Intercity Railtours

[Drimnagh Road]

A new Scotland based outfit;

http://intercity-railtours.webs.com/

 

[Darandio]

Would be nice to be proved wrong of course, but there are many things that are alarming already.

* Use of a free website host, this lacks professionalism and suggests immediately that they have no capital.

* With regards to the above, this means contact is made through a hotmail address.

* Contact hours are only 5pm - 9pm, suggesting that this is someone at work or even school.

 

[Nym]

Also, in addition to these, it's PINK!

Lack of capital would scare me off from using this company though.

 

[jopsuk]

Add in a residential address and a mobile phone number to the list of "reasons not to give them your money"

 

[Darandio]

It certainly has an element of bad taste considering what happened to Rail Blue last year, and the subsequent chain of customers struggling to receive any money back.

It's worrying that people may well fall into a trap and pass money over to this new organisation. Saying that, it could well be genuine but there are doubts given how unprofessional it all is.

 

[ryan125hst]

Another worrying thing is the fact that one of their railtours is "Hauled Throughout By Class 90 and 97 Locomotives". Class 97's are departmental loco's aren't they?

http://intercity-railtours.webs.com/2012tours.htm#841525098

 

[TGVDUDE]

Another worrying thing is the fact that one of their railtours is "Hauled Throughout By Class 90 and 97 Locomotives". Class 97's are departmental loco's aren't they?

http://intercity-railtours.webs.com/2012tours.htm#841525098

Yes but to run to Aberystwyth like they plan to, they need 97s which boast the on board signalling system needed. It does seem a strange set up using a free web-host, hotmail and 5-9pm calling hours for a railtour company, think i'll be holding my wallet firm until It looks more like the real deal!

 

[Darandio]

Yes but to run to Aberystwyth like they plan to, they need 97s which boast the on board signalling system needed. It does seem a strange set up using a free web-host, hotmail and 5-9pm calling hours for a railtour company, think i'll be holding my wallet firm until It looks more like the real deal!

Yes, that wouldn't be out of the realms of possibility. Wasn't there even a test run last week with ex-Virgin stock hauled by the 97's in anticipation of an upcoming railtour on the line?

 

[ryan125hst]

Yes but to run to Aberystwyth like they plan to, they need 97s which boast the on board signalling system needed. It does seem a strange set up using a free web-host, hotmail and 5-9pm calling hours for a railtour company, think i'll be holding my wallet firm until It looks more like the real deal!

Of course! This is the line with ERTMS. When I first read it I was confused as to why a railtour was being hauled by Network Rail's test locos!

 

[Whistler40145]

The website doesn't look professional & actually wonder if any tours will run!

Does anyone remember Black Cat Tours in the early 1990s?

Mind you both Spitfire & Retro aren't large companies.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Crimson_Quiff]

I always remember that tour a few years ago that claimed to be using 86101 and 87002 double-headed from Birmingham International to Glasgow Central and back. I can't remember what they were called now but it turned out to be one big hoax.

If these guys are genuine then fair play, hat off to them. But I feel they've got to prove themselves first...

 

[Chester025]

I always remember that tour a few years ago that claimed to be using 86101 and 87002 double-headed from Birmingham International to Glasgow Central and back. I can't remember what they were called now but it turned out to be one big hoax.

If these guys are genuine then fair play, hat off to them. But I feel they've got to prove themselves first...

Northern Railtours IIRC. 4X20s to Skeg and summat with the 40 was announced aswell.

 

[Wath Yard]

Whoever this lot/person is, they haven't approached Network Rail for any paths yet!

That claim is totally unfounded. They may or may not have approached NR, I have no inside knowledge, but just because a path for a railtour isn't in the system 3 months before the tour is due to run doesn't mean they have not approached Network Rail.

 

[jopsuk]

Whoever this lot/person is, they haven't approached Network Rail for any paths yet!

http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/EDB/2012/05/27/08:00

Being ran from this house:

The assignment of house numbers is a bit off on google streetview. Looking at numbers on houses using it we find that that number 30 is in fact this house

 

[Darandio]

The assignment of house numbers is a bit off on google streetview. Looking at numbers on houses using it we find that that number 30 is in fact this house

Indeed, and the website creator is sat at his desk.

