New Belmond train in England & Wales

[50002Superb]

Anyone know when the first revenue earning service is due to start?

 

[TheSel]

Anyone know when the first revenue earning service is due to start?

According to the very top line of their website here "The Britannic Explorer takes to the rails from 4th July 2025."

However, working through the options, the earliest I can see is the 'Wales' tour, [allegedly] departing 15:45 Monday 4 August. £8,500 per person. Then it's the 'Cornwall' tour, departing 15:45 Friday 8 August - even more of a bargain at only £7,700 per person.

 

[50002Superb]

According to the very top line of their website here "The Britannic Explorer takes to the rails from 4th July 2025."

However, working through the options, the earliest I can see is the 'Wales' tour, [allegedly] departing 15:45 Monday 4 August. £8,500 per person. Then it's the 'Cornwall' tour, departing 15:45 Friday 8 August - even more of a bargain at only £7,700 per person.

Ok, thanks.

 

[xotGD]

According to the very top line of their website here "The Britannic Explorer takes to the rails from 4th July 2025."

However, working through the options, the earliest I can see is the 'Wales' tour, [allegedly] departing 15:45 Monday 4 August. £8,500 per person. Then it's the 'Cornwall' tour, departing 15:45 Friday 8 August - even more of a bargain at only £7,700 per person.

Any chance of a ten quid part fare to scratch the loco?

 

[nwales58]

However, working through the options, the earliest I can see is the 'Wales' tour, [allegedly] departing 15:45 Monday 4 August.

Probably the first one that is not full already.

Their departure list suggests earlier ones are planned to run:

Belmond Hotels, Trains, River Cruises - Discover Belmond Luxury Travel

Belmond is a global collection of iconic hotels, trains and river cruises bringing together some of the world's most thrilling journeys and destinations, including the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

www.belmond.com

 

[Forty29]

Cabins from £6,300!

Words fail me.

You could fly to Australia and back six times for that.
You could have a fortnight in a 5 star Barbados hotel with flights for that.
You could fly to Dubai and back in Emirates First Class for that and have enough money left for a weekend in a decent hotel there!

Those are outrageous prices. Even though the UK has some wonderful scenery , l'd rather buy a ticket to Barbados!
Only enough money for a weekend in Dubai?!

 

[chrisjo]

July 4th

• 1Z10 15:48 London Victoria to Bishops Lydeard GBRF 20:00

July 5th

• 1Z62 09:00 Bishops Lydeard GBRF to Penzance 14:01
• 5Z62 14:26 Penzance to Penzance T&RSMD 14:41
• 5Z64 16:53 Penzance T&RSMD to Penzance 17:00
• 1Z64 17:30 Penzance to (Lostwithiel) to Fowey Dock Carne Point 23:28

July 6th

• 1Z60 08:45 Fowey Dock Carne Point to Bruton 17:36
• 5Z60 17:43 Bruton to Cranmore 19:34

July 7th

• 1Z66 05:58 Cranmore to London Victoria 10:06

(Empty stock & light engine movements in and out of Stewarts Lane before & after).

 

[Class15]

July 4th

• 1Z10 15:48 London Victoria to Bishops Lydeard GBRF 20:00

July 5th

• 1Z62 09:00 Bishops Lydeard GBRF to Penzance 14:01
• 5Z62 14:26 Penzance to Penzance T&RSMD 14:41
• 5Z64 16:53 Penzance T&RSMD to Penzance 17:00
• 1Z64 17:30 Penzance to (Lostwithiel) to Fowey Dock Carne Point 23:28

July 6th

• 1Z60 08:45 Fowey Dock Carne Point to Bruton 17:36
• 5Z60 17:43 Bruton to Cranmore 19:34

July 7th

• 1Z66 05:58 Cranmore to London Victoria 10:06

(Empty stock & light engine movements in and out of Stewarts Lane before & after).

Thank you very much for providing this list.

