Weymouth - summer weekend loco-hauled services - 2009

[whole diary]

[devon_metro]

I will confirm it for you.

Although when you think about it;
*5 Mk2s^▸ (Mark 2 coach)
*2 67s
*2 EWS^▸ (English Welsh & Scottish Railway Ltd, now known as DB Schenker Rail (UK^▸ (United Kingdom))) staff (0900 - 2000 roughly)
*often one FGW^▸ (First Great Western) ATE
*increased track access charges
*fuel
*delay minutes (if any)

[autotank]

Doing some back of a fag packet calculations you'll find the average Steam Tour takes much less than half ^100,000. They run more complicated itineraries, use many more paid staff and I assume if well loaded make a profit for the private operator.

Lets assume the AVERAGE charter loads to the equivalent of 10 full Mk1 TSO^▸ (The Stationary Office (now OPSI))'s (64x10 = 640). On AVERAGE each passenger paying about ^75

^75 x 640 = ^48000

So either:

The ^100k a day loss suggested is way off the mark (perhaps ^100k loss over the summer?)

or

Somebody is being seriously ripped off (probably the tax payer).

[Timmer]

Discussing it with somebody on Saturday, the estimated the loco set lost on average ^100,000 per day of operation.

Good news this year mind, it will go in the timetable.

That must be 100K either for the whole of summer or 10K per Saturday run. There is no way FGW^▸ (First Great Western) or anyone else could run a service losing 100K over say 20 summer Saturdays a year.

Yes it is good news that it will go in the timetable as the more people know its running the better.

[thetrout]

Now all we need is Catering and maybe a First Class Section

Does anyone else agree that catering on the Bristol - Weymouth during the summer would be an essential?? Not to mention a money maker

[bemmy]

Now all we need is Catering and maybe a First Class Section

Does anyone else agree that catering on the Bristol - Weymouth during the summer would be an essential?? Not to mention a money maker

I don't think train catering is ever profitable in itself, it's part of making the overall product more attractive. The presence or otherwise of catering isn't going to influence enough people's decision whether or not to have a day out by train to Dorset, otherwise First would probably already do it.

The trouble with the Weymouth trains is they will be overcrowded when the weather's really good, making it impossible to get a trolley along, and if the weather's terrible, there won't be enough customers to pay for the stock, never mind the wages. A lot of the passengers will be families who may baulk at on-train prices and choose instead to bring their own crisps and soft drinks.

[thetrout]

The trouble with the Weymouth trains is they will be overcrowded when the weather's really good, making it impossible to get a trolley along, and if the weather's terrible, there won't be enough customers to pay for the stock, never mind the wages. A lot of the passengers will be families who may baulk at on-train prices and choose instead to bring their own crisps and soft drinks.

You have a very good point regarding the trolley. It's bad enough on the Cardiff - Portsmouth Line if the train is busy.

I apologise and should have made my post a little clearer. What I was referring to was to have a RFB carriage. That way if FGW^▸ (First Great Western) use a Loco Hauled service on the Weymouth line, You could offer an over the counter buffet service similar to the HST^▸ (High Speed Train). Also if First Class was made available, this IMO^▸ (in my opinion) would be attractive to business or nervous travellers simply because the likelyhood of having screaming kids from Bristol - Weymouth, would be slim, but not impossible

I also agree the prices on the train can be rather expensive. But equally I went into Pumpkin in Taunton to buy a bottle of Sprite at the sum of ^1.45 On the train a bottle the exact same size was ^1.35

[Timmer]

Also if First Class was made available, this IMO^▸ (in my opinion) would be attractive to business or nervous travellers simply because the likelyhood of having screaming kids from Bristol - Weymouth, would be slim, but not impossible

Yes please! but as you say very slim chance of that happening.

[John R]

The trouble with the Weymouth trains is they will be overcrowded when the weather's really good, making it impossible Also if First Class was made available, this IMO^▸ (in my opinion) would be attractive to business or nervous travellers

Business travellers? On a summer saturday service to Weymouth?

[thetrout]

Business travellers? On a summer saturday service to Weymouth?

*trout feels silly *

But in my defense I did also mentioned nervous travellers

[Timmer]

But in my defense I did also mentioned nervous travellers

and those who prefer a peaceful journey where possible. 

[devon_metro]

First class would be a waste of space!

[thetrout]

But we wouldn't be talking of 2.5 carriages of it like on a HST^▸ (High Speed Train), Merely half a carriage in a MKII Buffet Car Your right though, it would be a space that could be used for more passengers to sit down.

A silly idea really, But one that a few people may be interested in, particularly if the ^10 Upgrade was made available

[inspector_blakey]

there would be no room for day trippers and holiday makers as it would be packed to the gunnels with bashers. Would be great to see 37s back on this route but I can't see it happenning sadly.

...remembers several journeys to Whitland on the ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) 37-hauled Cardiff - Fishguard service battling to find a seat in trains wedged with bashers conforming fully to the worst stereotypes imaginable. Still, it was fun, and the Arriva conductors and trolley staff (for lo! a trolley service was provided) seemed to get into the spirit of things as well. I've never been on any scheduled trains that felt quite so much like a railtour. 425 went like the proverbial off a shovel with four mk 2s on the draw hook. All those cranks must have done wonders for the takings, as well as putting a huge blip in the station usage statistics for FGH! God knows what the punters from the Irish ferry (who probably did not realize how privileged they were to be sampling some rare 37/4-haulage) made of proceedings though!

[Kingfisherdart]

So do we know if locomotive hauled trains are running to Weymouth or not this year yet?

I am quite impressed at how busy many of the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) services are in and out of Weymouth - as they go past my window at Jersey Sidings - the evening arrivals (1905, 2006, 2302ish) are usually reasonably loaded - and the limited Sunday services appear well used.

All the morning departures are usually 85% full by Yeovil - so add all of this to the summer peak, I can't see how units (double formation or not) are going to cope with all these passengers, as well as extra luggage.

And what about that rumour that 153s weren't allowed down here by themselves? I've seen at least 4 solitary 153s operate the 0850 Weymouth departure by themselves in the past few months (and been very packed consequently).

[G.Uard]

Just to add spice to the debate, a local union rep told me that ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) want 2 of their 150/2s back by April.  Interestingly, a rake of 4 Mk2s^▸ (Mark 2 coach) is being kept on stand-by at GCR^» (Gloucester - next trains), presumably  for spot hire.  These coaches, painted in the last, (red/grey), Inter City livery are clearly visible in GCR carriage siding, complete with flashing tail lamp and often coupled up to a 47.  It is likely that they belong to Cotswold Rail or an associated set up.

I can only speculate if/where these might be used and have to add that the spectre of the return of the hired 150s has been raised before.