Could LSL be launching a competitor service to the Jacobite?

[aem7ac]

In the Preservation forum, a thread about a Locomotive Services Limited (LSL) stock move from Crewe to Tom na Faire Depot has included news of a new offering by LSL. LSL will operate a train along the route of the West Coast Railways' "Jacobite" for at least a few days, comprising two class 37s and a shortened ScotRail DBSO rake. Tickets are described as being sold on a day-of basis, 40 pounds for adults and 20 pounds for under-16s.
Could this be a trial run for a new LSL competitor to the Jacobite? If so, what other stock could possibly find its way onto this operation?

 

[Fincra5]

In the Preservation forum, a thread about a Locomotive Services Limited (LSL) stock move from Crewe to Tom na Faire Depot has included news of a new offering by LSL. LSL will operate a train along the route of the West Coast Railways' "Jacobite" for at least a few days, comprising two class 37s and a shortened ScotRail DBSO rake. Tickets are described as being sold on a day-of basis, 40 pounds for adults and 20 pounds for under-16s.
Could this be a trial run for a new LSL competitor to the Jacobite? If so, what other stock could possibly find its way onto this operation?

Mk1s with CDL...

 

[renegademaster]

Mk1s with CDL...

How many sets do LSL have? I thought it was just the 1, and that's needed for steam dreams, and is also probably set up in a mostly first class layout not suited for jacobite

 

[Bletchleyite]

Can't see that working for the tourists without a kettle...worth a try though I suppose!

 

[PG]

Can't see that working for the tourists without a kettle...worth a try though I suppose!

If the 37s running really cold it'd look from afar like a kettle in full steam

 

[zwk500]

It should be pointed out that the West Highland Line and Mallaig extension are scenic in their own right without the Harry Potter connection and LSL have previously operated tours there close to the days the Jacobite was running.

Can't see that working for the tourists without a kettle...worth a try though I suppose!

If you're committed to staying in Fort William for a couple of nights because you booked on the Jacobite there's not a lot else to do if you don't fancy a hike.

 

[snowball]

This really belongs in Stations and Infrastructure, but on seeing it I wanted to put it in the Jacobite central door locking thread, but that's closed, so here it is:

Multi-million-pound investment for world famous Glenfinnan viaduct

Network Rail will start a £3.4m investment to carry out repairs on the 123-year-old Glenfinnan viaduct this month.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Network Rail will start a £3.4m investment to carry out repairs on the 123-year-old Glenfinnan viaduct this month.

Along with principal contractor AmcoGiffen, engineers will assess the condition and strength of the viaduct, while carrying out work to protect it from water erosion, completing concrete repairs and making improvements beneath the track to keep the stone ballast in place.

It’s part of Network Rail’s ongoing maintenance programme and will help futureproof the landmark, which sits 100ft above the River Finnan on the West Highland Line, 17 miles from Fort William. The work is scheduled to take just under a year to complete.

There will be no disruption to rail services during the work and no change to the appearance of the structure – the longest concrete viaduct in Scotland (spanning 1000ft) - when complete.

 

[jopsuk]

Ah that explains what I saw yesterday

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Apr 2024 ==

---

Here we go, second time lucky. Not posted on here in so long

 

[sprinterguy]

Ah that explains what I saw yesterday

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Apr 2024 ==

---

Here we go, second time lucky. Not posted on here in so long

View attachment 155761View attachment 155762View attachment 155763

Gosh, I know a push-pull set made it as far as Oban in '81, but that was before the introduction of the Scotrail livery and I never thought I'd see one at Fort William. And of course the recently reliveried 37 is an intriguing eighties "what-if".

Thanks for sharing these photos.

 

[jopsuk]

Thanks for sharing these photos.

No problem, they were a chance snap whilst I was running an errands to Morrisons! Put a definitive answer on what stock they're using.

 

[peteb]

This is a bit bizarre....there's a video on YouTube showing two class 37's double heading a rake of maroon MK 1 stock up the WCML bound for Fort William on Friday 5th April 2024, so what's going on? Are they simply positioning their stock in case their central locking issues are "suddenly" resolved?

Or will there be a standoff between LSL and WCRC at Fort William, class 37's at the ready?

 

[92002]

The coaches were WCR and have still not had CDL Fitted So seems a bit of a waste of time if they are not allowed to be used in service without CDL being fitted They do have a MK2 set which is fitted though.

 

[peteb]

The coaches were WCR and have still not had CDL Fitted So seems a bit of a waste of time if they are not allowed to be used in service without CDL being fitted They do have a MK2 set which is fitted though.

