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16th July 2008, 10:20 AM

"Paul Scott" <notvalidpmscott@> wrote in message
news:SfKdncExnI76a-DVRVnyuAA@bt.com
> Recliner wrote:
>> "Paul Scott" <notvalidpmscott@> wrote in message
>> news:8ZidnVgbTL00VeDVRVnyvgA@bt.com
>
>>>> I'd imagine that bookings have been catastrophically low -- will
>>>> Stobart stay in this business? It certainly can't continue in this
>>>> way.
>>>
>>> A thought - perhaps they'll realise that given a choice, charter
>>> passengers want to travel in carriages in traditional liveries, even
>>> 'rail blue', but not in mobile adverts for the Stobart group?
>>
>> But it also doesn't help that they aren't offering many interesting
>> routes, and are trying to run too many from Scotland. How many Scots
>> really want expensive days out to Lancashire? Also, being all first
>> class, they are further limiting the market. And with all these
>> cancellations, would anyone trust them to honour any booking (as John
>> Farrow is fast to point out)?
>
> Suggestions on a couple of rail forums that the plug has been pulled.
> Who owned the coaching stock - Stobart themselves?

DRS own the Mk 3 carriages and locos, and are the official operating
company. It's odd that they would do this for what is effectively just a
tour promoter, which must cut the chances of leasing the train to anyone
else.

They would surely have done better to have used a smart, anonymous
livery, with discrete DRS logos (as they do internally). I assume
Stobart must have paid for the re-branding, without having retained any
of John Farrow's expertise in running a charter tour company of this
type.

16th July 2008, 10:20 AM	#6 (permalink)
Recliner Guest Posts: n/a Classified Rating: % ()	More Stobart cancellations "Paul Scott" <notvalidpmscott@> wrote in message news:SfKdncExnI76a-DVRVnyuAA@bt.com > Recliner wrote: >> "Paul Scott" <notvalidpmscott@> wrote in message >> news:8ZidnVgbTL00VeDVRVnyvgA@bt.com > >>>> I'd imagine that bookings have been catastrophically low -- will >>>> Stobart stay in this business? It certainly can't continue in this >>>> way. >>> >>> A thought - perhaps they'll realise that given a choice, charter >>> passengers want to travel in carriages in traditional liveries, even >>> 'rail blue', but not in mobile adverts for the Stobart group? >> >> But it also doesn't help that they aren't offering many interesting >> routes, and are trying to run too many from Scotland. How many Scots >> really want expensive days out to Lancashire? Also, being all first >> class, they are further limiting the market. And with all these >> cancellations, would anyone trust them to honour any booking (as John >> Farrow is fast to point out)? > > Suggestions on a couple of rail forums that the plug has been pulled. > Who owned the coaching stock - Stobart themselves? DRS own the Mk 3 carriages and locos, and are the official operating company. It's odd that they would do this for what is effectively just a tour promoter, which must cut the chances of leasing the train to anyone else. They would surely have done better to have used a smart, anonymous livery, with discrete DRS logos (as they do internally). I assume Stobart must have paid for the re-branding, without having retained any of John Farrow's expertise in running a charter tour company of this type.