again

Out of interest what seats do these Mk3’s have inside?

 

[43096]

Sounds interesting, but too short notice again from the BLS for me to do it.

BLS are the booking agents on behalf of 125 Group.

Out of interest what seats do these Mk3’s have inside?

They have the original IC70s.

More here: https://www.125group.org.uk/the-midland-venturer/

The Midland Venturer​

1st October 2023

A railtour almost 30 years in the making!​

125 Group are thrilled to announce the first main line rail tour using our very own HST!​

Running on SATURDAY 28 OCTOBER 2023, the trip will start in the Midlands with calls at Ilkeston, Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield before running along its former route to London St Pancras.
After a break in the capital, we retrace our steps with set downs at Loughborough (connections available for Derby and Sheffield), Nottingham and Ilkeston.
The train will be formed of six trailer vehicles (4 standard, 1 caterer and 1 first class) with power cars MTU 43159 in its stunning Midland Mainline livery and VP185 43089 in EMT colours providing the power. The coaches will utilise our recently installed tanked toilet system to comply with Network Rail standards and our catering vehicle will supply hot and cold food and drinks throughout the trip. A limited number of first class places are available and a selection of light refreshments will be included in the booking price for First Class.
Bookings are being handled for us by our good friends at the Branch Line Society. 125 Group members are asked to add their membership number on the booking which can be made here.

 

[JonathanH]

Out of interest what seats do these Mk3’s have inside?

Original IC70 seats in this HST set.

 

[MrJeeves]

First class sold out quick!

 

[theblackwatch]

View attachment 143925

First class sold out quick!

The tour had been announced to 125 Group members 48 hours earlier, so a good number had already probably been sold before the tour went public this evening.

 

[507020]

Am I the only one surprised it’s not going to Manchester? I heard there was going to be something for the Project Rio anniversary.

 

[43096]

Am I the only one surprised it’s not going to Manchester? I heard there was going to be something for the Project Rio anniversary.

43159 was repainted into MML livery and given its “Rio Warrior” name back to celebrate that. I’ve never heard any mention of a tour.

 

[507020]

43159 was repainted into MML livery and given its “Rio Warrior” name back to celebrate that. I’ve never heard any mention of a tour.

This of course is the mention of a MML HST tour… and it’s not going to Manchester. It seems strange doesn’t it?

 

[JonathanH]

Am I the only one surprised it’s not going to Manchester?

Possibly.

This of course is the mention of a MML HST tour… and it’s not going to Manchester. It seems strange doesn’t it?

Given the train is currently based at the Midland Railway, is there likely to be more demand (and yield) for a trip from the East Midlands to London on the route these trains used for nearly 40 years, or from the East Midlands to Manchester, that they used for only a few years?

 

[Iskra]

This is the first trip, I’m sure we will see more in the future if this sells out

 

[507020]

Given the train is currently based at the Midland Railway, is there likely to be more demand (and yield) for a trip from the East Midlands to London on the route these trains used for nearly 40 years, or from the East Midlands to Manchester, that they used for only a few years?

Well it would of course be possible to pick up at all the same points in the East Midlands for a trip to London whether it starts at Ilkeston or Manchester and may be easier to fill with the extra passengers who would board further north, but still, it’s nice to see a HST back on the main line so soon after leaving XC.

 

[43096]

This of course is the mention of a MML HST tour… and it’s not going to Manchester. It seems strange doesn’t it?

Not really. It's the first time 125 Group have run such a tour so is very much a "dipping a toe in the water" exercise - and also (hopefully) demonstrates to potential hirers that the train is available.

 

[Forty29]

Midland Pullman HST also out that day.