So they could run mk2's but not mk1's which have the "genuine Harry Potter" appeal. That would at least be a direct a/c competition with LSL's mk2/3 offer. Might be worth them trying that instead. Maybe they will but are using the MK1 set in their existing paths as ECS for crew training purposes?

 

[sprinterguy]

No problem, they were a chance snap whilst I was running an errands to Morrisons! Put a definitive answer on what stock they're using.

That's certainly fortuitous timing.

 

[renegademaster]

So they could run mk2's but not mk1's which have the "genuine Harry Potter" appeal. That would at least be a direct a/c competition with LSL's mk2/3 offer. Might be worth them trying that instead. Maybe they will but are using the MK1 set in their existing paths as ECS for crew training purposes?

The only have one set though, and they need something down south to do railtours

 

[30907]

The coaches were WCR and have still not had CDL Fitted So seems a bit of a waste of time if they are not allowed to be used in service without CDL being fitted They do have a MK2 set which is fitted though.

WCR are clearly lobbying to resume the service under the previous conditions which they didn't actually observe.
https://westcoastrailways.co.uk/news/jacobite-letter-from-mps-re-wcr

MPs voice support for our campaign to get the Jacobite back on track.

...

As the ORR has not yet granted a temporary exemption, unfortunately we have had no option but to suspend The Jacobite services at the start of the season.

The eight MPs, who represent constituencies in which we operate or have an interest in preserving the UK’s heritage railways, have written a joint letter to the Rail Minister highlighting that:

the ORR’s policies allow for exceptions to fitting CDL for heritage carriages.
the ORR should therefore consider our application, designed to meet one of those exceptions, with an open mind.
in applying for a temporary exemption while our long-term application is being considered, we are asking no more than to be treated in the same way as other operators who are currently using hinged-door rolling stock on the main line.
if the ORR is allowing them to use hinged-door carriages on the mainline, there can be no safety reason to justify the refusal of the temporary permission for WCR.
The ORR’s approach ‘should not be clouded by the fact that we have not to date made an application to fit CDL.’

I suspect this trip is PR - having failed in the courts, failed with ORR, try the local lobby.

I wonder if the 8 MPs know why the ORR withdrew the previous exemption, as WCR are silent on the matter?

EDIT: the locked thread has been reopened since I last looked , and I have asked that the last 5 posts be moved there

 

[bleeder4]

WCR are clearly lobbying to resume the service under the previous conditions which they didn't actually observe.
https://westcoastrailways.co.uk/news/jacobite-letter-from-mps-re-wcr
I suspect this trip is PR - having failed in the courts, failed with ORR, try the local lobby.

The current issue (May 2024) of Trackside magazine has an interview with David Smith, owner of WCR, in which he makes it very clear that he is basing everything on getting an exemption for CDL. The magazine even asks him what he will do if that attempt fails and he tells them he doesn't know as he won't consider that possibility.

He is aware that they may lose their Jacobite paths if they don't use them, so he is running empty trains to keep the paths. He even speculated about allowing passengers on them for free, as if there are no fare paying passengers on board then he thinks the CDL rules don't apply.

He also says that it is very unlikely WCR will run any tours at all during the Summer months, as the aircon on the CDL Mk2 set is very unreliable. The magazine then gets a quote from Kelly Osbourne, boss of RTC, in which she says they are scrambling to re-arrange their summer tours.

Pop into your local WH Smith and have a read.

 

[Clarence Yard]

Empty trains don’t retain the paths if they run as a class 5 and without an exemption, he shouldn’t be running as a class 1 or 2.

He just has to run one passenger train before December to retain the paths. It could be any stock with any loco.

 

[12C]

Empty trains don’t retain the paths if they run as a class 5 and without an exemption, he shouldn’t be running as a class 1 or 2.

A class 1 or 2 doesn’t necessarily mean a passenger carrying service, it’s just how Network Rail identify the working and its priority. For example a class 1 could be a postal service or light loco, and test trains often run as class 2.

 

[zwk500]

A class 1 or 2 doesn’t necessarily mean a passenger carrying service, it’s just how Network Rail identify the working and its priority. For example a class 1 could be a postal service or light loco, and test trains often run as class 2.

Class 0 is light loco, the only time a light loco should run as Class 1 is when it's going to clear the line as 1Z99.

 

[Bertiethebobby]

It appears that the Jacobite failed on Monday, the first day of restored service and was rescued by a diesel. Not sure if there’s a thread elsewhere on here about that.