scottm
Member
A compilation of clips I have taken over the weekend of the various railtours in Scotland. Features Riviera 47's, DRS 37's, 67007 and 40145.
[youtube]2DX1w4Q91GI[/youtube]
Scott
[youtube]2DX1w4Q91GI[/youtube]
Scott
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Easter weekend railtours in Scotland
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Drimnagh Road
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Very good, thanks for posting. A number of questions.
So, the Easter West Highlander was UK Railtours, and the West Highlander was Pathfinder?
If I remember correctly, both tours were operated by DBS / Riviera, correct? If so, DBS hired DRS 37s for the Oban part of the UK Railtours charter? I remember reading in a magazine earlier on in the year that DBS were hoping to get 67s cleared to Oban but obviously they didn't. This just goes to show why they should do a proper overhaul of a few 37s (and not just a repaint) and allocate them for charter work instead of having to hire rival companies locos. Looks very bad for the image obsessed Germans.
Now, the Pathfinder trip, were did 40145 come into the equation? Was that a late addition to the tour, as wasn't advertised on website. Also, did the Riviera 47s perform ok throughout the weekend, having done very little of late due to reliability issues?
So, the Easter West Highlander was UK Railtours, and the West Highlander was Pathfinder?
If I remember correctly, both tours were operated by DBS / Riviera, correct? If so, DBS hired DRS 37s for the Oban part of the UK Railtours charter? I remember reading in a magazine earlier on in the year that DBS were hoping to get 67s cleared to Oban but obviously they didn't. This just goes to show why they should do a proper overhaul of a few 37s (and not just a repaint) and allocate them for charter work instead of having to hire rival companies locos. Looks very bad for the image obsessed Germans.
Now, the Pathfinder trip, were did 40145 come into the equation? Was that a late addition to the tour, as wasn't advertised on website. Also, did the Riviera 47s perform ok throughout the weekend, having done very little of late due to reliability issues?
scottm
Member
Drimnagh Road - Thanks for your comments on the video. I'll answer as much as I can!
The 37's were hired and ran from Dumbarton to Oban. Two 67's (one was 029) took the tour to Dumbarton and the 37's went onward. They done the return then Paisley to Stranraer return on Sunday.
It would be great if DBS could do something with regards to making 37's available for railtours but it seems nobody really knows what their plans are. I dont mind 67's but I dare say 37 haulage may help sell a tour. I even read somewhere during the week that DBS would be pulling away from railtours. If thats true then maybe they didnt mind using DRS loco's instead.
The 47's went to Fort William with just a MRA wagon to help with brakeforce as there were apparently concerns about their reliability. From what I could see on the gen pages they ran without any major issues over the weekend, I'm sure there probably some small ones with loco's such as that.
40145 was a very late addition to the tour, I think as late as Thursday.
The 37's were hired and ran from Dumbarton to Oban. Two 67's (one was 029) took the tour to Dumbarton and the 37's went onward. They done the return then Paisley to Stranraer return on Sunday.
It would be great if DBS could do something with regards to making 37's available for railtours but it seems nobody really knows what their plans are. I dont mind 67's but I dare say 37 haulage may help sell a tour. I even read somewhere during the week that DBS would be pulling away from railtours. If thats true then maybe they didnt mind using DRS loco's instead.
The 47's went to Fort William with just a MRA wagon to help with brakeforce as there were apparently concerns about their reliability. From what I could see on the gen pages they ran without any major issues over the weekend, I'm sure there probably some small ones with loco's such as that.
40145 was a very late addition to the tour, I think as late as Thursday.
Drimnagh Road
Member
Very interesting. DBS's policy - or lack of - when it comes to operating charters will never cease to amaze me.
Thanks for the above info.
Thanks for the above info.
Actually the MRA wagon between the 2 47's was to increase the length of the train and so spread the weight of the 2 47's for some bridges that the train would be crossing.
I was involved shunting the MRA wagon between the 47's at Mossend on Friday morning.
I was involved shunting the MRA wagon between the 47's at Mossend on Friday morning.
scottm
Member
thanks for confirming, there were many conflicting opinions on why the MRA wagon was used!
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