Retro Railtours - new railtour company

[yorkie]

Retro Railtours has just launched it's website

www.retrorailtours.co.uk

Please sign up for the mailing list if you are interested in interesting 'retro' traction! Future tours may involve 40145, 37s....

The first tour is with 55022 to Edinburgh and a meet is planned for that.

The website was created by NickW and myself, and if you have any comments please don't hesitate to send either of us a PM or post here as appropriate

 

[Techniquest]

Signed up for the mailing list.

Only issue with the date might be that UK Railtours have a tour in the North West doing rare track. It might not be super-hellfire EE traction (who knows?), but it may be difficult for people to choose. I know I want the track on the UK Railtours run, but I want to do this too...

Good luck with the venture to all involved.

 

[yorkie]

The UK Railtours tour is from Paddington so targets the London market and goes to the North West, so I don't think there's a clash of interests there, but thanks anyway.

 

[theblackwatch]

From my experience of compiling the railtours listing for one of the national magazines, it is impossible to find a date for a railtour which does not clash with another charter somewhere else in the country which someone will find interesting - for example on May 24th there were no less than 14 charters advertised (and 12 of them ran, only 2 were cancelled due to lack of bookings). I agree that a track tour starting 200 miles away featuring Unspecified EWS traction is unlikely to have a major impact on a decent mileage trip using a heritage diesel to a 'day out' destination. If there is a tour that may have a bit of impact, it is the one using EWS Class 37s from Crewe to Cornwall.

 

[Techniquest]

Fair point, had forgotten where it had started from.

All being well, I'll be up there for the phot if nothing else. Or maybe I shouldn't, as everytime I go anywhere near a tour with 55022 booked on it it fails beforehand!

 

[37412]

If there is a tour that may have a bit of impact, it is the one using EWS Class 37s from Crewe to Cornwall.

Indeed, I'm doing the 37 tour that date and at is only £4 more than the Deltic trip and both starting in the North-West. For those enthusiast who want a enjoyable day out on classic traction it will probably be a difficult decision as I would have thought the mileage wouldn't be to different, the Cornish trip probably more though, and it features the Sea Wall, the climbs of Hemerdon, Dainton and Rattery, and the steeply graded Parkandillak branch rounded off with an assult on the Lickey :grin:

 

[devon_metro]

So is this your business Yorkie, or did you just design the website (with Nick's help)

 

[Coxster]

So is this your business Yorkie, or did you just design the website (with Nick's help)

Judging by the company address (Ashton-under-Lyne) my assumption would be either James Palmer (metrocammel) or someone associated with him. I believe Richard Helliwell also lives in/around Ashton and has had involvement in the loco down at the ELR, but if it were he then I'd expect it to be all over 'BRT'

 

[devon_metro]

Interesting, thanks.

 

[metrocammel]

Judging by the company address (Ashton-under-Lyne) my assumption would be either James Palmer (metrocammel) or someone associated with him. I believe Richard Helliwell also lives in/around Ashton and has had involvement in the loco down at the ELR, but if it were he then I'd expect it to be all over 'BRT'

Hello!

Yes, it is indeed my company. Yorkie & Nick have designed the website, and I must say, they have done an excellent job. If anyone would like any further information, please contact me: info@retrorailtours.co.uk

 

[EE Type 3]

Got any Cambrian tours lined up?? :grin::grin:

Sounds good to me, I wish you all the best with your new venture.

 

[Ben]

So whos running this company Yorkie? Yourself?

 

[EE Type 3]

So whos running this company Yorkie? Yourself?

Hello!

Yes, it is indeed my company. Yorkie & Nick have designed the website, and I must say, they have done an excellent job. If anyone would like any further information, please contact me: info@retrorailtours.co.uk

 

[metrocammel]

Got any Cambrian tours lined up?? :grin::grin:

Sounds good to me, I wish you all the best with your new venture.

Theres lots in the pipeline, but one must walk before they can run! As long as everything goes well with the 'Deltic Retro Scot', we are looking into running one more tour later in the year- and then more next year! Destinations currently unknown, but we appreciate any suggestions!

So whos running this company Yorkie? Yourself?

I must say, I thought I made that clear in my last post :?

Yorkie simply made the website, along with input from Nick and myself. He is not related to the management of the company whatsoever.

 

[EE Type 3]

Theres lots in the pipeline, but one must walk before they can run! As long as everything goes well with the 'Deltic Retro Scot', we are looking into running one more tour later in the year- and then more next year! Destinations currently unknown, but we appreciate any suggestions!

Fair enough, as said in above post I wish you success with your venture, I hope to be travelling with you soon.
All the best
Dave

 

[metrocammel]

Fair enough, as said in above post I wish you success with your venture, I hope to be travelling with you soon.
All the best
Dave

Thanks very much!
I gather you've signed up to the mailing list !!

