More Spitfires

[33011]

Has this come about since past-time went under? As they used to get it out fairly often.
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Spitfire should of had D1015 last year only for it to be pulled by the DTG for a transmission change that never took place.Since then Spitfires requests for the loco have fallen on deaf ears.

 

[nedchester]

DTG will only allow D1015 to work Pathfinder/Riviera tours so no D1015 i'm affraid.

That'll be why D1015 worked to Penzance on a RTC / West Coast train earlier this year then...........
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Spitfire should of had D1015 last year only for it to be pulled by the DTG for a transmission change that never took place.Since then Spitfires requests for the loco have fallen on deaf ears.

I think Spitfire advertised the use of the Western before it had been agreed by the DTG.

As far as I am aware the DTG is open to offers from all operators although they don't want to run the engine into the ground (as it were) with it doing too much.

 

[37401]

2010 in prospect will hopefully see the return of Deltic's, 50's, potentially 45's and preserved 37's. We will of course look to use these locomotives in our program as and when (or IF) they become available. Hopefully throwing other traction in daily use on the mainline into the mix also, including AC and type 1 tours.

I look forward to booking in 2010 then

 

[37113]

I think Spitfire advertised the use of the Western before it had been agreed by the DTG.

As far as I am aware the DTG is open to offers from all operators although they don't want to run the engine into the ground (as it were) with it doing too much.

Tim, I'm affraid you'd be very much incorrect in that statement, We do not do things half cocked, we had full agreement, we had the bid submitted to Network Rail accepted, sadly it was not too be, our fares were too cheap - to coin a fantastic phrase that certain "people" will know all about is "market realistic prices". Spitfire can't charge £49 for a D1015 tour, when other operators can screw £60/£70, it'll make it all collapse.

Suggest you read the last? Railways Illustrated where Martin Street has an interview with Pip, it is very telling and I think very honest.

Especially when it goes along the lines when accepting work the "future good" of the loco is taken into account also, this for the unaware refers to the DTG's connection to Riviera.
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What about D1015, there was a nice tour advertised with you last year to Penzance? Or how about 40145, another go at Skegness?

I think I answered your question with the post to Nedchester.

As for Skeg, it is an ambition of mine to get a 40 there, how long this takes is open to debate though, never say never.

 

[33011]

That'll be why D1015 worked to Penzance on a RTC / West Coast train earlier this year then...........

Well RTC weren't cheap fares.Also they were working with Riviera when the job was planned hence the use of D1015.

 

[37401]

Tim, I'm affraid you'd be very much incorrect in that statement, We do not do things half cocked, we had full agreement, we had the bid submitted to Network Rail accepted, sadly it was not too be, our fares were too cheap - to coin a fantastic phrase that certain "people" will know all about is "market realistic prices". Spitfire can't charge £49 for a D1015 tour, when other operators can screw £60/£70, it'll make it all collapse.

Suggest you read the last? Railways Illustrated where Martin Street has an interview with Pip, it is very telling and I think very honest.

Especially when it goes along the lines when accepting work the "future good" of the loco is taken into account also, this for the unaware refers to the DTG's connection to Riviera.


As for Skeg, it is an ambition of mine to get a 40 there, how long this takes is open to debate though, never say never.

I couldnt agree more, you can do 2 Spitfire tours for every 1 pathfinder/compass ect tour, thats why ill stick to spitfire and the stewards are great ive never had any problems and if they tell you to stay in the train its for a good reason, they are fair on you "You can have your head out but keep your sholders in" fair `nuff, that nut that went bellowing and flailing through Carlisle on the Electric Scot was taking the p*** abit lucky i was the only one who saw him

 

[33011]

that nut that went bellowing and flailing through Carlisle on the Electric Scot was taking the p*** abit lucky i was the only one who saw him

So you report the fact on here :roll:
Think before you post

 

[Chester025]

"You can have your head out but keep your sholders in" fair `nuff, that nut that went bellowing and flailing through Carlisle on the Electric Scot was taking the p*** abit lucky i was the only one who saw him

Well done for reporting it!

As for 2 Spitfire=1 Pathfinder/Compass

Spitfire=£49x2= £98

Pathfinder=£59/£69
Compass=£54/£59

And yet Compass still manage to sell out with those prices.

 

[33011]

Well done for reporting it!

As for 2 Spitfire=1 Pathfinder/Compass

Spitfire=£49x2= £98

Pathfinder=£59/£69
Compass=£54/£59

And yet Compass still manage to sell out with those prices.

Where else can Duff bashers spend their cash?

 

[37401]

Well done for reporting it!
.

