Spirit of the West to cease operations

Gwiwer · Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 12:04 am

I might be wide of the mark here but if an operation which is booked out is still losing money surely there is something wrong with the price of the product?

Classic Carriage, which offered good service and generally very good food at a fair price for the package, was effectively shut down by VLP who declined to accommodate the operator's business and attach the required cars (which VLP owned at the time) to their own services.

The reason cited was "non-core business". The reality might well have been tied up with the antiquity of the rolling stock and the potential for massive liability claims if anything went wrong. In traditional restaurant style the Classic Carriage guests were seated at moveable tables and in individual loose chairs. Neither feature is normal these days on rail vehicles.

Could we have a parallel here with the SOTW shut-down? Apart from economic factors and the question I raised above is there some other deeper issue which has not yet seen the light of day and which might lie behind the cessation?

CEO Penhayle Bay Railway. Ferroequinologist. BA Hons (Honourable Bachelor of Aquatarts

)
The wise yet mysterious Sir Gwiwer Greybeard

1213Driver · Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 1:19 am

warienga · Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 1:19 am

There is no 'deeper issue'. The reason the service is concluding is that it doesn't fit in with Cootes overall business plan and vision for their company, as I was told by the company representative given the job of informing Rail Heritage WA of the impending closure of the service.

Sure there are the ongoing jitters regarding liability etc, and they have been there since day one with South Spur. No doubt they played a part in the overall decision.

The service has been running on a tight budget since the advent of Cootes, however has been holding it's own, if only narrowly at times.

One reason all remaining services are sold out is that there has been a concerted effort on the part of the management to honour any holders of pre-purchased vouchers. This fact should not give the false impression that all services always ran full, as they most certainly didn't

In the timber carraiges employed, all diners were seated at fixed tables, either on compartment bench seats or on free standing dining chairs. The only moveable tables were found in the AFB (steel lounge car).

It would appear that South Spur intend holding onto thier rollingstock, at least for the moment.

Cheers, Warienga

squeekazoid · Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 7:44 pm

K205 on 1S08/1S09 Spirit Of West Today.

Nathan Pyle

My Website - http://www.squeeks-imagery.fotopic.net ( Last Updated 18/11/2008 )

squeekazoid · Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 9:02 pm

Nathan Pyle

My Website - http://www.squeeks-imagery.fotopic.net ( Last Updated 18/11/2008 )

AvonLink · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 12:21 am

Does anyone know what time does the saturday evening train leave East Perth rail terminal, dieing to know what times so i can get the predeparture and the final arrival of the SOTW evening run??

Q4004 · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:19 am

Q4004 · Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 7:34 pm

K205 on the last lunch run today. Missed it at Toodyay Road as i was held at Traffic Lights

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Q4004 · Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 7:35 pm

K205 on the last lunch run today. Missed it at Toodyay Road as i was held at Traffic Lights

Better Music - 973 Coast Fm
ARG. CRAP HORNS. DFZ/DC/AC/AD
ARG. BETTER HORNS P/Q/S

Please PM me when Q4008 is around Forrestfield and S3309 round Kwinana URGENTLEY AS I NEED THEM 2 COMPLETE COLLECTION AND WHEN S CLASS DOES THE QUARTZ
Click for my old rail pics
Click for my new rail pics

squeekazoid · Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 9:57 pm

K205 departed east perth on the last SPOW at 1915 tonight a bit early.

I got some nice photos with two Ignorant railfans from here who wouldn't move i won't name anyone though i shall have my revenge Twisted Evil

I might post one if i can cut them out of it somehow.

Nathan Pyle

My Website - http://www.squeeks-imagery.fotopic.net ( Last Updated 18/11/2008 )

AvonLink · Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 12:06 am

Final madien trip of the final spirit of the west which at 18:45 got final shots of the K205 and the old historical dining cars which are some yet to be sold off with cootes and other kept as reserved for ARHS.

The Atmoshpere was great with lots of final diners makeing the most of it and smiling away in the observation and dining cars a scene never to be seen again Sad

.

Its a shame the service is finishing as we speak right now as many railbuffs like myself wished to use the service sometime this year but no longer can do that.

Great Shots, nice drivers and a wonderful resturant train that will be sadly missed. Sad

Jarroo · Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 1:05 am

Syd3642 · Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 9:46 am

Hi everyone in Perth, I live in Sydney but I also was affected by this so I will say some words.
This year, 2008 was going to be my life of a trip to Perth and Adelaide on the IP. I was planning to go onboard the 'Spirit of the West' but it is trully sad that she is getting the axe. I was suppose to go on the trip in November by the way. But it is a great loss Sad

I wander if the GSR website will be updated about this because they still haven't fixed it yet.

Where would I be able to see K205? Shunting at MIDLAND?? Fremantle?? Kewdale??? or on some other job.

Thanks

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Q4004 · Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 11:55 am

Kafoopsy · Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 12:58 pm

There's a good chance that K205 will no longer be brown when you get here. South Spur's locos are rapidly being painted green and yellow. The narrow guage fleet is almost done, if it is not done now.

The world is being strangled by public liability insurance and litigation and nobody seems to notice!
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