 

[D306]

Do a tour along the Settle and Carlisle line as well. That would be very popular, especially with a kettle

 

[theblackwatch]

Do a tour along the Settle and Carlisle line as well. That would be very popular, especially with a kettle

I think kettles over the S&C have been done to death - yes they are popular, but there are so many which are competing in a crowded market (often 2 or 3 a week). One of the tours I mentioned earlier as being cancelled on May 24th was a steam over the S&C, the reason being "lack of bookings".

 

[metrocammel]

Do a tour along the Settle and Carlisle line as well. That would be very popular, especially with a kettle

The Settle to Carlisle line was our original route, however, due to timing constraints (not getting to Edinburgh until after 2pm!), we changed this to the WCML- which gives you the added benefit of high speed running with a deltic, plus a Napier assault of Shap AND Beattock!

Kettles are another issue all together. I'm happy staying in the diesel / electric market at the moment- hiring a steam loco is very expensive, and it just doesn't seem worth the added bother- especially when you consider how popular tradition diesel 'Merrymaker' type daytrips are.

 

[Aureol]

Webby and trip look great guys, but that provisional timetable can't be right, surely?
Ok, the northbound starts at Huddersfield, but the southbound has Huddersfield as the first drop off, so it seems to rush south to Huddersfield before returning north to Preston for the drop offs.
One minor niggle, though, is the overuse of the word "we" in the first paragraph.
And one last thing, how long's your train? With the date as close as it is there's a chance you might well struggle to fill it. Never know, though. I don't know how it's booking so far
I wouldn't know anything, though, I've only been working on Railtours for 4 years

But seriously though, looks like a great day out and I wish you the best of luck James.

 

[metrocammel]

Webby and trip look great guys, but that provisional timetable can't be right, surely?
Ok, the northbound starts at Huddersfield, but the southbound has Huddersfield as the first drop off, so it seems to rush south to Huddersfield before returning north to Preston for the drop offs.
One minor niggle, though, is the overuse of the word "we" in the first paragraph.
And one last thing, how long's your train? With the date as close as it is there's a chance you might well struggle to fill it. Never know, though. I don't know how it's booking so far
I wouldn't know anything, though, I've only been working on Railtours for 4 years

But seriously though, looks like a great day out and I wish you the best of luck James.

Hi!
I'm not so sure about the 'we' thing, any suggestions?

afaik, the return timings work, they are obviously not confirmed yet, but they are have been checked my WCRC and sent of to NR, with no problems! Huddersfield is obviously the first drop off, as it's a circular trip, originating at Hudds, to Preston via the WCML, returing, and dropping off in the same fashion as the outward via the ECML.
Regarding the bookings, the train is to be load 12, with a brake, FC, RMB & SC. We are getting several booking daily, and we have RSG selling part of the train too, so, with current bookings we are having to fill about 300
seats from now.

 

[Ben]

I must say, I thought I made that clear in my last post :?

I apologise, didnt see the post - Good luck in this venture.

 

[1D53]

I see there is a someone in a Retro Railtours T-shirt 20-bashing today at Worth Valley. ON TOUR LARGE!
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Coxster]

Sounds interesting, James. One thing I thought was a bit odd is that the booking page says that all bookings are subject to the Retro Railtours T&Cs, but then when you click it it says that the T&Cs 'will be uploaded in the next week or two'. Some people may wish to take a look at the T&Cs prior to booking, in the same way people read the small print on other things.

Not saying you're untrustworthy or nothing, and that when the T&Cs are uploaded people will find that they've sold you their soul and a couple of fingers or something - just an observation

 

[christopher]

Triple headed 37s up Lickey, We can only dream :grin:

 

[EE Type 3]

Triple headed 37s up Lickey, We can only dream :grin:

Thats just silly, you want one! Much more noise!

 

[christopher]

3= More Clag :grin:

 

[The Snap]

Judging by the company address (Ashton-under-Lyne) my assumption would be either James Palmer (metrocammel) or someone associated with him. I believe Richard Helliwell also lives in/around Ashton and has had involvement in the loco down at the ELR, but if it were he then I'd expect it to be all over 'BRT'

Nothing to do with me I'm affriad, just based about a mile from where I live. I don't rate 55022 (or any other Deltic for that matter) so won't be doing this tour. If there is a tour with 40145 in the future, I'm sure I will be on that one!!

 

[D306]

3= More Clag :grin:

Not true at all. One, there is more clag, as the loco is on it's own, hauling 8/9 coaches up there, thus more clag comes out. If you used three, then there'd be much less coming out.

 

[Aureol]

Not true at all. One, there is more clag, as the loco is on it's own, hauling 8/9 coaches up there, thus more clag comes out. If you used three, then there'd be much less coming out.

And of course it depends on the state of the PU, how long it's been since the loco's last overhaul (or at least the PU, in engine hours), the fuel injectors (how clean they are or aren't), the oil, how well lubricated the turbochargers are, how cold the engine might be, how long it's been since the loco last worked hard or at all, how much oil is being burnt by the turbochargers, if any, and how long the loco has been standing idle at a station or signal for. But of course you knew that already