Well we were in the same coach him and his 3 possibley more mates wont hearing me say "Him, that one there he just flailed" if 37113 wants to take it further I can give a basic but poor description

as for the cash thing yes ill admit its not exacly 2 for every 1 but you still make a good saving

 

[37412]

I couldnt agree more, you can do 2 Spitfire tours for every 1 pathfinder/compass ect tour

You do spout some rubbish sometimes, all of the 37 tours Compass have run this year were priced at £49 or £59, checking the Spitfire website if booked 4 weeks in advance the fares range from £45 - £49.50 or £49.50 - £59.50 less than 4 weeks in advance depending on what tour you are doing (and before the cost of a added mini tour, normally £5 for those booked on the main one, very reasonable I must add), how from that you can work out that you can do two Spitfire tours for the price of one Compass tour I don't know. I agree Pathfinder are more expensive most times but it is unfair to say the same about Compass, all their tours seem reasonable priced for what they are to me.

 

[37401]

You do spout some rubbish sometimes.

why thank you, feel free to read other posts before, i stated "ok not exacly 2 for 1 but you do make a good saving which can go towards another tour

 

[37412]

why thank you, feel free to read other posts before, i stated "ok not exacly 2 for 1 but you do make a good saving which can go towards another tour

While I was reading the original post which i quoted you had obviously made another post, I do feel free to read other posts, but i can't read what was not there when i started to make my post!

 

[37401]

While I was reading the original post which i quoted you had obviously made another post, I do feel free to read other posts, but i can't read what was not there when i started to make my post!

fair `nuff then mate, shakes hands and stops a war breaking out

 

[nedchester]

You do spout some rubbish sometimes, all of the 37 tours Compass have run this year were priced at £49 or £59, checking the Spitfire website if booked 4 weeks in advance the fares range from £45 - £49.50 or £49.50 - £59.50 less than 4 weeks in advance depending on what tour you are doing (and before the cost of a added mini tour, normally £5 for those booked on the main one, very reasonable I must add), how from that you can work out that you can do two Spitfire tours for the price of one Compass tour I don't know. I agree Pathfinder are more expensive most times but it is unfair to say the same about Compass, all their tours seem reasonable priced for what they are to me.

Agree I would say that Compass / Spitfire are broadly similar in terms of price although in the case of 37 tours it can be a bit of a gamble with Compass using DBS 37s!! Was going to do the tour to Carlisle on 21st June and that turned out to be a 67!!! However, hopefully DBS will have at least one more 37 to play with?? Have done two Compass tours with 40145, both were good value days out.

That said am looking at doing the Spitfire trip to York/Newcastle at the end of November from Crewe.

To be honest my first consideration when booking on a tour is 'Is it a good day out?'

 

[83009]

Spitfire should of had D1015 last year only for it to be pulled by the DTG for a transmission change that never took place.Since then Spitfires requests for the loco have fallen on deaf ears.

Do you blame them?

 

[37401]

Do you blame them?

Spitfire are great at the end of the day there is pleanty more locos out there and its only the owners of D1015 that miss out (well apart from D1015 bashers)

 

[Chester025]

Spitfire are great at the end of the day there is pleanty more locos out there and its only the owners of D1015 that miss out (well apart from D1015 bashers)

D1015 to Kyle. Try and beat that! http://50031.fotopic.net/p59104885.html

 

[alex57601]

And yet Compass still manage to sell out with those prices.

As I reported earlier on in the thread, Compass's main market is daytrippers, with cranks always welcome. People may complain about the use of 47s for most of the tours, but it clearly works (even though daytrippers often don't care what's on front) and the use of other traction has been a winner.

I couldnt agree more, you can do 2 Spitfire tours for every 1 pathfinder/compass ect tour, thats why ill stick to spitfire and the stewards are great ive never had any problems and if they tell you to stay in the train its for a good reason, they are fair on you "You can have your head out but keep your sholders in" fair `nuff, that nut that went bellowing and flailing through Carlisle on the Electric Scot was taking the p*** abit lucky i was the only one who saw him

I really must ask, have you travelled on any tours that aren't Spitfire tours? Because I think you will find that excellent customer service isn't just unique to Spitfire (which in my experience, has been good anyway). Try getting your head out of Spitfire's ars€ for once and look at the broader market.

And as for the "you can do 2 Spitfire tours for every 1 Pathfinder/Compass tour", that's the biggest load of rubbish I've seen in a long time. :roll:

 

[83009]

Spitfire are great at the end of the day there is pleanty more locos out there and its only the owners of D1015 that miss out (well apart from D1015 bashers)

Is it worth the cut price hire fee to get slagged off by Hansel and Gretel?
Then again, you get slagged off anyway!
But butter wouldnt melt, etc,etc,etc :roll:

 

[37412]

Agree I would say that Compass / Spitfire are broadly similar in terms of price although in the case of 37 tours it can be a bit of a gamble with Compass using DBS 37s!! Was going to do the tour to Carlisle on 21st June and that turned out to be a 67!!! However, hopefully DBS will have at least one more 37 to play with?? Have done two Compass tours with 40145, both were good value days out.

