Our “Sweet Caroline” rail tour is on track for Wednesday 11 May 2022 following inevitable delays due to COVID-19 over the past couple of years.
We are delighted to be able to offer one seat on the never to be repeated rail tour to raise funds for charity. Those of you familiar with the story behind the naming of inspection saloon 975025 as “Caroline” will know that the saloon was named after a member of NR staff who sadly lost their life to cancer – in recognition of that we will be donating all funds raised from the auction to Cancer Research UK.
The experience
975205 “Caroline” is unique in being equipped with a control desk for a pushing locomotive. This permits guests to ride in a comfortable saloon environment while looking out of the large front-facing windows alongside the driver. No other vehicle on the network offers this, and the experience of seeing the rail network from such a vantage point is unrivalled for the enthusiast.
Furthermore the saloon is equipped with its own catering facilities – full catering will be provided onboard.
The winner will also receive an exclusive goody bag with a selection of mementoes of the day!
Route and traction
The route and traction have now been approved and we can exclusively reveal that “Caroline” will be propelled by 37418 “An Comunn Gaidhealach”.
The route will see “Caroline” taken through Burton-on-Trent onto the WCML at Lichfield to Crewe before heading along the freight only route through Middlewich to Northwich. The tour will then head through Hale and Altrincham before heading East towards the Peak District. We will head across to Edale and the Hope Valley line before coming off down towards Chesterfield. From Chesterfield we will head south passing Toton before arriving back at Derby.
To cap the day off LORAM have very kindly agreed to show guests around their facility at the former Railway Technical Centre in Derby which is the home of “Caroline”.
Timing of the day
The tour will leave Derby station around 0900 and we expect the tour of the RTC to be complete by approx. 1600.
How to enter
We are asking for sealed bids by email by midday (12pm BST) on Wednesday 4 May 2022. Just send us an email with your bid and the highest bid will be selected after the deadline for entries. To enter please send an email with your bid to: charity@revolutiontrains.com (you should receive an automatic reply as confirmation that your bid has been received).
Minimum bid £100 and the amount to be transferred to Revolution Trains by 5 May 2022.
Many thanks to Network Rail and LORAM for all their help in arranging this special day.