New entrants revitalise sector with upmarket operations, but future for ‘enthusiast’ railtours is far less certain
CHARTER trains have been around a long time. As early as 1841 a special train between Leicester and Loughborough was organised by Thomas Cook, an individual who was to develop a company that became a famous worldwide tour operator.
The concept continues today, but the manner in which trains are operated changed after the 1993 Railways Act, as qualified independent licensed operators were able to promote and operate services using the principle of open access to the rail network.
Up until then a charter train could be purchased from British Rail, which was often the case for oneoff occasions such as ship launches and major sporting events. These operations continued after the sector management reorganisation in 1982 and the InterCity charter unit was allocated locos and rolling stock to develop a retail market for an offer that can best be described as landcruises, which made use of surplus Mk.3 sleeping cars to allow overnight trips.
At Privatisation the charter unit was not included as a franchise, but took the form of an asset sale in the manner of the freight companies. It was sold to Waterman Railways, though it was quickly apparent that it was an uneconomic enterprise. A charter capability remained within Rail Express Systems (the former BR Parcels sector) which, although primarily focussed on the Post Office contract, had resources to operate special trains and after the sale to EWS Railway maintained coaching stock for such use. It was a wholesale supplier to the promoters of charter trains and maintained footplate staff who had knowledge of steam traction.
NEW ERA OF TRACK ACCESS
Open access removes restrictions on market entry and choice of traction and rolling stock.
The big change after Privatisation was that track access was available to private operators if they could demonstrate that they had the safety and operational expertise to operate services. This required the approval of a Safety Management System. Similarly, there was no restriction on the use of privately owned traction and rolling stock, provided it could be demonstrated that the equipment complied with the required standards.
The Office for Rail and Road, as the safety regulator, has allowed derogations for the use of rolling stock that does not conform to current crashworthiness standards, which in view of their longevity have ‘grandfather’ rights to continue in use, as long as mitigations, such as reduced maximum speed, are accepted.
In the post-Covid environment after severe travel restrictions were placed on rail charter operators, there has been uncertainty about future demand. The pull factors for the market can be seen as travel to major events, usually as a part of corporate hospitality, a landcruise with high catering standards, a scenic family day out, and the experience of steam or heritage diesel haulage.
There is a factor that may benefit charter operators in the post-Covid economic environment, in that day-to-day timetable capacity is being reduced. This will allow more room on the network for charter trains to be pathed.
Network Rail maintains a dedicated train planning team at Milton Keynes that works with organisers to secure the timings required. This is a lengthy process that starts at least a year before a new route is proposed, and which has to be agreed at least 14 weeks before the train runs.
Detailed timing then takes place, with the path offered to the train operator four weeks in advance of the running date, with final timings published in a Special Traffic Notice one week before the train runs.
Regular trains using agreed timings are clearly a much easier proposition than aspirations to run ad-hoc trains using routes that are not used often.
INDEPENDENT CHARTER TRAINS
In 1998 West Coast Railways based at Carnforth became the first newly established charter train operator to gain an operating licence. While running its own services it also provides locomotives, rolling stock and traincrew to a range of third-party companies wishing to operate in the charter market.
It operates the summer season ‘Jacobite’ steam hauled timetable between Fort William and Mallaig which runs on a seven-day basis and in the peak tourist season offers two return services. 2022 prices are £79.50 for First Class and £52 Standard, with a compartment offer providing six seats for £349.
The train formation is made up of former British Rail Mk.1 rolling stock with BCK, FO, and TSO vehicles and in the current year, three Stanier ‘Black Five’ locomotives, Nos. 44781, 45212 and 45407, have been rostered. A catering vehicle is not provided, but a ‘high tea’ priced at £25 can be ordered if travelling in the FO vehicles.
Following the purchase of Rail Express Systems by EWS, resources to operate charter services were strengthened in part because the loss of the Post Office contract generated a surplus of Class 67 locomotives. A pool of traincrew qualified to operate steam traction is maintained and the company has continued to train staff to provide resources for these services.
DB Cargo as the successor to
EWS operates the Belmond British
Pullman (originally VSOE) and provides resources for Royal Train working. Between 1990-2004 two Class 47 locomotives Nos. 47798 Prince William and 47799 Prince Harry were dedicated to haulage (see p86, last issue). They were subsequently replaced by Class 67s in the form of Nos. 67005 Queen’s Messenger and 67006 Royal Sovereign – all have been painted in Royal Claret to match the rolling stock.