That said am looking at doing the Spitfire trip to York/Newcastle at the end of November from Crewe.

To be honest my first consideration when booking on a tour is 'Is it a good day out?'

I agree with you, i have not booked on a tour that is booked for DBS 37's this year due to the issues surrounding them, more tours using them seem to have been changed at some point than those that have run correct, there have been single engines where there was booked to be a pair (Cwm & Gone), sheds coming to the rescue (West Highland weekend, Compass June 20th tour), a pres engine being hired to replace them (PF to PZ) or a complete no show (June 21st Compass) to show a few examples. I traveled on many tours with the locos last year with Pathfinder, Compass, Past-time & Kingisher and there were a few issues where one loco did not power for a bit but on none of the tours did we not get 37's or end up with one rather than a pair or end up being rescued. I feel sorry for Compass when they have things like this happen to them, really enjoyed the tour I did of theres last year, reasonably priced, a good day and the stock was presentable and the tour well stewarded. Even though aircons were provided it was nice to have a coach in good condition. I notice that the chocalate & cream mk2 is now becoming the regular front coach on Spitfire tours, hope it continues to be this one as other than the lack of lights the last time i was on it it was a nice coach to travel in.

 

[33011]

Do you blame them?

All they are doing is chinging the fare paying passengers for more money.I dare say that if and when the DTG fall out with riviera Spitfire will be there to give them the finger

 

[83009]

All they are doing is chinging the fare paying passengers for more money.I dare say that if and when the DTG fall out with riviera Spitfire will be there to give them the finger

Ah, so they have fell out then?
I thought all was sweetness and light?
Surely if the passengers feel they are being ripped off then they wont travel?
Choice.

 

[33011]

Ah, so they have fell out then?
I thought all was sweetness and light?
Surely if the passengers feel they are being ripped off then they wont travel?
Choice.

With D1015 oh yeh i forgot Riviera ,Riviera,or Riviera.Nice to see you're all for ripping off your fellow enthusiasts.If you like Westerns you don't have choice if you wan't to do it or perhaps you can enlighten us to an alternative.

 

[83009]

With D1015 oh yeh i forgot Riviera ,Riviera,or Riviera.Nice to see you're all for ripping off your fellow enthusiasts.If you like Westerns you don't have choice if you wan't to do it or perhaps you can enlighten us to an alternative.

I am not ripping anyone off. Nor am I setting myself up as Champion () of the poor downtrodden railtour passenger.
Just because it's cheap doesn't make it good.

 

[90019]

With D1015 oh yeh i forgot Riviera ,Riviera,or Riviera.Nice to see you're all for ripping off your fellow enthusiasts.If you like Westerns you don't have choice if you wan't to do it or perhaps you can enlighten us to an alternative.

Would you rather Riviera or nothing?
Be grateful for having it at all.

 

[83009]

Would you rather Riviera or nothing?
Be grateful for having it at all.

Typical Spitefire. Only been around for 5 minutes and reckon everyone should be falling over themselves to do business with them.

 

[90019]

Typical Spitefire. Only been around for 5 minutes and reckon everyone should be falling over themselves to do business with them.

What the hell?
What does that have to do with what I said?

 

[33011]

What the hell?
What does that have to do with what I said?

Someone who wants you to take sides.
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I am not ripping anyone off. Nor am I setting myself up as Champion () of the poor downtrodden railtour passenger.
Just because it's cheap doesn't make it good.

Not setting yourself up as Champion. You come on here make 5 posts each and everyone to slag off Spitfire you obviously have a vetted interest in another tour operator.If Spitfire get critised i can handle that but they seem to get Sh**loads more than any other tour operator. All tour operators have had the same problems but this seems to get brushed under the carpet but if it happens to Spitfire lets castrate them for it.The bottam line it seems to me is that the people of Spitfire thought railtour prices were getting a bit steep so put their money where their mouth is and run cheap affordable and successful tours and the other operators are more than a little worried about it If you don't like Spitfire fine don't travel simple as.

 

[37401]

Is it worth the cut price hire fee to get slagged off by Hansel and Gretel?
Then again, you get slagged off anyway!
But butter wouldnt melt, etc,etc,etc :roll:

and this is coming from someone who has just joined the forum and no i dont get slagged off, but dont worry your turn will come carry on with your posts and im sure someone will slag you off.

and actually butter does melt, it melted on my toast

As for other charter companies, no I have only ever done spitfire tours and yes im very sure that other comps have good coustomer service too, and my head is not up "Spitfires Ar$e" as you put it, i said im sticking with them because i think they do good value for money tours, taking into account how much it is overall with taxi fare and food ect