2026 UKR railtours

[WTT Gremlin]

It does make me wonder why they've not been making more use of LSL. Good rolling stock and a decent selection of locos, not to mention a relatively central location to send stock from/to (unlike the trek all the way to Carnforth and back)!

If you have a look at all the 'Promotors' who run using LSL you might observe a common theme linking them all.

 

[renegademaster]

If you have a look at all the 'Promotors' who run using LSL you might observe a common theme linking them all.

Is your implication they are expensive? Would be clearer if you just said. The LSL promoters do tend to be expensive but when UKR did it was pretty much normal price

 

[31160]

Is your implication they are expensive? Would be clearer if you just said. The LSL promoters do tend to be expensive but when UKR did it was pretty much normal price

I think he means they are all owned by LSL, although UKR did hire the peak and a set of coaches for the January tour from Norwich

 

[WTT Gremlin]

Is your implication they are expensive? Would be clearer if you just said. The LSL promoters do tend to be expensive but when UKR did it was pretty much normal price

I think he means they are all owned by LSL, although UKR did hire the peak and a set of coaches for the January tour from Norwich

31160 is correct, and occasions when operating outside of the LSL set of Brands are historically few and far between.

 

[bleeder4]

31160 is correct, and occasions when operating outside of the LSL set of Brands are historically few and far between.

LSL tend to have a pretty packed schedule, so there's not much opportunity for others to hire their stock out. They already have the Steam Dreams and Saphos brands using the same Mk1 set, so tour schedules for those brands have to be carefully planned to avoid clashes. That being said, I think LSL do a bit of work with SRPS though don't they?

 

[Isle of Mull]

LSL tend to have a pretty packed schedule, so there's not much opportunity for others to hire their stock out. They already have the Steam Dreams and Saphos brands using the same Mk1 set, so tour schedules for those brands have to be carefully planned to avoid clashes. That being said, I think LSL do a bit of work with SRPS though don't they?

Mostly locos and a handful of coaches, I don’t see why Uk railtours make more use of the intercity set

 

[Kite159]

I see the tour next Saturday has had its confirmed timings back with the return running around 90 minutes later than what was originally advertised.

Which for me is the final straw for booking on tours before the times get confirmed, especially as now it's a +14 into the last train to Walsall from Tame Bridge, and with railtour standard times that is too tight for comfort.

At least there seems to be at least one bus as a backup, although it will probably be just as quick to walk the ~ 3 miles. Changing at Crewe isn't much better, with the negative of putting me onto the vomit comet from New Street.

 

[31160]

I see the tour next Saturday has had its confirmed timings back with the return running around 90 minutes later than what was originally advertised.

Which for me is the final straw for booking on tours before the times get confirmed, especially as now it's a +14 into the last train to Walsall from Tame Bridge, and with railtour standard times that is too tight for comfort

Yeah that's a lot later back, dunno why it's retimed to that extent

 

[JonathanH]

Yeah that's a lot later back, dunno why it's retimed to that extent

Presumably too optimistic about being able to get the expected path without having to be put in a loop somewhere.

This is where not just the confirmed pick up / set down timings need to be shared but also the time it arrives / leaves from Keighley.

 

[Harpo]

I salute the SVR volunteers hanging on until after 0100 for that 0055 arrival at Bewdley.

 

[Kite159]

Presumably too optimistic about being able to get the expected path without having to be put in a loop somewhere.

This is where not just the confirmed pick up / set down timings need to be shared but also the time it arrives / leaves from Keighley.

Agreed, as I would imagine there will be a few who will bail at Keighley on the return from the freight line trip, especially if the tour isn't doing anything of interest on the return towards the Midlands and the AC on the coaches has decided to break.

 

[Richard S]

I share your frustration, I can no longer catch a connection home from Crewe. Weighing up whether to forego beer during the trip or stump up for an Uber.

 

[philjo]

What route will the return Manxman train take from Heysham back to Peterborough on Monday 13th April? The website says it goes via Crewe and Nuneaton. The WCML is closed that day between Preston and Lancaster as normal services are replaced by buses so I assume it has to go via Carnforth and Hellifield?

 

[Isle of Mull]

I've heard rumors that the June 13th diary date goes to Tonbridge depot, could this be true?

 

[50002Superb]

I've heard rumors that the June 13th diary date goes to Tonbridge depot, could this be true?

Is that the day of the planned open day?

