‘Staycation Express’ drops Sunday services

LOWER than expected passenger numbers on Sundays have led Rail Charter Services to drop the Sunday service of its ‘Staycation Express’ over the Settle & Carlisle line. RCS has also faced problems with on-train catering and booking agency staff who have been affected by the coronavirus ‘pingdemic’ – a problem which has also affected catering suppliers. Although passenger numbers on weekdays have stood up well and continue to do so, plans for a joint promotion with Northern were rejected by the Department for Transport. It has also emerged RCS wanted to start the 09.40 from Appleby back at Carlisle and terminate the 17.17 from Skipton in the Border city, but have been thwarted in this by a lack of platform capacity.