Pathfinder Tours

Last updated

Pflogo 02b.jpg
Franchise(s)Railtour Operator
Parent companyPart of the Riviera Trains group
Other
Websitewww.pathfindertours.co.uk

Pathfinder Tours is a railtour operating company operating in the United Kingdom. The company was founded in 1973 by Peter Watts, who organised a rail journey through British Rail from Severnside to the Cambrian coast. The company organises tours for both rail enthusiasts, and general tours to places of interest. After British Rail's demise the company operated in conjunction with several spot-hire companies, most notably E.W.S., FM Rail and Direct Rail Services, who provided locomotives, and Riviera Trains, who provided rolling stock.

This relationship was solidified in 2006, when Riviera Trains purchased the parent company of Pathfinder Tours. A new company named Pathfinder Tours (2006) Ltd was formed to continue operating railtours with the exclusive use of Riviera's supply of rolling stock. Although it will primarily use DB Schenker and Direct Rail Services locomotives, occasionally a preserved locomotive will be chartered from one of the major preservation organisations (notably the Class 40 Preservation Society, Diesel Traction Group, the Deltic Preservation Society or the A1 Trust). The company also acts as a booking agent for other companies such as A1 Trust and sister company Torbay Express Ltd.

Related Research Articles

Rail transport in Great Britain Railway system in Great Britain

The railway system in Great Britain is the oldest railway system in the world. The first locomotive-hauled public railway opened in 1825, which was followed by an era of rapid expansion. Most of the track is managed by Network Rail, which in 2017 had a network of 15,811 kilometres (9,824 mi) of standard-gauge lines, of which 5,374 kilometres (3,339 mi) were electrified. These lines range from single to quadruple track or more. In addition, some cities have separate metro, light rail and tram systems. There are also many private railways, which are primarily short lines for tourists. The main rail network is connected with that of continental Europe by the Channel Tunnel and High Speed 1, which fully opened in 1994 and 2007 respectively.

British Rail Class 55 Class of diesel electric locomotives

The British Rail Class 55 is a class of diesel locomotive built in 1961 and 1962 by English Electric for British Railways. They were designed for the high-speed express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) between Edinburgh and London King's Cross. They gained the name "Deltic" from the prototype locomotive, DP1 Deltic, which in turn was named after its Napier Deltic power units.

FM Rail was a railway charter company based in Derby, England. The company was formed when spot hire company Fragonset Railways and charter operator Merlin Rail merged. It went into administration in 2006.

Riviera Trains

Riviera Trains Limited is a railway spot-hire company based at Burton-on-Trent and Eastleigh in England.

West Coast Railways

West Coast Railways (WCR) is a railway spot-hire company and charter train operator based at Carnforth MPD in Lancashire. Using buildings and other facilities previously owned by the Steamtown Carnforth visitor attraction, in June 1998 the company became the first privately owned company to be given a licence as a train operating company. Subsequently it was prohibited from running on mainlines for a period due to safety concerns

Mid-Norfolk Railway

The Mid-Norfolk Railway (MNR) is a 17 12 miles (28.2 km) preserved standard gauge heritage railway, one of the longest in Great Britain. Preservation efforts began in 1974, but the line re-opened to passengers only in the mid-1990s as part of the "new generation" of heritage railways. The MNR owns and operates most of the former Wymondham-Fakenham branch line of the Norfolk Railway. The branch opened in 1847, was closed to passengers in stages from 1964 to 1969 as part of the Beeching cuts, and was finally fully closed to goods traffic in 1989.

British Railways Mark 1 Railway coaching stock

British Railways Mark 1 is the family designation for the first standardised designs of railway carriages built by British Railways (BR) from 1951 until 1974, now used only for charter services on the main lines or on preserved railways.

<i>Torbay Express</i>

The Torbay Express is a named passenger train operating in the United Kingdom.

Excursion train

An excursion train is a chartered train run for a special event or purpose. Examples are trains to major sporting event, trains run for railfans or tourists, and special trains operated by the railway for employees and prominent customers.

The Scottish Region (ScR) was one of the six regions created on British Railways (BR) and consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) and ex-London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) lines in Scotland. It existed from the creation of BR in 1948, and was renamed to ScotRail in the mid-1980s.

Railway Preservation Society of Ireland

The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI) is an Irish railway preservation group operating throughout Ireland. It was founded in 1964. The society has its headquarters at Whitehead, County Antrim, and also maintains an operational base in Dublin. It operates steam train excursions primarily from Dublin and from Belfast, but occasionally from other locations as well.

Vintage Trains

Vintage Trains is an operator of heritage railtours in the United Kingdom. It is a subsidiary of Birmingham Railway Museum Trust, and is based at Tyseley Locomotive Works, the trust's other subsidiary.

Compass Tours was a UK railtour organiser specialising in excursions with heritage diesel locomotives such as the Class 37, Class 40 and Class 47 and also using Steam Engines such as the LMS Black 5.

A railtour is a special train which is run in order to allow people to experience rail travel which is not available using timetabled passenger services. The 'unusual' aspect may be the route of the train, the destination, specific sections of railway track, the locomotive hauling the train, the rolling stock, or any combination of these. Organisers may own or hire locomotives or rolling stock, or tours may be organised by railway management or other bodies outside the railway fraternity. Perhaps the most famous railtour in England was the Fifteen Guinea Special, the last steam hauled main line train run by British Rail. Railtours are often identifiable through the use of a train headboard, often identifying the name of the specific tour or the tour operator. On TOPS, railtours are always given a 1Zxx headcode.

Deltic Preservation Society

The Deltic Preservation Society is a railway preservation group based in England. The society is dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the remaining Class 55 "Deltic" diesel locomotives operated by British Rail from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Pullman train (UK)

Pullman trains in Great Britain were mainline luxury railway services that operated with first-class coaches and a steward service, provided by the British Pullman Car Company (PCC) from 1874 until 1962, and then by British Railways from 1962 until 1972. Many named mainline service trains have subsequently used the word 'Pullman' in their titles, but most of these have been normal trains with increased first-class accommodation. Since 1982 however, some railtours have been operated by companies using Pullman coaches dating from the 1920s to 1950s to recreate the ambience of the heyday of Pullman travel.

The Anglesey Central Railway was a 17.5-mile (28.2 km) standard-gauge railway in Anglesey, Wales, connecting the port of Amlwch and the county town of Llangefni with the North Wales Coast Line at Gaerwen. Built as an independent railway, the railway opened in portions from 1864 to 1867. Due to financial troubles the railway was sold to the London and North Western Railway in 1876, which invested significantly in the infrastructure. Operation continued under various companies during the 20th century, but passenger services were withdrawn in 1964 as part of the Beeching Axe. Industrial freight services continued until 1993. The railway's tracks remain and local groups have demonstrated an interest in restoring services as a heritage railway.

Stobart Pullman

The Stobart Pullman was a railtour operator in the United Kingdom, operating pullman type charter trains, as Stobart Rail Tours. The company was a subsidiary of Eddie Stobart Ltd. and was operated by Stobart’s rail partner, Direct Rail Services (DRS). On 16 July 2008, the company released a statement on its website that "train operations have been suspended".

Locomotive Services Limited

Locomotive Services Limited is a train operating company in England. The company operates rail tours using heritage steam and diesel locomotives with support from associated companies and trusts.