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I quoted Jo Ford from Spitfire in an interview with Railways Illustrated saying that 37 tours sell, so you're pretty much striking the right notes. As I said, 37s are not to everyone's tastes and could be tempted if there was more variety - I do the odd 37 tour as well as steward on a few if...

Only if you like 37s that is! Looking through the entire programme for the rest of this year (including this weekend's tour) the common theme is that all tours feature a 37 of some sort.:roll: I don't think I'm tempted this time round, but I hope they go well for Spitfire regardless...

You're digging yourself into a hole. Stop while you can still get out, and for the benefit of the rest of us please leave this thread to discussion of the tour, not to share jokes between your pals.

Yes I suppose that was probably the only downside, but I wasn't bothered too much and it's one of those things. You can't have them all! Overall, very good tour. Thanks to Spitfire for organising it (third time lucky) and to ETL for providing 87002.

Looking on the Spitfire website, the diesel for this Saturday will be, as suspected, a Class 47. Incorrect. Tours are timed around the top speed of the loco and stock that's used for the tour, and if all tours were timed for 80mph tops there would be a lot more tours starting and finishing...

WCRC have had to turn to 37s due to the current shortage of operational 47s in their fleet which, if a 37 was dropped on to the rear on Saturday, would limit the tour to 80mph instead of 95mph, which may be a bit problematic on the WCML at least, although not sure whether the 37s are cleared to...

I am told a 47 is most likely for the Ayr mini-tour, but that was a few months ago and it depends on availability. WCRC are three 47s down now that 47798 has been returned to the NRM and 47851 and 854 are off the road. A 37 can be ruled out due to their 80mph top speed and I'll be very...

Propelling was also the tactic deployed at Blackpool North last November when Spitfire bought 37248 (now off the main line) and 37676 into town. The locos propelled the stock into the carriage sidings, ran round, and propelled the stock back into the station ready for the return - all in the...

Only if you sit next to a pillar. :wink:

As far as I'm aware 317s are not compatible with 365s, so more likely a drag or a rescue.

Southport-Wigan is my local line - live right next to it. Units used are 142s, 150s and 156s. Before the December timetable change 156s were more common than 142s, but since the change I've noticed it to be the complete opposite, especially on the Manchester Airport services. The level of...

Probably because 37s were never booked to haul Virgin services apart from perhaps the odd occasion when they may have been summoned to rescue one, but I have no gen on the exact rescues. Best bet would be to look back to Summer 1998 when the Virgin 47s were dropping dead like flies due to the...

I did no customer surveys at all, and I did pass through your end a few times checking tickets, so I may have seen you but not recognised you - apologies. My point was that not one passenger came up to me on the day and raised the issue of using air-cons. Whether James or the other stewards...

Obviously the likes of Green Express Railtours suffer very badly because they don't advertise the booked traction. It isn't beyond the realms of possibility, no. But to do this it costs money, and if a rolling stock supplier is to completely refurbish a rake of Mk1/Mk2 PVs they will have to...

Hmm, and lose out on a lot of business due to the omission of a popular destination in favour of a destination which, despite its popularity in its own right, is not a patch on a city further up the line? Very good business case for the sake of avoiding air-cons.:roll: Agreed. Except that...

Right on cue. :roll: The official line from Network Rail is that air-conditioned stock can only be used between Maryport and Carlisle, and that all vestibules must be stewarded so that nobody is window hanging - not even sticking your head out is allowed on this section. If you have a...

Correct. Whether the whingers will take note of this when they start complaining about it being air-cons again remains to be seen, but it's either air-cons or nothing.

The third Retro Railtour would appear to now be open for bookings... http://www.retrorailtours.co.uk/rt3.php Not sure what's an EE Type 2 though. :wink:

They've been open for bookings for some time, and do have other tours planned, but yes it does surprise me that there are so many new entrants in 2009 during a recession. It wouldn't surprise me if there are more cancellations or postponements like this in the future, especially from the new...

I am afraid you are going to be disappointed. So enjoy it whole you can.