The price of 'Driver Experiences' on heritage railways/Has anyone done them?

[Zomboid]

One that caught my eye was the Moors Valley Railway, where you get a whole day for £150 (I think). The catch being that it's a miniature railway in a country park, but you do get a whole day driving a 7 1/4 inch gauge steam loco.

[polybear]

I've had a footplate ride on the Watercress Line a couple of times now; not too expensive and for me worth every penny

 

I do quite fancy doing a week in Poland on the steam locos though, however I'm not sure (i.e. pretty certain...) my back wouldn't last long shovelling coal

Edited June 4, 2017 by polybear

[jjb1970]

Experiences are one of those things that are difficult to put a price on in terms of value as how do you put into pounds and pence an experience which may stay with you for a life time and fulfil a dream? Why do people pay ££££££s to go on the holiday of a lifetime? If you can afford it and you really want to do it then I'd say you should go for it. A few months ago I had a day out at Mercedes Benz world spending a few hours in a C63AMG, that wasn't bargain basement but in terms of the sheer pleasure it gave me it was terrific value.

[PhilH]

Lookslike you can have a go here

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-40120328

[enginelane]

Did the SVR version, pulling coaches with the family in between other trains, preparing the engine etc. Costs - when am I going to get the money to own a real engine and how many years training to become a driver?

 

One of the best days of my adult life

[Phil Bullock]

Did the SVR version, pulling coaches with the family in between other trains, preparing the engine etc. Costs - when am I going to get the money to own a real engine and how many years training to become a driver?

 

One of the best days of my adult life

 

And have done the diesel equivalent with D1013....

 

Conversation in the cab at Hampton Loade going north:

 

Instructor: "Theres a southbound passenger due off Bridgnorth in 8 minutes. We don't delay passenger trains."

 

Me "OK - just tell me what to do"

 

Instructor: "Just pull that handle right back"

 

Load 6 - didn't need a lot of power to shift that load, but the smile is still on my face just thinking of it! My spine still tingles when the engine note on a Western drops as the converters fill....The paradox is of course it didn't last long.....

 

Phil

[Dava]

At Rocks by Rail [Rutland] you can drive & Fire a steam loco,shunt and drive an excavator for GBP200:

 

http://www.rocks-by-rail.org/driver-experience/

 

Dava

[Ian J.]

Worth it: in a word, yes. I did a day on the Lavender Line back in 2009 driving a Terrier (662 Martello) and it was a fantastic experience. I'd love to do something like it again, and in more detail, but with my back now proving troublesome, and income somewhat erratic (though still working at the moment) it may never happen. So that one day may turn out to be my only steam loco driving experience, and I'll remember it for the rest of my days.

[Chris M]

Some experiences have a value far beyond their price. The chances are you will only do it once so go for your favourite loco and hang the expense.

 

[Phil Bullock]

Some experiences have a value far beyond their price. The chances are you will only do it once so go for your favourite loco and hang the expense.

 

IMG_0600.PNG

 

D1062 at Arley?

 

Phil

[DavidB]

Some experiences have a value far beyond their price. The chances are you will only do it once so go for your favourite loco and hang the expense.

I totally agree. Driving RH&DR No 8 Hurricane non-stop through New Romney and across The Willop at maximum speed, and taking Earl of Meirioneth up the hill to Tan-y-Bwlch and then through the Aberglaslyn Pass to Beddgelert and beyond were experiences that will stay with me forever.

 

David

[Rob Pulham]

Not Steam, but Stainmore Railway at Kirkby Stephen East do a driver for a fiver experience in their Yorkshire Engine Co diesel shunter. Which is brilliant value and great fun.

[melmerby]

a trip in the two seat Spitfire is £2550 

 

Nick

But isn't there only one two seat Spitfire?

If so it's very much a unique experience, there are far more steam locos to drive!

 

Keith

[brianusa]

But isn't there only one two seat Spitfire?

If so it's very much a unique experience, there are far more steam locos to drive!

 

Keith

Over here at a local air show, a ride in a two seat Mustang is around $450! Just as good!!

 

Brian

[OnTheBranchline]

There's one experience that I am interested in on the Llangollen Railway:

 

 Evening Ramble – £245 per person

The participant will have the chance to drive and fire a light steam engine (without carriages) from Llangollen to Corwen and back.  It also includes a guided tour of the engine shed. Please note-guests cannot be accommodated on this experience.

 

I'll have to find out when it starts, how long it lasts and how many people are sharing the experience with me. The only thing is that I wish that other people I know could be on the footplate (to record the event for posterity) rather than just me and some strangers.

 

But it does sound tempting.

[96701]

Did the SVR version, pulling coaches with the family in between other trains, preparing the engine etc. Costs - when am I going to get the money to own a real engine and how many years training to become a driver?

 

One of the best days of my adult life

Seconded. Me driving half way from Kidderminster to Bridgenorth, then firing the rest of the distance with 6 guests in the train behind. All of us had big stupid grins on our faces all day. No idea how much it cost, it was a pressy, but we did have to stay overnight in Kiddy because it was an early start for us.

 

[rockershovel]

At Rocks by Rail [Rutland] you can drive & Fire a steam loco,shunt and drive an excavator for GBP200:

http://www.rocks-by-rail.org/driver-experience/

Dava

I once drive a Ruston RB22, it was the most bewildering thing I've ever driven..... digressing slightly, I did a "drive a NASCAR car" day at Daytona a few years ago, which was lots of fun.

