Urban75 Home About Offline BrixtonBuzz Contact

Misc steam railway, traction, station and rail-related news

Does anyone know why it's currently impossible to book tickets 12 weeks in advance for the super saver rates at weekends.

I've managed to book a train down to London from Wolverhampton on the Friday (1st July) but can't book anything back on the Sunday. In fact only about 5 weeks in advance of weekend bookings are currently available.

There's no scheduled maintenance that I can see of.
 
cybershot said:
Does anyone know why it's currently impossible to book tickets 12 weeks in advance for the super saver rates at weekends.
Click to expand...

in theory, network rail and the train operators are supposed to agree timetables (including short term changes for engineering work) x weeks before it happens (think this is the 12 weeks timescale)

but with covid and so on, i think they gave got in a tailspin and not got it together since, so timescales have got shorter
 
Proper "camping coaches" are brilliant !
I never did get to stay in one - my family were booked, at least once, when I was a kid, but then my ma was taken ill so the holiday get cancelled and we went much later to a caravan in mid-Wales.

However, I did do some work for one of the Ravenglass Pullman "Maid of Kent" [before their latest revamp - which I must have a proper look at some time]

RER - close up new end par StoneRoad2013, on ipernity
 
I have stayed in more than one "skid row" - an ancient & decrepit carriage doubling as volunteer accommodation.
I won't shame the locations by naming them, suffice it to say, they now have decent facilities.
 
hash tag said:
Anyone know what's happening with the restoration of the Brighton Belle?
Click to expand...
no, but I can have a nose about my sources. give me a while to do some research - probably need a few days to get "real" answers !
{I was aware that the marquetry panels have been away for restoration}
 
StoneRoad said:
Quite a proportion of passengers aren't too bothered what's on the front of the train - speaking from experience, as an ex-guard on a heritage railway.

Converting [back in some cases] to oil-burners, or trying some variety of ecologically friendly coal is going to make for an interesting summer or two for most lines.
Click to expand...
Diesels are not all bad. As per usual, we will be going to see the historic commercials on their run from Crystal Palace to Brighton. There will also be a handful of steam wagons. The difference this year is we will be awaiting their arrival in Brighton.
I am still hoping for a ride down in a routemaster one year.
www.hcvs.co.uk

Historic Commercial Vehicle Society

Historic Commercial Vehicle Society - For Historic Vehicle Enthusiasts
www.hcvs.co.uk www.hcvs.co.uk
Ps sorry to digress.
 
cybershot said:
Could you image how long that would have took here.
Click to expand...
Network Rail routinely replaces bridges within a weekend or a few days. That's with lots of pre-planning though.

When there is unexpected damage, like tracks getting washed out in flooding, services often seem to be restored within a month or two.

So the answer to your question is probably "not much longer".
 
War-time needs can expediate matters a good deal !

Repairing the hole at Soham [after a waggon-load of 500lb bombs cooked off in a fire] took 18 hours, for example.
The situation would have been far worse but for the heroism of Fireman Nighthall and Driver Gimbert.
 
editor said:
Who doesn't love a log train in Wales?



Click to expand...

Two ! 37s ... [I know some might think I'm sort of sad being impressed by them] I saw the top clip on the Beeb, but must watch the drone footage.
The still at the start of the top clip - that crossing looks like Llanbadarn, if it is I've stood there quite a few times in the early 1980s.
 
StoneRoad said:
Two ! 37s ... [I know some might think I'm sort of sad being impressed by them] I saw the top clip on the Beeb, but must watch the drone footage.
The still at the start of the top clip - that crossing looks like Llanbadarn, if it is I've stood there quite a few times in the early 1980s.
Click to expand...

Llanbadarn crossing all right.

37's are the classic workhorse ,tough , not attractive and of course "sound" proper. There might be other log trains in the future.
 
StoneRoad said:
War-time needs can expediate matters a good deal !

Repairing the hole at Soham [after a waggon-load of 500lb bombs cooked off in a fire] took 18 hours, for example.
The situation would have been far worse but for the heroism of Fireman Nighthall and Driver Gimbert.
Click to expand...

Not forgetting the signalman on duty - who could have run away , but did everything possible. (been trying to get his bravery commemorated for a little while !)
 
I have known and worked with 37's for many years - superb machines. Always referred to them as "the Lancasters" of the railway. I guess they were designed in appearances from USA diesels. Perhaps uber-functional is a better term. :)
 
teuchter said:
I travelled behind this beauty just a couple of weeks ago



My favourite experiences of them in "real life" were more along these lines though

Click to expand...


Yes - years of aquaintance in South Wales on freight (though they used to get a Summer treat by working passenger services to West Wales and Bristol Zoo) , later in East Anglia where pairs of 37's worked 1600 ton trains out of Felixstowe - there were 2 pairs on departures at 2130 and 2200 for Holyhead and Manchester , and you could hear from miles away.

Triple 37's worked Port Talbot to Llanwern iron ore trains , a combination that made the earth shake.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

hash tag
Passenger rail turns 200
Replies
4
Views
188
Elpenor
Elpenor
hash tag
rail walks
Replies
3
Views
221
marty21
marty21
hash tag
Waterloo Station - proposed redevelopement
Replies
9
Views
376
Puddy_Tat
Puddy_Tat
danny la rouge
Traffic news apps for travelling in cars
2 3
Replies
73
Views
2K
eightball
E
davesgcr
RIP Station cat - Felix.....
Replies
14
Views
568
tim
tim
Back
Top Bottom