Pathfinder annouce closure with final tour on 20th December 2025

[D1511]

According to This Form, there still adult standard seats available......

EDIT....it has just turned red again, so probably an error earlier

 

[david1212]

As so much would be in the dark and the weather could be poor I was not interested what ever the route and destination of the final tour. However just looked and a standard class seat was £149 or first £215 . For me it would have been from New Street or to get a few more miles including the Lickey bank Worcestershire Parkway.
IMO 'Chingfinder' as used be a member of this site certainly applies.

Sometime when I am really bored I am going to dig through my cheque book stubs to find the price of tours back late 1990's by Eagle to Aberystwyth & Ravenglass. I wish now I had kept the mailings.

If going forward this will be the price the tour would have to be something special. Had Whitehaven Bransty tunnel not been closed I might have looked at the RTC Cumbrian Coast tour @ £115. An alternative option anytime is the Cumbria Round Robin Ranger currently £40.50 as part of a long weekend. The balance of £75 goes towards accommodation and meals plus if based off the route getting to most likely Lancaster. Being able to stop where I choose is a gain.

 

[Kite159]

As so much would be in the dark and the weather could be poor I was not interested what ever the route and destination of the final tour. However just looked and a standard class seat was £149 or first £215 . For me it would have been from New Street or to get a few more miles including the Lickey bank Worcestershire Parkway.
IMO 'Chingfinder' as used be a member of this site certainly applies.

Sometime when I am really bored I am going to dig through my cheque book stubs to find the price of tours back late 1990's by Eagle to Aberystwyth & Ravenglass. I wish now I had kept the mailings.

If going forward this will be the price the tour would have to be something special. Had Whitehaven Bransty tunnel not been closed I might have looked at the RTC Cumbrian Coast tour @ £115. An alternative option anytime is the Cumbria Round Robin Ranger currently £40.50 as part of a long weekend. The balance of £75 goes towards accommodation and meals plus if based off the route getting to most likely Lancaster. Being able to stop where I choose is a gain.

Very true, especially in December when it will be dark by 4pm. Alright if you have a decent mix of punters on the table with you, but rubbish if they are the silent type or the sort who are glued to their phones all day (even during the daylight hours, following the train signal section by signal section on the maps.

I remember when it was £149 for first class non dining, as I used to occasionally treat myself to the armchairs when it was MK1 coaches, especially on the long tours.

 

[Harpo]

Pathfinder have played a very straight bat in not revealing many of the issues that have caused them difficulties and inflated tour costs. It would be a very interesting memoir but, from my few interactions with him, I suspect that Peter Watts is too much of a gentleman to lift the lid publicly.

 

[co-tr-paul]

Pathfinder have played a very straight bat in not revealing many of the issues that have caused them difficulties and inflated tour costs. It would be a very interesting memoir but, from my few interactions with him, I suspect that Peter Watts is too much of a gentleman to lift the lid publicly.

So true . Having been with them since 1997 on many tours, not one complaint.
I will though point the gun at WCRC and their " monopoly " of the railtour stock and locomotive hire market and all that goes with it especially no longer using mk1 s.
Somebody needs to start tours from Bristol and SW. Still a market there.

 

[31160]

Looking at the last tour, it's all very safe and meh, which is what I think has brought them down. They were known for so much more than this, even though it's sold out I wouldn't chose to go on it anyway it's just all so familiar peeps like the BLS and UKR seam more than capable to run interesting tour than this , truly going out with a whimper

 

[Kite159]

Looking at the last tour, it's all very safe and meh, which is what I think has brought them down. They were known for so much more than this, even though it's sold out I wouldn't chose to go on it anyway it's just all so familiar peeps like the BLS and UKR seam more than capable to run interesting tour than this , truly going out with a whimper

Isn't it more down to West Coast putting restrictions on their coaches not leaving the public network, ie no freight only lines? Also restrictions on what locos they can use?

Which does limit options for tours aimed for the track & loco bashers

 

[co-tr-paul]

0

Isn't it more down to West Coast putting restrictions on their coaches not leaving the public network, ie no freight only lines? Also restrictions on what locos they can use?

Which does limit options for tours aimed for the track & loco bashers

If it was not for WCRC I think Pathfinder would continue.....

 

[Rail Quest]

Isn't it more down to West Coast putting restrictions on their coaches not leaving the public network, ie no freight only lines? Also restrictions on what locos they can use?

Surely that means Network Rail owned and operated, rather than passenger lines only, right? I'm assuming that restriction might have something to do with that tour a few years back that derailed in Dee Marsh?

Also, if that's the case, how come they provide coaches to heritage lines?