[Chris M]

D1062 at Arley?

 

Phil

Yes, bang on. The garden at Arley (in the background) is my favourite picnic spot with the grandkids. Edited June 5, 2017 by Chris M

[Trofimow]

 

 

I do quite fancy doing a week in Poland on the steam locos though, however I'm not sure (i.e. pretty certain...) my back wouldn't last long shovelling coal

 

Don't let that put you off. There's no compulsion to do the firing, you can do as little as you like or as much as you are able to.

As a first timer, nobody would expect you to fire a full fifty mile run.

 

It's a very different experience from a UK heritage railway though.

[Bon Accord]

Don't let that put you off. There's no compulsion to do the firing, you can do as little as you like or as much as you are able to.

As a first timer, nobody would expect you to fire a full fifty mile run.

 

It's a very different experience from a UK heritage railway though.

 

Indeed. The only Polish Driver in Wolsztyn who used to get very upset if he had to do the firing for you (the infamous "Bum") has now retired!

[OnTheBranchline]

Don't let that put you off. There's no compulsion to do the firing, you can do as little as you like or as much as you are able to.

As a first timer, nobody would expect you to fire a full fifty mile run.

 

It's a very different experience from a UK heritage railway though.

UK heritage railways expects you to break your back shovelling coal?

[Tim R-T-C]

Think that's expensive?! I'm trying to wangle someone to pay for a 50 minute Edge of Space flight in a MiG-29 for me.

 

50 minutes, €17,500....!

 

http://www.migflug.com/en/jet-fighter-flights/flying-with-a-jet/mig-29-fulcrum-in-russia.html

[Bon Accord]

UK heritage railways expects you to break your back shovelling coal?

 

What he means is that compared to the UK version, Poland is much more involved and you get to do a LOT more for a lot longer and at much higher speeds.

During my first trip out there my first turn was an 0530 departure from Wolsztyn in the dark. Howard (the main man there) took me to the loco, introduced me to the crew (who spoke basic English but not much more) sat me in the Drivers seat and basically pointed out the items of interest, gauges etc followed by "have fun!". I sat there for a moment or two taking it all in right until the quiet was broken by the Polish driver shouting "Odjaz" across the cab at me.

"Sorry?"

(loudly and more forcefully) "GO, GO!".

"Are you sure?"

"GO, GO, odjaz, odjaz!" (pointing at the regulator even more excitedly)

I gave the big red lever a heave and off we went, that was it - no induction, no instruction etc, just get on with it and very much learn on the job.

The crew will keep an eye out for signals etc and will tell you when to shut off steam if you don't know the road, however the rest of it is up to you. The more often you go and the better the crews know you the more you get to do, e.g. running round/coupling up etc which can be somewhat nerve wracking because the Poles don't wait until you're buffered up before going in between, they still walk in front of the engine and drop the coupling on as you clatter into the coach.

Also, you work to a strict timetable and the Polish crews receive bonus payments for being on time, therefore being late is severely frowned upon and invariably results in much spirited running to make up time.

Once you've visited a few times on the "branch" passenger service and have a bit of experience, you can then book the more long distance trains which are much heavier and usually involve a lot more high speed main line running, however the days can be long. The last time I was there I did the Blues Express (jazz festival) excursion which involved a 400 mile round trip and over 30 hours on the footplate in one hit save for a couple of hours in the middle snoozing in an empty compartment.

The largest locomotives I've driven/fired there are a PT47 2-8-2 as well as Poland's only surviving pacific, with the smallest being a handful of tank engines as well as some Polish narrow gauge steam - the latter is a whole different adventure entirely!

I've posted a few photos etc of some of my visits on the "Magic of Poland" thread here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79855-the-magic-of-poland/page-5

[Trofimow]

What he means is that compared to the UK version, Poland is much more involved and you get to do a LOT more for a lot longer and at much higher speeds.

 

 

Indeed.

 

My most recent trip last month included a 300 mile round trip on the main line with the 2-8-2, with the 5 coach heritage set most of the way and 3 extra coaches added at Wroclaw. The loco had one or two problems which necessitated unscheduled stops to deal with, and then time had to be made up in betwen to avoid delaying other traffic.

 

12 and a half hours on the footplate and no-one else to want to share the driving.

Glad I didn't have to fire, cos that would definitely have done for my back!

[kevinlms]

There seems to be a vast range of price and activities, from a few minutes to an entire day.

 

This one is certainly at the top end of the market, but attracts enthusiasts from around the world. Its not unknown for drivers to fly in specially, then home again!

 

http://puffingbilly.com.au/en/events-and-dining/drive-steam-train/

 

But you do get to go out on the 'mainline' in between regular service trains (you might even see a 2-6-0+0-6-2 Garratt) - no messing about on a few metres of track - although you do shunt the train. One day :-)

 

http://puffingbilly.com.au/en/puffing-billy-preservation-society/rolling-stock/locomotive-fleet/g-class/

 

 

 

 

I have been on the footplate of 861, many years ago after it was Americanised at Walhalla by Ron Kain in the 1970s.

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/Past2Present1/photos/pb.606892929339947.-2207520000.1461698771./1303556916340208/?type=3