 

[scotsman]

Hello folks, I'm part of Intercity Railtours

It's actually the brainchild of my friend Allan - a colleague of mine from SRPS Railtours, and a volunteer at the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway. I, with a few others, have been invited to take part in the venture, and I assure you that it is most definitely for real.

I put together this press release last night, hopefully this should deal with some of your questions.

I'll take your comments one by one.

Would be nice to be proved wrong of course, but there are many things that are alarming already.

* Use of a free website host, this lacks professionalism and suggests immediately that they have no capital.

* With regards to the above, this means contact is made through a hotmail address.

* Contact hours are only 5pm - 9pm, suggesting that this is someone at work or even school.

1. Not unprofessional for a website only just online, the website is purely a provisional programme - as soon as things are finalised, the site (and email) will get updated

2. We're not at the stage (if we ever get to it!) where running the railtours is a full time job, so, for the moment, the hours you can contact us and the contact address, are still based at Allan's.

It certainly has an element of bad taste considering what happened to Rail Blue last year, and the subsequent chain of customers struggling to receive any money back.

It's worrying that people may well fall into a trap and pass money over to this new organisation. Saying that, it could well be genuine but there are doubts given how unprofessional it all is.

The website is purely provisional, we're not after bookings yet - we'll only be looking for bookings once we've got things finalised.

Like I said, we're definitely genuine, and I apologise if we appear unprofessional, but I'd say our approach is much more professional than some.

I'm not going to post any commercially sensitive information, but I've had a request to "point out that the company would prefer to not have their neighbour's house shown on the forum"

Any questions, feel free to send them off to intercity-railtours@hotmail.co.uk

 

[Darandio]

Thanks for replying. I am sure you can appreciate why some would be sceptical, and it is good that are taking the time to address concerns. I'll pick at some points.

1. Not unprofessional for a website only just online, the website is purely a provisional programme - as soon as things are finalised, the site (and email) will get updated.

I disagree about this, simply because a website only just online could also be a paid for domain. Using a free host is generally a large put off for many for the simple reason that it raises questions as to the motive behind it given anybody can set up a website and make a claim to anything.

Getting a specific domain is enormously cheap these days and provides benefits from the outset that outweigh the negative first impression.

The website is purely provisional, we're not after bookings yet - we'll only be looking for bookings once we've got things finalised.

Like I said, we're definitely genuine, and I apologise if we appear unprofessional, but I'd say our approach is much more professional than some.

Again, this may be the case and looking more closely, there is no online form and any booking you try to add to cart is unavailable. However, can this not be stipulated in the first place without any potential customer needing to click through to find out? Or even having to call a mobile phone number at excessive cost just to be told something that could have been stated beforehand?

I'm not going to post any commercially sensitive information, but I've had a request to "point out that the company would prefer to not have their neighbour's house shown on the forum"

Not sure what you can do about that. It's been tried and tested with Google and is in the public domain. Regardless of any neighbourly quarrel, you can post an image of any house featured on Streetview.

 

[scotsman]

I disagree about this, simply because a website only just online could also be a paid for domain. Using a free host is generally a large put off for many for the simple reason that it raises questions as to the motive behind it given anybody can set up a website and make a claim to anything.

I'll pass this on

Again, this may be the case and looking more closely, there is no online form and any booking you try to add to cart is unavailable.

Oops! Clearly there's still a few live links on the homepage

 

[theblackwatch]

Where are these enthusiast websites where a stir had been created before the press release was done yesterday?

 

[scotsman]

Where are these enthusiast websites where a stir had been created before the press release was done yesterday?

WNXX and scot-rail

 

[theblackwatch]

Though strangely nothing appeared on wnxx till the middle of today!

 

[scotsman]

Though strangely nothing appeared on wnxx till the middle of today!

