Completing GBRF 2021 was the right decision
After several reschedules as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the mammoth four-day GBRF 2021 ‘This time it’s Personal’ charity fundraising charter finally ran on September 2-5, and it’s fair to say it had more than its usual number of challenges.
In the days running up to the train, the planned use of a pair of Class 20s for the Mossend to Oban leg could not be resourced, but luckily DRS stepped in at the eleventh hour to deliver a pair of Class 37s – and ex-eastfield Class 37/4s that plied the West Highland routes for many years in the late 1980s, at that! Of all the realistic available alternative options, this was most definitely the best.
The train set off on the Thursday from Victoria with 66769 League Managers Association in charge – a new ‘line in the book’ for everyone, as it had never worked a passenger train. On the rear were 73963 Janice and 73965 – named Des O’brien on the day in commemoration of a much missed colleague and volunteer on previous GBRF charity fundraising trains.
Day one saw a visit to London Gateway terminal and then Harwich International before returning to London.
The highlight of the second day was a trip to Marchwood Port with 73136 Mhairi and 73201 Broadlands top-and-tailing with 59003 Yeoman Highlander. The train even made it to end of the line at the dockside, with haulage by industrial shunters 01541/542 thrown in for good measure. On the way back to London, 08511/683 provided some other unusual haulage in Eastleigh Yard. Sadly, the second pair of EDS, 73141 Charlotte and 73212 Fiona, could not take part after one of them suffered a failure.
The overnight run to Scotland was behind LSL’S 86101 Sir William A Stanier FRS. In the days just before the trip, NR advised that the plan to take the 73s down the Lickey incline to Bromsgrove for the 86 to lead back couldn’t be accommodated within the timings, as it was crucial that the train reached Scotland early enough to gain a path to Oban. Nevertheless, 86101 did break new ground by becoming the first electric locomotive to haul a passenger train over the recently electrified Cannock Chase line. At Crewe it gave way to 92032 Imeche Railway Division, which duly headed through the night to Mossend.
It was during this leg of the trip that the organiser faced its biggest challenge, when a number of passengers fell ill due to a virus. It’s not clear what it was – it certainly was not that virus – but suggestions of E. coli, norovirus and gastroenteritis (food poisoning) were mentioned, but as there was no obvious correlation in the affected people, it is fair to say all suggestions were pure speculation. The decision was taken to continue to Oban – with 37407 Blackpool Tower and 37425 Sir Robert Mcalpine/concrete Bob in charge from Mossend – but some of the ill passengers chose to alight in Glasgow and return home, while those waiting to join were advised of what had happened and given the opportunity not to travel. Most decided to stick with it. At Oban, the organiser was able to source bottled water and additional cleaning supplies to keep the train in as best condition as possible. Here the decision was taken to return to Mossend and then head straight to Carlisle rather than heading to the Border City via Newcastle, as had been booked.
LNER’S 91130 Lord Mayor of Newcastle – running blunt end first and also thought to be the first time a 91 has hauled Mk 1 stock since 1993 – took over at Mossend and ran via the ECML to Carlisle where, despite NR holding the train for 45 minutes outside the station, arrived some 3¼ hours earlier than if it had taken its booked route.
This earlier arrival was welcomed by most, especially those who’d been suffering from the bug. The departure on Sunday, back to Paddington, was delayed 25 minutes as staff deep-cleaned the train further, before 66712 Peterborough Power Signalbox took the train
to Preston.
At Preston, Class 50 Alliance locomotives 50007 Hercules, 50044 Exeter and 50049 Defiance took over – the first time ever that a preservation group has provided tripleheaded main line passenger haulage. The Class 50s continued to Bescot, where 66765 took over for a circular trip back to Bescot to turn the train.
Another first was haulage behind a Class 69. Well, that is what was advertised, but the reality was GBRF had managed to secure both 69001 Mayflower and 69002 Bob Tiller CM&EE for the final leg of the tour to Paddington via the Cotswold line.
It’s too early to say how much money the train has raised, but if the previous trains in 2016 and 2018 are anything to go by, it will hopefully be in excess of £100,000.
Many people – some who weren’t actually on the train – suggested GBRF should have cancelled once the illnesses broke out, but I wholeheartedly disagree. Communication from the organiser was exemplary and everyone was kept updated with proceedings at every step of the way.
