Future of Railtours

[leomartin125]

What is going to happen to railtours and their operations when ERTMS and ETCS get installed as the primary signalling system? Will they adapt the steam loco's to use this new signalling system or will the adaptation not prove cost effective? Or will they stop running them on ETCS lines altogether?

 

[Moonshot]

What is going to happen to railtours and their operations when ERTMS and ETCS get installed as the primary signalling system? Will they adapt the steam loco's to use this new signalling system or will the adaptation not prove cost effective? Or will they stop running them on ETCS lines altogether?

Suspect the latter.

 

[Masbroughlad]

Not sure of the answer to that one, but along the same lines (Future of railtours).

What will happen when mark 1 and mark 2 coaches can no longer run on Network Rail? Cargo D had some mark 3s but not sure what happened to them.

The signalling issue and the rolling stock demise may mean an end to them or will we see other types of rolling stock take over in time?

 

[DarloRich]

They will fit the signalling system to the required locomotives.

 

[E&W Lucas]

They will fit the signalling system to the required locomotives.

May be easier said than done with a steam loco!
At some point, there is going to be a modern day add on that cannot be bolted to Victorian technology.
A restriction to more minor routes may be a more sensible outcome. After recent events with some charter operators, probably a long overdue one.

 

[DarloRich]

May be easier said than done with a steam loco!
At some point, there is going to be a modern day add on that cannot be bolted to Victorian technology.
A restriction to more minor routes may be a more sensible outcome. After recent events with some charter operators, probably a long overdue one.

it should be doable kit wise, despite what the likes of the railway magazine/steam railway would have you believe although i can see route restrictions simply because of capacity.

there is an easy way to find out - do a freedom of information act request

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Cargo D had some mark 3s but not sure what happened to them.

I think these are the ones in the Chiltern Banbury set?

 

[E&W Lucas]

it should be doable kit wise, despite what the likes of the railway magazine/steam railway would have you believe

What makes you think that?
(And I've no idea what's been said in the magazines, as I don't read them).

 

[Ianigsy]

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the charter operators started looking at HSTs when they become available- fantastic route availability and presumably not that difficult to put together an all-first class set with two restaurant cars (as some sets originally ran) to support the catering service.

The power station traffic which restricted paths on the S&C will tail off in the next few years so there may be more Cumbrian Mountain Express style operation in future- the other option is what ScotRail did with the Borders line and run a timetabled heritage operation.

 

[yorksrob]

Steam aside, what are the prospects for heritage diesels and electrics getting the said kit ?

 

[DarloRich]

Steam aside, what are the prospects for heritage diesels and electrics getting the said kit ?

same as every other main line locomotive - WCRC have already had at least one of their 37's (37688 perhaps 37699) fitted with the Hitatchi version kit to work on the Cambrian.

What makes you think that?
(And I've no idea what's been said in the magazines, as I don't read them).

It is in the National Operations Strategy (NOS) although the kit will have to get a bit smaller i should think which is only natural as development progresses

 

[yorksrob]

same as every other main line locomotive - WCRC have already had at least one of their 37's (37688 perhaps 37699) fitted with the Hitatchi version kit to work on the Cambrian.

Ah well, that's good to know.