 

[50002Superb]

July 4th

• 1Z10 15:48 London Victoria to Bishops Lydeard GBRF 20:00

July 5th

• 1Z62 09:00 Bishops Lydeard GBRF to Penzance 14:01
• 5Z62 14:26 Penzance to Penzance T&RSMD 14:41
• 5Z64 16:53 Penzance T&RSMD to Penzance 17:00
• 1Z64 17:30 Penzance to (Lostwithiel) to Fowey Dock Carne Point 23:28

July 6th

• 1Z60 08:45 Fowey Dock Carne Point to Bruton 17:36
• 5Z60 17:43 Bruton to Cranmore 19:34

July 7th

• 1Z66 05:58 Cranmore to London Victoria 10:06

(Empty stock & light engine movements in and out of Stewarts Lane before & after).

Brilliant, thank you

 

[chrisjo]

Thank you very much for providing this list.

No problem, that'll be £2,500 to you sir.

You can do the same (free of charge) for the July 11th - 14th jaunt.
VIC - XKV - Hunslet Tilcon GBRF - XKV - WKG - PNR - APP - RHD - CUM - Princes Risborough Ace - VIC

The full path onward from Haverfordwest on the 22nd is not yet available though.

 

[theblackwatch]

Those are outrageous prices. Even though the UK has some wonderful scenery , l'd rather buy a ticket to Barbados!
Only enough money for a weekend in Dubai?!

If it's too expensive from you, then you could always go for their cheaper version, the Royal Scotsman, which is just £4,800 for a two night trip around Scotland!

Edinburgh to the Highlands | Royal Scotsman Luxury Train

Travel from Edinburgh to the Highlands on a luxury train journey. Discover Scottish wildlife, Cairngorms landscapes, fine dining and exclusive excursions aboard Royal Scotsman.

www.belmond.com

 

[Class15]

No problem, that'll be £2,500 to you sir.

Brilliant

 

[xotGD]

Hunslet Tilcon GBRF

Sounds more like a Branch Line Society jaunt.

 

[DarloRich]

Hunslet Tilcon GBRF

it is an OZXX code so that's the loco going for servicing though

 

[Forty29]

If it's too expensive from you, then you could always go for their cheaper version, the Royal Scotsman, which is just £4,800 for a two night trip around Scotland!

Edinburgh to the Highlands | Royal Scotsman Luxury Train

Travel from Edinburgh to the Highlands on a luxury train journey. Discover Scottish wildlife, Cairngorms landscapes, fine dining and exclusive excursions aboard Royal Scotsman.

www.belmond.com

Too expensive for a lot of people. I'll stick to Barbados thanks!!

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Too expensive for a lot of people.

That's the precise reason it exists!

The house of Luis Vuitton does not cater to the masses, it's raison d'être is absolute luxury

 

[Yorkshire09876]

Presumably no matching-livery locos for this one? The Scotsman has two 66s in the same livery, but not seen any reports of any GBRF 66s appearing in light blue.

 

[fgwrich]

That's the precise reason it exists!

The house of Luis Vuitton does not cater to the masses, it's raison d'être is absolute luxury

Finally, somebody else on here understands. Whether or not a bunch of enthusiasts on here find it to be too expensive and can price match against holidays in Barbados means absolutely nothing what so ever to the LVMH conglomerate. Unless you are frequently drinking Moët like it’s water, clothing yourself in Luis Vuitton, frequently checking the time on your Tag Heuer and washing it down with a few sips of Hennessy, they are unlikely to consider anything less - they clearly have their market and otherwise wouldn’t have invested in such a luxurious and expensive train. And trust me, from what has been seen so far (mostly by people looking through the windows), it will be up to Bellmond standards I’m sure.

 

[50002Superb]

Finally, somebody else on here understands. Whether or not a bunch of enthusiasts on here find it to be too expensive and can price match against holidays in Barbados means absolutely nothing what so ever to the LVMH conglomerate. Unless you are frequently drinking Moët like it’s water, clothing yourself in Luis Vuitton, frequently checking the time on your Tag Heuer and washing it down with a few sips of Hennessy, they are unlikely to consider anything less - they clearly have their market and otherwise wouldn’t have invested in such a luxurious and expensive train. And trust me, from what has been seen so far (mostly by people looking through the windows), it will be up to Bellmond standards I’m sure.

