Peter Watts takes a step back at Pathfinder Tours

BIG changes are afoot at Pathfinder Tours, with general manager Peter Watts declaring that he is preparing to take a step back from management – with a view to ultimate retirement when a new man is appointed to take charge.

Peter will be difficult to replace considering he has more than 40 years of experience planning and implementing railtours to most, if not all, parts of the country, and is among the most knowledgeable in the business.

Peter is currently concentrating on the problem of finding new dates for day tours postponed by the restrictions imposed by the pandemic lockdown.

These include the ‘Mazeyday Cornishman'from the Midlands to Penzance with two Class 50s, the ‘Blueboys Merrymixer'from Eastleigh to Birmingham with Class 37s, and the ‘Cumbrian Freighter'from Banbury to Crewe and Wigan.

Dates confirmed include the ‘Cambridge & Norfolk Express'EastleighCambridge and Norfolk excursion on August 14, the ‘Cambrian Coast Express' Bristol Parkway-Pwllheli on September 8, and the ‘Galloway Fifties'Thame BridgeCarlisle-Stranraer on September 11.

The hoped-for plan of three trips with Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35028 Clan Line during July – apart from the trip to Margate starting from Newport on July 3 – originally set to run a year ago have been cancelled.

Meanwhile, parent company Riviera Trains was checking on its rakes of coaching stock, out of action for a year or more, by running empty coaching stock specials on main lines to prove them fit for purpose.