 

[Iskra]

Surely that means Network Rail owned and operated, rather than passenger lines only, right? I'm assuming that restriction might have something to do with that tour a few years back that derailed in Dee Marsh?

Also, if that's the case, how come they provide coaches to heritage lines?

It’s the only way they can earn revenue from their Mk1 fleet, which are no longer used on railtours for passengers, so aren’t particularly relevant to the discussion.

 

[Forty29]

Pathfinder had a stand at the Diesel gala at Kidderminster station today. Lots of people reminiscing about the past with memorabilia and plenty of advertising material for the final tours. Found it quite moving actually.

 

[cambsy]

Very sad that Pathfinder Tours have ceased operating from December, as have had many great tours with them, over 25, with the highlights being multi day tours, with lots of great traction. I can understand why they have decided to close their doors as the rail tour market as changed a lot in recent years and its just not the same now, with Mk 2’s,and routes they take. My last tour with them was the Hear Of Wales trip, which was good day out with class 37’s and dining, but just not the same in an air con mk2 with little sound from the locos. I will look to start doing Branch Line society Tours as they do interesting routes and locos.

 

[tumbledown]

Thanks Pathfinder for the memories.

 

[Rail Ranger]

BBC story on the last Pathfinder Tours trip today: BBC News - Final outing for Gloucestershire-based Pathfinder Railtours - BBC News

Final outing for Gloucestershire-based Pathfinder Railtours

Train fans have stationed themselves at platforms across the country to catch the final journey.

www.bbc.co.uk

"Trainspotters are out in full force today to capture the final journey of a historic service".

 

[HST125Scorton]

BBC story on the last Pathfinder Tours trip today: BBC News - Final outing for Gloucestershire-based Pathfinder Railtours - BBC News

Final outing for Gloucestershire-based Pathfinder Railtours

Train fans have stationed themselves at platforms across the country to catch the final journey.

www.bbc.co.uk

"Trainspotters are out in full force today to capture the final journey of a historic service".

Caught it at the local Atherton, along with the Christmas Luncheon,

 

[HertiageFan]

With a 57 on the rear, it was originally advertised as unassisted but oh well

 

[Iskra]

I caught it at Cheadle Hulme

With a 57 on the rear, it was originally advertised as unassisted but oh well

I did notice that it was powering

 

[gazthomas]

I caught it at Cheadle Hulme

I did notice that it was powering

Hotel power only possibly?

 

[StephenHunter]

Possibly - you can't use a Western for ETH, which is one reason they didn't last long.

 

[HertiageFan]

Hotel power only possibly?

WCRC have generator coaches

 

[Rail Ranger]

Those on the tour were told that the 57 was powering up the Lickey.

 

[JonathanH]

WCRC have generator coaches

Doesn't mean they use them. 9507, the brake coach on today's train, isn't a generator coach.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Nice to see F&W acknowledged on the headboard.

 

[The exile]

Thanks Pathfinder for the memories.

Amen to that!

 

[desiro350]

Looked like a great send off for Pathfinder today...footage of the mini tour around the north west, at Pendlebury and Towneley level crossing.

 

[Forty29]

Those on the tour were told that the 57 was powering up the Lickey.

You've got to remember the western getting on a bit now, don't want to cause damage and scupper the whole tour!
Was it powering up to Copy pit ?

 

[Uk02048]

Understandable getting some help up the hills with a rake of 13. Pretty sure it was on its own though as it thrashed through Stafford.

 

[ValleyLines142]

BBC story on the last Pathfinder Tours trip today: BBC News - Final outing for Gloucestershire-based Pathfinder Railtours - BBC News

Final outing for Gloucestershire-based Pathfinder Railtours

Train fans have stationed themselves at platforms across the country to catch the final journey.

www.bbc.co.uk

"Trainspotters are out in full force today to capture the final journey of a historic service".

Full force being one way of putting it, several enthusiasts stood right on the edge of the platform well over the yellow line despite dispatchers making repeated announcements and then abusing them when they were simply trying to do their jobs.

Completely unacceptable behaviour when they were the ones in the wrong. Felt very sorry for the dispatchers as they took a lot of crap that they shouldn't have.

 

[SW Rover]

Did the tour booklet say how many tours were organised by F&W and Pathfinder?

Looking on the Six Bells site I can find 101 F&W tours and 926 Pathfinder tours that ran between 1973 and 2025.

 

[nanstallon]

Full force being one way of putting it, several enthusiasts stood right on the edge of the platform well over the yellow line despite dispatchers making repeated announcements and then abusing them when they were simply trying to do their jobs.

Completely unacceptable behaviour when they were the ones in the wrong. Felt very sorry for the dispatchers as they took a lot of crap that they shouldn't have.

The kind of behaviour which can lead to specials not being allowed any more.