I’m sure plenty understand, they just don’t think it worthwhile stating

 

[chrisjo]

I’m sure plenty understand, they just don’t think it worthwhile stating

Exactly

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Presumably no matching-livery locos for this one? The Scotsman has two 66s in the same livery, but not seen any reports of any GBRF 66s appearing in light blue.

66 748 is apparently getting the livery.

Originally it was supposed to be two others, but I gather it's now just this one - which is not one of the originally suggested pair.

 

[JonathanH]

66 748 is apparently getting the livery.

Originally it was supposed to be two others, but I gather it's now just this one - which is not one of the originally suggested pair.

Yes, I thought that 66744 and 66745, coincidentally the locomotives between the Royal Scotsman pair, had been identified by some, but 66748 seems to be at Eastleigh, as seen in this picture sourced by a web search - https://www.flickr.com/photos/sparrowhawk7/54602370718

i think that the Royal Scotsman only needs one locomotive most of the time, the exception being when it goes to Wemyss Bay, due to lack of a run round loop, so there are two.

Is there anywhere the Brittanic Explorer is due to go where a second locomotive is necessary?

 

[fgwrich]

Yes, I thought that 66744 and 66745, coincidentally the locomotives between the Royal Scotsman pair, had been identified by some, but 66748 seems to be at Eastleigh, as seen in this picture sourced by a web search - https://www.flickr.com/photos/sparrowhawk7/54602370718

i think that the Royal Scotsman only needs one locomotive most of the time, the exception being when it goes to Wemyss Bay, due to lack of a run round loop, so there are two.

Is there anywhere the Brittanic Explorer is due to go where a second locomotive is necessary?

Having a second loco also gives GBRf a back up loco - I don’t recall there being that many Royal Scotsman workings with a standard liveried GBRf loco on it that’s for sure.

 

[Yorkshire09876]

I’m sure plenty understand, they just don’t think it worthwhile stating

Indeed, and as for the cost of the conversion, much of this was already done for their Ireland operation which they presumably didn't find profitable enough - from photos / CGI images which have appeared it seems that they have replaced the cosmetic bits of the interior but the basic structural changes are still the same as they were when it ran in Ireland. Plus change of bogies and presumably buffer positions as well.

 

[D6130]

Yes, I thought that 66744 and 66745, coincidentally the locomotives between the Royal Scotsman pair, had been identified by some, but 66748 seems to be at Eastleigh, as seen in this picture sourced by a web search - https://www.flickr.com/photos/sparrowhawk7/54602370718

i think that the Royal Scotsman only needs one locomotive most of the time, the exception being when it goes to Wemyss Bay, due to lack of a run round loop, so there are two.

Is there anywhere the Brittanic Explorer is due to go where a second locomotive is necessary?

Carne Point?

 

[fgwrich]

66 748 is apparently getting the livery.

Originally it was supposed to be two others, but I gather it's now just this one - which is not one of the originally suggested pair.

Now fully painted, branded and named St Michael’s Mount.

I see a shorter 8 coach rake went up to London today too.

 

[geoffk]

Brilliant, thank you

Nothing on RTT yet for tomorrow's (Saturday's) run to Penzance. Today's run from Victoria is showing the operator as ZZ.

 

[800001]

According to the very top line of their website here "The Britannic Explorer takes to the rails from 4th July 2025."

However, working through the options, the earliest I can see is the 'Wales' tour, [allegedly] departing 15:45 Monday 4 August. £8,500 per person. Then it's the 'Cornwall' tour, departing 15:45 Friday 8 August - even more of a bargain at only £7,700 per person.

Or if you fancy a 6 day tour around the Lake District and Wales, a cabin starts at £17000.
Screen shot of price attached below.

 

[geoffk]

Nothing on RTT yet for tomorrow's (Saturday's) run to Penzance. Today's run from Victoria is showing the operator as ZZ.

1Z10 15.48 Victoria - to Bishops Lydeard today cancelled "due to a request by the train operator". Source: Real Time Trains.

 

[Gwr12345]

Class 99s are apparently to be used on the service from 2027. Get your new haulage in at £7000 a pop!