RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted October 25, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 25, 2012 https://dartmouthrailriver.digitickets.co.uk/category/645 At £50 I think this is a great idea from the Torbay line and one I'm likely to do next summer.You are only on for a single 7 mile trip but its a very scenic line and the loco works hard on it.You ride in the saloon on the way back.I fancy Goliath myself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted October 25, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 25, 2012 I wonder how many other lines will copy this idea? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbrummitt Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 You can already get footplate experiences on many. For example I know that the Mid-Hants, B&W, Didcot, ... do them to name a few. They also do the more expensive driving/firing, 'day in the life' experiences too. I have a footplate experience to book, which was a present, on the Mid-Hants. It was twice the price of that in the OP but you get to ride both ways and the line is longer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted October 25, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 25, 2012 https://dartmouthrai...uk/category/645 At £50 I think this is a great idea from the Torbay line and one I'm likely to do next summer.You are only on for a single 7 mile trip but its a very scenic line and the loco works hard on it.You ride in the saloon on the way back.I fancy Goliath myself. I find it faintly amusing that you get your footplate ride before the trip in the Pullman observation car - leaves me wondering if they've thought through that one Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted October 25, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 25, 2012 I find it faintly amusing that you get your footplate ride before the trip in the Pullman observation car - leaves me wondering if they've thought through that one Yes.Dirty seats spring to mind.I'd rather hang out a coach window and wave to the holidaymakers at Saltern Cove myself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 The KESR's been doing footplate days for years as has the RHDR. I've been involved in the KESR footplate days; you can get a round trip or a full day's footplate experience. later you can do what they call "burn up the bank" where you get to drive up the 1 in 36 to Tenterden, all good stuff. My son got given a footplate experience day by his mrs last Christmas. Guess what he's been doing every weekend since then?? Yes, he volunteered! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted October 31, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 31, 2012 Yes I realise other preserved lines and even Tyseley museum do them but this is a first for this particular line and the price is reasonable I think.Most of the others are for half/full day experience and alot more money. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted October 31, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 31, 2012 I have a footplate experience to book, which was a present, on the Mid-Hants. It was twice the price of that in the OP but you get to ride both ways and the line is longer. And you might get to meet a certain RMwebber who is known to be a driver there! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted October 31, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 31, 2012 Yes I realise other preserved lines and even Tyseley museum do them but this is a first for this particular line and the price is reasonable I think.Most of the others are for half/full day experience and alot more money. I get the impression that the Dartmouth one is a bit different from the sort of thing which we got underway at Tyseley and which the GCR were also early in the field with back in the 1980s although neither was even then in quite the same league as Clive Groom's approach on the Bluebell- these are all a sort of 'training /work experience day whereas the Dartmouth one is a footplate ride (and considerably cheaper). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted October 31, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 31, 2012 The KESR's been doing footplate days for years as has the RHDR. I've been involved in the KESR footplate days; you can get a round trip or a full day's footplate experience. later you can do what they call "burn up the bank" where you get to drive up the 1 in 36 to Tenterden, all good stuff. My son got given a footplate experience day by his mrs last Christmas. Guess what he's been doing every weekend since then?? Yes, he volunteered! Great to hear of a convert - I imagine the railways can never have enough volunteers in any capacity. I once got a footplate ride from Wittersham Road back to Tenterden, and the bank is indeed hard work for loco and crew . As the supervisor at Tenterden was still inclined to refer to me as "Guv" in respect of our previous roles in Divisional Days, it was only a matter of time before such a favour was offered, I suppose. And I think the driver spent his working hours compiling engine diagrams at Waterloo..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 We've been doing them at Foxfield for the last 8 years or so, you get the whole day at the railway and one full round trip driving and one round trip firing, plus the opportunity to visit the signal box and breakfast and lunch as well! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted October 31, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 31, 2012 We've been doing them at Foxfield for the last 8 years or so, you get the whole day at the railway and one full round trip driving and one round trip firing, plus the opportunity to visit the signal box and breakfast and lunch as well! The experience you are talking of and the one on the Dart line seem to be very different. As I read it the Dart version is being on the footplate for a ride only not anything else. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PhilH Posted October 31, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 31, 2012 You have to be careful which one you book for/ are booked on. On the MHR we offer both footplate rides and footplate experience courses, beginner and advanced. On the footex you drive and fire a light engine (beginner) or get 4 coaches (advanced) . For the footplate ride option you get, um, a ride on the footplate for twenty miles. Sometimes people do get them mixed up and are disappointed that they don't get to drive when booked on the footplate trip option. NB the advanced footex course does not get to drive service trains with passengers, they are ECS workings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Yeh, KESR does footex days and just footplate rides. You have to do the initial beginners course before you can do the "burn up the bank" jobbie. It's cheaper to volunteer, then you get quite a few rides!....as son has found out, in between managing the SR diesel fleet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 We've been doing them at Foxfield for the last 8 years or so, you get the whole day at the railway and one full round trip driving and one round trip firing, plus the opportunity to visit the signal box and breakfast and lunch as well! Are you sure it's only been 8 years? I did one and I'm sure it was at least 10 years ago, if not more. IIRC it was only £75 at the time and was a proper job. None of this turning up and stepping aboard a loco that's ready to go at the platform rubbish. There were two of us and two Foxfield staff, who gave us a safety talk before we got to lighting up and oiling round the loco (Peckett OY special). We were then treated to a full English breakfast whilst the loco was left to get up steam and after that it was a matter of shunting the train (16t minerals) and brake van to make up the loose-coupled freight - none of this fully braked passenger rubbish. Then one took the controls whilst the other fired on a round trip and at one point we were taken down Foxfield bank, light engine and with the Foxfield driver at the controls, before swapping roles and doing another round trip. It didn't end there though as we had to top up the water and throw out the fire and coal up for the loco's next turn, before getting cleaned up to go home. Now that's what I call a proper footplate experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Nothing but praise for the MHR day. Had great day driving the 9F. Only downside was the overalls stopped around 5'8" and at 6'3", my voice went up a couple of octaves... Highly recommended.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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