 

[Isle of Mull]

I couldn’t tell you I have only heard rumours

 

[73Stock]

What time does the steam leave London Victoria tomorrow?

 

[31160]

69006 and 57305 on today's tour

 

[Kite159]

What's even more annoying with today's tour is that the add on tour from Keighley to Rylstone which was advertised on the website as only available to those on the whole tour was available to book separately.

So why bother paying £169 for the full tour when I could have paid £50 for the separate tour and saved many many hours on uncomfortable low MK2 seating & accommodation costs?

I just feel like it's been missold.

 

[xotGD]

What's even more annoying with today's tour is that the add on tour from Keighley to Rylstone which was advertised on the website as only available to those on the whole tour was available to book separately.

So why bother paying £169 for the full tour when I could have paid £50 for the separate tour and saved many many hours on uncomfortable low MK2 seating & accommodation costs?

I just feel like it's been missold.

I only saw the original statement that you couldn't just book from Keighley.

If I'd known about the change of policy I would have done it.

Too late now.

 

[D6130]

I only saw the original statement that you couldn't just book from Keighley.

If I'd known about the change of policy I would have done it.

Too late now.

Maybe it was a late decision due to the small number of full-tour passengers who had booked the add-on?

 

[Rhinojerry]

What route will the return Manxman train take from Heysham back to Peterborough on Monday 13th April? The website says it goes via Crewe and Nuneaton. The WCML is closed that day between Preston and Lancaster as normal services are replaced by buses so I assume it has to go via Carnforth and Hellifield?

Railway Herald site says first part of the Tour is cancelled,no Class 50's available.

 

[Gwr12345]

Railway Herald site says first part of the Tour is cancelled,no Class 50's available.

The Manxman is still running, it's just that the stuff either side of it isn't anymore. It's now being run by GBRF instead of Hanson and Hall.

 

[Kite159]

Maybe it was a late decision due to the small number of full-tour passengers who had booked the add-on?

In coach E I would say it was around 20% when they checked tickets after Crewe getting the wristbands for the heritage line.

Seems it was advertised on Facebook on the 19th March.

 

[Rhinojerry]

The Manxman is still running, it's just that the stuff either side of it isn't anymore. It's now being run by GBRF instead of Hanson and Hall.

Thank you for that, it would have been worth the drive to Heysham to see the 50s on the branch.

 

[19Gnasher69]

What's even more annoying with today's tour is that the add on tour from Keighley to Rylstone which was advertised on the website as only available to those on the whole tour was available to book separately.

So why bother paying £169 for the full tour when I could have paid £50 for the separate tour and saved many many hours on uncomfortable low MK2 seating & accommodation costs?

I just feel like it's been missold.

I was thinking the same (not about mk.2s - I like them!) but have reconciled the slight annoyance with the fact that railtour operators are clearly struggling and need all the support they can get.
I was astonished by the number of coaches in use on this tour which is worrying. And I do wonder if some of those on board only travelled because earlier tours they had booked had been cancelled, so the loading may have been a little artificial. Strange and concerning times for the railtour industry and its customers.

 

[matt]

Was yesterday's trip only 6 coaches because of restrictions on length of where it visited or due to the amount of ticket sales?

 

[308165]

I called them on Friday on the off chance that there were still some Keighley - Rylstone spaces and was told that it was full. I did end up seeing the tour at Keighley and was surprised it was only 6 vehicles.

Unless it was related to the pick up points in the Midlands and platform lengths I can't think of another restriction making it this short.

 

[19Gnasher69]

Given the length of the aggregates trains to/from Rylstone, I’d have thought that there would be capacity for a longer railtour but guess that there could be more to it than my layman’s view.
I don’t know what are the arrangements at the quarry. The only other time I’ve been there was on a load five train with a class 47, which ran round. Yesterday was load six but top and tailed, plus the resident shunter (which took us to six feet from the buffer apparently).

 

[The_Train]

What's even more annoying with today's tour is that the add on tour from Keighley to Rylstone which was advertised on the website as only available to those on the whole tour was available to book separately.

So why bother paying £169 for the full tour when I could have paid £50 for the separate tour and saved many many hours on uncomfortable low MK2 seating & accommodation costs?

I just feel like it's been missold.

If they had offered the chance to book the mini-tour from the moment the tour was advertised and 90% of people only booked the mini-tour there would have been no tour at all