Fare Dealer

RAIL fares expert Barry Doe says problems persist with booking Advance tickets on the day.

I don’t normally deal with charters in this column, but I am happy to make an exception to give details of a very exciting new venture that will take place this summer - effectively a daily charter train that will act as a normal timetabled service.

From July 20 until September 12, Locomotive Services (TOC) Ltd will operate a luxury service between Skipton and Appleby, running daily except Sundays. It is being backed by owner Jeremy Hosking but promoted through a new company, Rail Charter Services Ltd.

The concept was that of Adrian Quine, director of ‘Rail Charter Services’, which he set up along with Hosking. Quine was one of the founders of open access operator Alliance Rail.

It will work in close co-operation with the Settle Carlisle Railway Development Co Ltd, (which will provide a mixture of on-train and on-station catering), and also in conjunction with Northern, with the assistance of Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group.

The stock will consist of four Mk 3 First Class vehicles and one Mk 2 compartment brake (the latter not for public use), with a Class 47 locomotive at each end.

There will be three services each way daily, leaving Skipton at 0835, 1218 and 1612 and Appleby at 1035, 1438 and 1758, with a journey time of between 1hr 11mins and 1hr 28mins. All trains will call at Settle.

The trains will have stringent

COVID-19 measures in place, with pre-booked seats in individual bays divided by perspex screens. Only window seats will be sold, giving the set a capacity of 128 seats.

In addition, tickets will initially only be sold to either two or four people from the same household (or social bubble) and must be bought online from www.railcharterservices. co.uk.

Only day returns will be available, but there is the option of a short day with an hour at Appleby (using the 1218 from Skipton and 1438 return) or, of course, the full-day options of four hours at Skipton or eight hours at Appleby.

Fares will be £29, £34 or £39 per person, depending on trains chosen. Family fares will