The 20 tour at just over £100 for first class makes other operators look a bit on the pricey side
True, something in Scotland would be nice with the 89
I don't think this is entirely reflective of or can be judged against where the market is at the moment. LSL don't have to pay somebody to hire in coaching stock and locos as they have their own and can basically use the IC arm of the business as a bit of a plaything because they make their money from the other sides of the business.
This seems very vague. Does anyone know what this operational reason is?
Which route was the tour due to take across the Pennines? I can't remember. There is Bank Holiday engineering work around Huddersfield
It was Hope Valley way out Calder Valley on the way back.
Plus needing a hotel in Holyhead or a very early start in Crewe to do it, neither are the most populous places. It struck me as an odd one right from the start.
Low bookings would be my guess, as is the problem with most tours these days. I never book on any with 100% confidence that it will run, irrelevant of what loco it is or what stock it is because I know it is more likely to struggle to sell than be a sell out
A western would be great, I myself would love a 90 tour s
I don't see a 90 tour happening on the IC brand. They tried it before and it got canned for low bookings. There just isn't a market for AC tours unfortunately and I think this is why the 90s are going into the "luxury" black colour scheme so they can be used primarily on the electric legs of steam tours that often run from London to Crewe/Preston/Carlisle before the steam loco goes on
Aye. If so, we can assume operational reasons refers to ticket sales not covering the operational cost of the tour.
On the subject of low bookings, this afternoon LSL have emailed me my ticket for next week's "Portsmouth Harbour Statesman". The website is currently showing 20 seats remaining in Dining, 16 in First Class and 16 in Standard. That's 52 seats available in total across the 3 classes. Presumably the higher ticket price for this tour offsets the loss in revenue. I suspect if it had been a lower-priced tour like an Intercity one it would probably have been canned.
I think it is just a reason that they think sounds better than "nobody booked onto it."
Also a lot of work going on in the Liverpool area which would have made it difficult for potential Merseyside passengers to make a potential joining point at Chester or Warrington.
From a business point of view, what it the reason or reasons why railtours are not selling. If someone had said to me back in the 1980s and 1990s that in 2026 you will be able to ride behind a class 40 or 45 on the main line, I would never have believed them. We are very lucky really to have this opportunity and it seems to me a great shame after all the time and money that has been invested in these locomotives that they are not fully appreciated. I feel sad for the younger generation, because these locomotives gave me so much pleasure in travelling behind and photographing when I was young. I had a hobby which helped me through some very difficult times, and I will always be grateful for the memories of chasing BR locomotives.
Railtour prices keep going up, people's disposable income's are shrinking due to wages not keeping pace with inflation and bills/food prices are also going up. Railtours are going to be one of the first cuts for most households, ahead of things like holidays.
Transpennine Route Upgrade: Significantly amended / reduced train service to / from Huddersfield from Saturday 2 to Friday 8 May
For me it is a mix of rising costs to go on them along with unreasonable expectations of what railtours can offer these days. I think some people still think it is the 1970s when pretty much anything was possible, there was a wide range of locos available and lots of Mk1 carriages knocking about.
Agreed. I love a nice long day out but also would appreciate some "9 till 5" jobs too - many day tours can be 12+ hours which presumably can limit audience. Id still pay the same, within reason, its less a £/mile or hour evaluation much more the experience
True that although I wonder how they would feel if a Sulzer and EE did DH together
Very acceptable if the Sulzer were a type 2! But I’ll dream on.
Remember too the double-whammy of the treasury/government. First the increase in employer NI being passed down the chain and second the freeze on the income tax threshold. For 2020-1 there was almost £3500 gap between the state pension and the threshold so that amount from a occupational or personal pension was tax free. Now the gap is £22 ...
Unless very special / unique I will drop one day out before several days away.
At least with LSL the stock is in decent condition and a low risk of faults.
I'm not happy. I want tours that set off from Leeds at sensible o'clock.
I would do this but the 20s would end up on the back at Derby for the journey to Crewe I guess.
Not if we avoid Derby.! I was thinking of taking the freight line from near Long Eaton towards Burton On Trent and then picking up the Stoke line, that way the class 20s can work all the way back to Crewe.
