Welsh Mountain Statesman 06/07/13 Sheffield-Aberystwyth CANCELLED

[the-gog]

http://railwayherald.com/uknews/cambrian-coast-charter-working-cancelled

"Peter Watkinson of Statesman Rail has advised RH that the 'Welsh Mountain Statesman' from Sheffield to Aberystwyth on 6th July has been cancelled.

He was advised by DB Schenker on Thursday afternoon that they were unable to resource the train on the Cambrian section from the Shrewsbury area to Aberystwyth. Although this is a West Coast operated train, the Cambrian section requires the unique Class 97 traction as well as route knowledge which currently is held only by the ex-SERCO drivers who were trained when the ERTMS system was installed. Since, those drivers have now transferred to DB Schenker, who are now the only TOC that can supply Class 97 compliant train crew.

While Arriva Train Wales crew will know the road, they are not trained on Class 97s, nor are any Network Rail or West Coast personnel."

I've had it confirmed to me by another source as well. Please put the message out to as many of tomorrow's potential passengers.

 

[crewmeal]

This is disgraceful. Why leave it until the last minute. Surely D B Shister knew what was required by this charter long ago and should have planned for it regardles of who could drive what locos. There was a lot of money at stake here and Statesman will be the ultimate loosers.

I have to say that Welsh charters recently have been a great disappointment with cancellations because of low loads and traction problems.

 

[speckledjim]

Tuesday's London to Exeter 'end of southern steam' has been cancelled today.
Seems to be quite a few not going ahead recently. Shame really as will think twice about booking time off in the future.
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Tuesday's London to Exeter 'end of southern steam' has been cancelled today.
Seems to be quite a few not going ahead recently. Shame really as will think twice about booking time off in the future.

The above problem is mechanical I believe.

 

[theblackwatch]

Full credit to Statesman Rail here - they have already refunded all their passengers. Unfortunately though, through no fault of their own, the company may have lost a number of customers for good, as will they actually book on future trips?

 

[AlexS]

Nobody seemed to have told the pickup stations what had happened though, or if they did contact the relevant TOCs, the message wasn't passed on. Just the usual 'cancelled by request of TOC' unhelpful delay in TRUST. Happily, as a confirmed ned, I knew what was happening and was able to tell our stations (and the signaller!), don't know what happened at the rest though.