Cancellations – but charter organisers are optimistic

STEAM DREAMS, which has so far only run one trip this year (before the first lockdown), has pulled its London starts on November 29, December 1 (both Bath), and December 6 (York) – the latter four days after December 2. However, chairman David Buck told Steam Railway on November 2, “we’re still hopeful about the rest of the season.”

Those include Southend to Oxford (December 10) and a ‘White Cliffs’ circular (December 18) as well as the series of London-based ‘Santa’ trains from December 14, which Mr Buck said are “really filling up well”.

“What that does tell me, which is a positive thing for next year, is demand is there.”

Railway Touring Company MD Kelly Osborne reported that her organisation has cancelled everything until December 8 – a total of five tours at what is traditionally a busy time for the King’s Lynn promoter. A decision is to be made at the end of November on the three remaining planned trips before Christmas: York-Edinburgh (December 12), Cambridge-York (December 17) and London-York (December 19).

“I’m not prepared to give up on the Christmas programme at this point,” Mrs Osborne said on November 2. “The demand is there.”

She added: “We do all need to remain positive… normality will return”.

One Saphos Trains tour was due to run before December 2 – November 21’s ‘Welsh Marches Express’. It has been postponed until December 22, the promoter’s Peter Watkinson said.