New Retro Railtours HST Charter (24/8)

[CDM Transport]

Hello everyone,

I have received word that Retro Railtours have opened a charter for booking using what looks like a 125 group HST set.

Link:

Retro High Speed Scot

Retro Railtours - aiming to provide tours for enthusiasts and daytrippers

retrorailtours.co.uk

The special train will depart from Crewe and stations in Cheshire and Greater Manchester, before travelling over the Pennines to Huddersfield and Wakefield. The train will then cruise along the East Coast Mainline towards Edinburgh Waverley. Once the stomping ground of the legendary Intercity 125 train, these British Rail icons have been consigned to the history books on mainline services, so this is a very rare opportunity to sample one at high speed.

This railtour picks up at places like Crewe and the Pennines before joining the ECML presumably around York and then will go up to Edinburgh where it will terminate to let passengers have a 4 hour break!

This railtour is running on Saturday the 24th of August 2024

Caleb

 

[The exile]

HST from Reddish South!

 

[LRV3004]

HST from Reddish South!

Second time one will have stopped there……

 

[jfollows]

For what it's worth, I've booked a table for 4 for some non-railway friends (who just happened to be with me when I got the notification email a couple of days ago) and my better half, it looks like a nice day out. Also booked lunch in a nice restaurant we found by chance in January but had to squeeze in. That plus a little sight-seeing tourism should make for a good day out. I've actually not used the ECML for quite a while now, so it'll make a nice change.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jun 2024 ==

Good memories of cycling around Cornwall in 1979 looking for “nice” trains with Class 50s and avoiding the new HST things …. that was a few years ago!

 

[Iskra]

Looks an interesting one- a HST across the Pennines is a bit different and it will be nostalgic having one on the Northern ECML. Edinburgh is also a popular destination with a lot to offer so I think this one should do well.

When did a HST last call at Wakefield Kirkgate?

 

[anothertyke]

Looks an interesting one- a HST across the Pennines is a bit different and it will be nostalgic having one on the Northern ECML. Edinburgh is also a popular destination with a lot to offer so I think this one should do well.

When did a HST last call at Wakefield Kirkgate?

12/8/23 Midland Pullman?

 

[tynesider]

Looks an interesting one- a HST across the Pennines is a bit different and it will be nostalgic having one on the Northern ECML. Edinburgh is also a popular destination with a lot to offer so I think this one should do well.

When did a HST last call at Wakefield Kirkgate?

On a service train, perhaps:
27/12/14 - 1A63 11:20 Bradford Interchange - Finsbury Park
28/12/14 - 1A83 11:17 Bradford Interchange - Finsbury Park

 

[31160]

There is a BIT of winning HST track on this for me but nowhere near enough for the ching, to many other tours that are in the air but not released yet, think I'll just sit tight, no way this will sell out anyway lots of seats on those MK3s

 

[jfollows]

Timings attached. Should be a good day out for me, two of us from Wilmslow, two friends starting from Crewe, lunch with two more friends booked in Edinburgh.
EDIT Timings updated with actual running times after the trip; the services pretty much ran to time; ran as booked with waits at Darlington and Marsden on the way back for example, hardly stopped at Newcastle on the way down and didn’t stop at all at Newcastle on the way back.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Aug 2024 ==

There is a BIT of winning HST track on this for me but nowhere near enough for the ching, to many other tours that are in the air but not released yet, think I'll just sit tight, no way this will sell out anyway lots of seats on those MK3s

Yes, I think first class sold out but standard class may well not have done.

 

[43096]

Timings attached. Should be a good day out for me, two of us from Wilmslow, two friends starting from Crewe, lunch with two more friends booked in Edinburgh.
EDIT Timings updated with actual running times after the trip; the services pretty much ran to time; ran as booked with waits at Darlington and Marsden on the way back for example, hardly stopped at Newcastle on the way down and didn’t stop at all at Newcastle on the way back.

Hope you enjoyed your day out?

Video of 43089 and 43159 powering out of Wilmslow on the return is here:

 

[jfollows]

Hope you enjoyed your day out?

Video of 43089 and 43159 powering out of Wilmslow on the return is here:

Yes, it was a good day out, leisurely lunch with an old friend in Edinburgh was nice, thank you for the video link.

 

[paul1609]

I was on the Grand Central service to Sunderland that was bought to a halt outside York so this service could enter 11 mins early and then leave 5 mins late. The train manager was less than complimentary and I only just made my connection at Eaglescliffe.

 

[renegademaster]

I was on the Grand Central service to Sunderland that was bought to a halt outside York so this service could enter 11 mins early and then leave 5 mins late. The train manager was less than complimentary and I only just made my connection at Eaglescliffe.

Grand Central not really being someone who can moan about punctuality

 

[paul1609]

Grand Central not really being someone who can moan about punctuality

I don't often use the Yorkshire branch railway but on my football away day to Middlesbrough Grand Central was on time until delayed by the train spotters special. LNER southbound was a complete shambles with a cancelled train and then severe overcrowding with unpleasant horse racing hooligans from York. Grand Central was also the only operator carrying out revenue checks between Kings Cross and Middlesbrough and back with all the nationalized operators and stations apparently free to use.

 

[jfollows]

I was on the Grand Central service to Sunderland that was bought to a halt outside York so this service could enter 11 mins early and then leave 5 mins late. The train manager was less than complimentary and I only just made my connection at Eaglescliffe.

Oh, this one I think (not really a good picture, part of 180 101 on 1N90):
We were at least sent along the down slow to let service trains overtake us (as booked) N of York.

I noted the racing hooligans on the way back through York later in the day, I had a slight concern that some of them might have tried to get on our train there, but either the doors remained locked or the station staff managed to dissuade them.

 

[43096]

I was on the Grand Central service to Sunderland that was bought to a halt outside York so this service could enter 11 mins early and then leave 5 mins late. The train manager was less than complimentary and I only just made my connection at Eaglescliffe.

The charter arrived in P10 at 0943. 1N90 to Sunderland arrived in P9 5 late at 0946 and then sat there for 5 mins, eventually leaving at 0951. The charter left 4 late at 0954, so was delayed by your service. The Train Manager ought to be more professional...

If the delay is down to anyone, it is York panel - and platform dwell time by the GC service.

 

[fgwrich]

The charter arrived in P10 at 0943. 1N90 to Sunderland arrived in P9 5 late at 0946 and then sat there for 5 mins, eventually leaving at 0951. The charter left 4 late at 0954, so was delayed by your service. The Train Manager ought to be more professional...

If the delay is down to anyone, it is York panel - and platform dwell time by the GC service.

Indeed, It's hardly the fault of the tour when the regulation is by the Signaller at the Network Rail controlled ROC, but then he's labeled it the "train spotters special" I can see little point in arguing. Perhaps everything out to be moved out of the way for football fans...

 

[CDM Transport]

It was due to the signallers not giving the 180 the path out at good time. I was stood at York awating the HSTs departure and the 180 and 43 basically just sat there with the signaller showing no matter of urgency