NEW OPERATING LICENCES
More recently charter operators have also been able to acquire improved vehicles as a result of a rolling stock cascade following the introduction of the Hitachi Class 800 series fleet. This has been demonstrated by Locomotive Services, a new entrant to the market, which gained an operating licence in August 2017 and has re-created the Midland Pullman brand, turning out a whole HST set in the distinctive Nanking Blue livery.
LS has differentiated the product offer into four distinct sub-groups: Statesman, Saphos Trains, Inter-City and Midland Pullman.
The Statesman offer includes a Pullman dining service (priced at £300) and First Class with complimentary light refreshments (£175), with a buffet car offering a range of food and drink.
There is a 2022 programme of trains to a range of destinations using diesel haulage from the LS vintage
fleet. The June programme includes a North Wales tour starting from the East Midlands, a Cornish Riviera itinerary originating in the West Midlands and two visits to Scarborough from East Anglia and stations served by Chiltern Railways, and a Settle and Carlisle circular starting from Stratford-uponAvon.
Saphos Trains provides steam haulage combined with a Pullman dining experience (£365), and offers First (£195) and Standard Class (£155) accommodation, with a buffet car providing catering. The scheduled trains in June originate in the north west, Slough, Bournemouth to Dartmouth, the Welsh Marches route, and the
Settle and Carlisle.
There is a locomotive pool made up of steam locos Nos. 34046 Braunton, 46100 Royal Scot, 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley and 70000 Britannia. The web-based booking system indicates that for most trains the Pullman seats sell out some time in advance of the train running.
The Inter-City offer restricts catering to a buffet car, with rolling stock made up of vehicles providing First Class accommodation. Travel is offered to a range of destinations. The selling point is the type of traction used which includes Deltic haulage. The price is £129 for each trip that features visits to attractions such as the Blackpool Air Show and Edinburgh Fringe.
MIDLAND PULLMAN
Finally, there is the Midland Pullman product which covers a programme of trains running each week with
Pullman dining priced at £300 with First Class seating at £175. Many of the destinations are in Scotland but Bath is also included.
There is a spectacular trip between September 17-19, when the ‘Lord of the Isles Pullman’ operates from the West Country to Inverness, with a full day included to reach Kyle of Lochalsh and return. Hotel accommodation is required at Inverness for two nights, which is not included in the price of £800 for Pullman seating and £470 for Standard Class.
Another new entrant, Vintage
Trains based at Tyseley, had a licence application approved by the ORR in 2018. Up until then charter trains had been organised using traincrew provided by West Coast Railways based at Carnforth, but this arrangement ended. The 2022 programme of trains start at either the Tyseley Locomotive Works or Birmingham Snow Hill and a number feature haulage by No. 7029 Clun
Castle, that has recently been returned to service, as well as Nos. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe and 6233 Duchess of Sutherland. Destinations include York and attractions such as the Weston
Air Show. For diesel lovers, some trains are hauled by a pair of Class 20s. The products available are Pullman Dining, Club and Tourist Class, with an option to
hire a First Class compartment. Prices vary, based on the length of the trip and type of motive power, but as an example for the Weston Air Show on June 25 the charges are £289 (Pullman dining), £119 (Club Class with at-seat refreshments), £79 Tourist Class (with refreshments ordered in advance).
The compartment offer, providing six seats, is priced at £655 with at-seat refreshments.
FUTURE RAIL CHARTER SUSTAINABILITY
The additional charter capacity currently offered is a test of the amount of discretionary spending available (for more commentary on pricing, see Railtours, p37). There are suggestions from other sectors that surplus household income as a result of Covid restrictions is finding its way into the hospitality and leisure markets. The challenge will be how sustainable that demand proves to be in future years.
And what of the thousands of youngsters who sought out locomotives they had not seen before by crowding station platforms and finding ways to access engine sheds to record numbers to enter into their Ian Allan combined volume? Collectively, they saved the historic equipment we see today for the future. They may make up a diminishing part of the charter market, but their legacy is something that a new generation can enjoy.