Pacers back on the mainline

[TheSignalEngineer]

9 hours ago, Leicester Thumper said:

A two car pacer tour at 49quid a pop....

 

Let's work this out. 

 

Now, I'm not sure on the total seats available here,  so let's say that the number is 102, minimum according to wiki. 

 

49 x102 = 4,998. 

 

Surely, by the time you've paid for the path, driver & guard (and associated route conductors if needed) any stewards and the fuel/ maintenance, there's naff all commercial benefit to running the tour??

 

Or ami being far too logical here? 

You forgot to add in the passengers standing. We used to say that 142 wasn't the class but the number extra people you could get on and still close the doors.

Seats varied between 102 and 121 depending on refurb dates and operators.

[big jim]

9 hours ago, Leicester Thumper said:

A two car pacer tour at 49quid a pop....

 

Let's work this out. 

 

Now, I'm not sure on the total seats available here,  so let's say that the number is 102, minimum according to wiki. 

 

49 x102 = 4,998. 

 

Surely, by the time you've paid for the path, driver & guard (and associated route conductors if needed) any stewards and the fuel/ maintenance, there's naff all commercial benefit to running the tour??

 

Or ami being far too logical here? 

when you’ve got as much money as Hoskins you can do these things purely for s**t’s and giggles! 

[Matt37268]

5 hours ago, big jim said:

when you’ve got as much money as Hoskins you can do these things purely for s**t’s and giggles! 

Had a chat with someone at the SVR the other week and it came out the average that Mr H spends on his hobby a year is something in the mid 30’s with quite a few zeros added on!  I do sometimes wonder if he never had a Hornby train set as a kid and he’s making up for it in 1:1 scale now he’s a bit older? 😜

[Leicester Thumper]

12 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

You forgot to add in the passengers standing. We used to say that 142 wasn't the class but the number extra people you could get on and still close the doors.

Seats varied between 102 and 121 depending on refurb dates and operators.

 

That's a fair point, but I doubt there will be passengers standing on the tour.... then again,  knowing unit veg, I wouldn't be surprised!!

 

Edited September 2, 2023 by Leicester Thumper

[Leicester Thumper]

12 hours ago, big jim said:

when you’ve got as much money as Hoskins you can do these things purely for s**t’s and giggles! 

 

Lucky bloke, if he could deposit a blank cheque through my door..... ha

 

Sorry was trying to multi quote but my tablet said no 

[Covkid]

On 02/09/2023 at 09:12, big jim said:

when you’ve got as much money as Hoskins you can do these things purely for s**t’s and giggles! 

 

On 02/09/2023 at 14:40, Matt37268 said:

Had a chat with someone at the SVR the other week and it came out the average that Mr H spends on his hobby a year is something in the mid 30’s with quite a few zeros added on!  I do sometimes wonder if he never had a Hornby train set as a kid and he’s making up for it in 1:1 scale now he’s a bit older? 😜

 

As he appears to be the godfather of (operable) British railway heritage, give the guy a little more respect.  His name is Jeremy Hosking, son of Roger Hosking, as heralded by one of the LSL class 47s.  Totally agree with your comments though.  Wonder what might have happened to 87002 and 86101 without LSL 

 

 

[big jim]

1 hour ago, Covkid said:

 

 

give the guy a little more respect.  

 

 

I’ve got plenty of respect for him regards what he’s doing for loco preservation and running interesting trains etc and to be honest I don’t ‘do’ politics so what he does outside of the railway I don’t particularly care about, it’s of no interest to me on a personal level (we’re going to hell in a handcart whoever pulls the stings) it’s a shame that a lot of people won’t support or ride his trains due to his political leanings, looking at other forums there are a lot of people who hold that view too

 

also who knows what the future may hold, I may need a job with his company one day, don’t pi$$ people off on your way up as you might need them on your way back down

 

regard the pacer tour I really am surprised it’s not sold out yet, thought it would have filled up quite quickly given the quirkiness and relatively low price for a day trip to the seaside and back, just had a look and a normal return wilmslow to llandudno fare (via Crewe) is £45 so  only £4 more to do it with a bit of a bounce in your ride! 

[Northmoor]

1 hour ago, Covkid said:

As he appears to be the godfather of (operable) British railway heritage, give the guy a little more respect.  His name is Jeremy Hosking, son of Roger Hosking, as heralded by one of the LSL class 47s.  Totally agree with your comments though.  Wonder what might have happened to 87002 and 86101 without LSL 

I can promise you that no "harm" would have come to them, although the opportunities for running would have been limited.

[big jim]

And she’s off….

 

ECS to wilmslow left crewe a bit late but it’s on its way! 
 

 

[Gilbert]

 

[big jim]

You must have walked past me, I’m in your vid with the orange back pack on! 

[Gilbert]

17 minutes ago, big jim said:

You must have walked past me, I’m in your vid with the orange back pack on! 

Not mine Jim but it popped up in my Youtube feed just you posted yours - I simply watched on Railcam in real time! I'd have loved to have done the trip - the route goes past the end of my old road in Liverpool in about 20 minutes!

[37114]

On 02/09/2023 at 14:40, Matt37268 said:

Had a chat with someone at the SVR the other week and it came out the average that Mr H spends on his hobby a year is something in the mid 30’s with quite a few zeros added on!  I do sometimes wonder if he never had a Hornby train set as a kid and he’s making up for it in 1:1 scale now he’s a bit older? 😜

It is also a great way to limit your tax bill by making your hobby part of your business and then what would be your personal hobby paid for out of your take home is instead paid for out of your pre tax income. (BTW the above is not meant to come across as casting aspersions or voice a view on the morality of such loopholes, just a statement of fact about a perfect legal way to efficiently manage tax)

[big jim]

Video still courtesy of YouTuber simOnTrains 

 

142003 passing through flint

and my pic of the same unit on test from approx 1985 

 

 

Was a good day out but it got very uncomfortable after about 3 hours! Much better to be in the driving seat than in the passenger bit!