Regular steam
Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:49 pm
Regular steam is becoming a large part of the tour market now and expands every year. New for next year is the Cotton Mill express running Manchester-Copy Pit-Blackburn-Manchester with one of Ian Rileys locos providing power. 44871 is booked as the main engine through the summer though. The part of this tour I will be looking forward to is a run out for 76079 solo over the summit because with a load of anything over 5 bogies for a class four engine on copy pit bank the nice should be something special. This train is operated by past-time rail in partnership with WCRC and IRE
The tour joins other regular steam operations around the country, booked for 2008 are
The Jacobite (fort william-malliag) locos TBA
Steam to Whitby (NYMR Battersby/Glisdale-Whitby) locos TBA, 75029 properble
The Cambrian Coast Express (Barmouth bridge) 76079
The Dalesman (Hellifield-Carlisle and rtn) locos TBA
The Cumbrian Coast Dalesman (Carnforth-Ravenglass and rtn) locos TBA
With hope Tyseley will add its own circular trips later and either WCRC or The Railway touring company could be running another season of York-Harrogate-York-Scarbourgh and rtn runs next year. This means on some given week ends next year there could be 8 steam locos operating a train in a regular path on the mainline. I see this as a real plus for the mainline movements. The way the tour markets seem to be going now aim at cheap regular trips over well known routes that appeal to tourists, joe public and enthusiasts, add to this diesel merry maker tours and the long haul tours (normally a weekend to a week) aimed at the land cruise and mile tickers. This I feel is the way to go. Little and Often over well known and interesting routes at low prices, plus interesting routes and motive powers on a one off basis, the future looks bright in my opinion, any thoughts
The tour joins other regular steam operations around the country, booked for 2008 are
The Jacobite (fort william-malliag) locos TBA
Steam to Whitby (NYMR Battersby/Glisdale-Whitby) locos TBA, 75029 properble
The Cambrian Coast Express (Barmouth bridge) 76079
The Dalesman (Hellifield-Carlisle and rtn) locos TBA
The Cumbrian Coast Dalesman (Carnforth-Ravenglass and rtn) locos TBA
With hope Tyseley will add its own circular trips later and either WCRC or The Railway touring company could be running another season of York-Harrogate-York-Scarbourgh and rtn runs next year. This means on some given week ends next year there could be 8 steam locos operating a train in a regular path on the mainline. I see this as a real plus for the mainline movements. The way the tour markets seem to be going now aim at cheap regular trips over well known routes that appeal to tourists, joe public and enthusiasts, add to this diesel merry maker tours and the long haul tours (normally a weekend to a week) aimed at the land cruise and mile tickers. This I feel is the way to go. Little and Often over well known and interesting routes at low prices, plus interesting routes and motive powers on a one off basis, the future looks bright in my opinion, any thoughts