I was told there was discussion about it on WNXX, but the release was written following the discussion on scot-rail

Forgive me, but I fail to grasp what point you're trying to make.

 

[First class]

Has this company got a registered company number with assigned directors? Companies House draws a blank.

I'd also be quick to register the business name before someone else registers it!

At the moment, paying for any railtour would be a simple case of giving money to an individual. No VAT invoice etc could be provided.

 

[theblackwatch]

Well it would appear to me the comment about a 'lot of speculation' was rather wide of the mark and was made when there hadn't actually been much. It is understandable people will speculate if they don't have the information or answers.

One MAJOR problem with the way this has been done is that it is not clear at all that this is a provisional programme. Potential punters are going to ask questions before they are prepared to part with their cash, basic thngs like what TOC is being used, who is providing the rolling stock, where is the 31 coming from, etc. Booking on a tour isn't just about spending your £65, in the case of the first tour most people will have to book 2 nights in a hotel, a day's leave on Monday and arrange travel to/from the trip - so clearly people will want to know that the train has a high likelihood of running.

 

[scotsman]

Has this company got a registered company number with assigned directors? Companies House draws a blank.

The company is still in the very early stages.

Well it would appear to me the comment about a 'lot of speculation' was rather wide of the mark and was made when there hadn't actually been much.

There was a lot of speculation over on scot-rail, some of it was quite damaging

One MAJOR problem with the way this has been done is that it is not clear at all that this is a provisional programme.

This could have been clearer on the website, however it is fully dealt with in the press release.

Potential punters are going to ask questions before they are prepared to part with their cash, basic thngs like what TOC is being used, who is providing the rolling stock, where is the 31 coming from, etc. Booking on a tour isn't just about spending your £65, in the case of the first tour most people will have to book 2 nights in a hotel, a day's leave on Monday and arrange travel to/from the trip - so clearly people will want to know that the train has a high likelihood of running.

In the press release we state "It would be much appreciated if everyone could stop speculating for the time being, until the finalised programme is announced" - this is for two reasons:

1. Speculation about the company, especially our finances, could hamper efforts in trying to hire stock

2. Everything will be much clearer when the programme is finalised, and we're open for bookings - which is what's important

 

[Wath Yard]

2. Everything will be much clearer when the programme is finalised, and we're open for bookings - which is what's important

No, what is important is that potential customers have confidence. If you are planning a tour for May then you will need to get your proposals into Network Rail, via a TOC pretty soon. Saying things are at an early stage doesn't help either you or any possible customers.

 

[scotsman]

No, what is important is that potential customers have confidence. If you are planning a tour for May then you will need to get your proposals into Network Rail, via a TOC pretty soon. Saying things are at an early stage doesn't help either you or any possible customers.

Everything on the operational side of things is doing well. We're at an early stage with the website (it only went up last week), and settling the formalities

 

[theblackwatch]

In my view, nothing should have been announced until stock etc had been sorted and things properly set up. The way to avoid speculation is not to make half an announcement and ensure when you do, all the 'I's are dotted and the 'T's crossed so that when people do ask questions, you can provide answers rather than just asking them not to speculate but not giving answers.

 

[scotsman]

In my view, nothing should have been announced until stock etc had been sorted and things properly set up. The way to avoid speculation is not to make half an announcement and ensure when you do, all the 'I's are dotted and the 'T's crossed so that when people do ask questions, you can provide answers rather than just asking them not to speculate but not giving answers.

Well, technically, nothing was announced.

The plans were put on to the website - a free host, as has been mentioned - with the address circulated amongst four people only with the intention of showing the intended programme. Someone came across it, then posted it to scot-rail.

The only announcement Intercity Railtours has made is via the press release, in which there are no firm commitments to any particular destination, traction, or rolling stock.

 

[captainbigun]

Also worth pointing out that it isn't possible to negotiate for the WC Mk3 set (probably not entirely wise referring to it as the 'Pretendalino')! as the franchise owner isn't yet known. Also a large assumption that if the MK3 set is retained that it will do so with 90s as traction.