The underlying point was that no one was forced to carry on travelling, and everyone had plenty of opportunities to alight to get home earlier if required. If the situation on board had got too bad, then the train could have been stopped at any station. This wasn’t a cruise ship, where once you’ve left the port, you’re miles away from sanctuary.
I feel for those who fell ill, and indeed many people also suffered illness after the train had terminated in Paddington, myself included. At 3am on the Monday morning, having been home less than 12 hours, I went down with a stomach bug. Was it caused by issues on the train? Possibly – in fact, almost probably, but I can’t say that with certainty, and I do not regret my decision to stay on board back to Birmingham.
It must be stressed that at no time did the organiser hold any guns to any heads and stop people alighting! People could, and indeed some did, bail out early. In fact, a few additional stops were inserted on the return from Oban to help passengers get home earlier. There was repeated cleaning of the train and it’s hard to see what more could have been done.
Cancelling the train in Glasgow on the Saturday morning, which was mentioned by some, would have incurred a massive cost, both in getting passengers home and also refunding those passengers for the third and fourth days of the tour.
Many of those passengers might have lost out further with bookings for non-cancellable hotels and the like.
At no time was the virus fatal. It was merely uncomfortable, unwelcome and irritating. I speak from experience, although I was lucky that my suffering thankfully came when I was at home. Had I gone down with the bug on the Friday night, I could have made my own decision on whether to make my way home.
The organiser was caught between a rock and hard place and 100% took the right decision to see the itinerary through, albeit with one or two omissions.
The big picture is the money that will have been raised for Prostate Cancer UK, a very worthy cause, and when the final figure is announced, it will be impressive.
Then, I bet even those who did suffer, during and after, will soon forget that and – once again – praise the hard work of the team behind the train, especially Paul Taylor, Ian Grey and Dale Williams, not to mention the many GBRF staff who gave up their time to steward, crew and deliver the train.
The one offshoot from all of this did get me thinking. Do charter train promoters have any stewards or staff competent in first aid? Well, it seems that some, indeed many, do but that it’s not a requirement. And it should be. Secondly, are defibrillators a requirement? Again, they are not, but while some promoters do have them, again, they should be. I would also add that all new trains being built should also have them fitted and maybe retrofitted at their next overhauls. In conclusion, it would be nice to think every charter promoter – if they haven’t done so already – aspires to have a trained first aider or two in the team.
Secondly, a defibrillator should be available on every charter rake, which probably means fitting them in every brake/support coach. Both of these things could save people’s life.
Another TWO Class 40 tours…
You wait a long time for a main line Class 40 tour… then three come along at once! We’ve already discussed the sell-out October 30 trip from Preston to Plymouth with Intercity trains, but now comes one from the Branch Line Society and another one from the Class 40 Preservation Society.
The latter was in response to the fact the October 30 Plymouth train sold out so quickly that many CFPS members didn’t even get to hear that it was open for bookings before it actually sold out!
In response, the CFPS is promoting the ‘Double Scotch’ on November 13, which will run from Crewe to Edinburgh via the WCML in both directions. It will be hauled by D213 Andania and the CFPS’S own D345 in multiple.
The train will be formed of nine LSL Mk 3s and is first class only, with tickets priced at £124 each and a £7 discount for CFPS members.
Before then, and indeed before the Plymouth train, is the BLS’S ‘Wirral Squirrel’ on Sunday, October 3. This train will have already run by the time this issue of Railways Illustrated hits the shelves but was due to feature D213 and D345 in top-and-tail mode throughout from Crewe to Rock Ferry and other parts of Merseyside.
More trips from the SRPS
The Scottish Railway Preservation Society has added a few extra diesel-hauled charter trains to its belated 2021 programme. Having visited Kyle of Lochalsh the Saturday before, on October 9 is a trip from Dunfermline to Glenfinnan – pathing restrictions presumably the reason that makes continuing the train to Mallaig not being possible. Three weeks later, on October 30, is a day trip from Linlithgow to Skipton and Keighley, running via the ECML to Newcastle, the Tyne Valley line and then the Settle and Carlisle line.
Finally, on November 5, is a day trip from Dunfermline Town to Blackpool which runs via the WCML in both directions.
All trains will use SRPS Mk 1 stock and are expected to be worked by West Coast Railways using its Class 47s.