Swanage Railway General Discussion

I hope the gala is successful but yes. 50% flash sale doesn't normally tend to happen.

Fortunately. If it isn't s huge success... it hasn't cost the same as a normal gala due to only 1 star ! With the rest being the 4 home fleet.

Swanage - Nordon also still allows for more dense steam rather than down the river.

This gala hasn't got much of a 'appeal' to me. Bring on the classic 70s engines and the Bulleids

 

The "line up of guest locos", the cost of hire and transportation to and from a gala Versus the additional revenue they will attract has always been a hotly debated issue.

An event such as Strictly Bulleid (2017) cost a small fortune to stage but crucially attracted a phenomenal response. However repeating that level of success is a big ask and certainly not the sort of thing that can be done year in year out.

 

TBH, just having every steamtable SR loco and a visitor is a great line up.

Is this the way forward for future events?

Steve

 

It could well be. Certainly the law of diminishing returns comes into play with guest locomotives. Creative pairings and stuff like brake van rides is what appeals to me to come to a gala or mini gala. When we did Strictly Bulleid and had all the named train headboards that really gave a huge amount of visual appeal.

 

Still there on Sunday when I paid a brief visit to the railway - pity I'm not there this Sunday.

Peter

 

Thank you both

 

Quite agree. Support them by buying tickets or making a donation.I have done both and will be there tomorrow

 

Have been on the railway today and certainly seems to be busy with good loads on the trains. Fantastic to see both 563 and 65 in action. Good also to see the Corfe Castle buffet coach open for business.

Lots of familiar faces on the platforms. The sales of Top Hats in Dorset must have gone up by 1000% in the last few days.

 

Today the DMU is being used as the 3rd set?

What happened to the local hauled mark 1 that were used for the 3rd set yesterday? Unless I was mistaken yesterday as well

 

Hello,go onto the Galas and Events section and its all in the Victorian Weekend thread.

 

Brake coach failed with a hotbox yesterday

 

Is there any chance of the O1 running in service again before it departs for the south-east? TIA. <BJ>

 

As far as I could see on Monday afternoon and yesterday no longer here, (unless elsewhere other than Swanage).

 

Can’t speak for Swanage, but it is due a washout this coming weekend and is diagrammed for Bluebell traffic from the Friday after. So I suspect not.

Tom

 

Was on Allelys lorries on Monday.

 

It was back at Sheffield Park Monday evening ( saw it after the photo charter), and unloaded Tuesday morning.

 

So it's the start of what normally is a very busy period for the railway. Easter Holidays !!! With their brand new Green timetable. Let's see how it holds up!

With even headways it would be a lot more appealing than the double train service of last year!

Green timetable is also the only DMU service of the year. As the Yellow timetable theb2nd service starts at Swnaage. Indicating a local hauled class 33 service (allowing 5 cars)

 

From M59137 's post #10038 about costs of DMU and the 33. The local hauled class 33 service allowing 5 cars will be more expensive to run than the 117 and 121 with 4 cars, but allow more capacity assuming lots of summer visitors.
Presume a steam loco and diesel loco service will be cheaper to run than a 2 steam locos timetable when the railway needs to save operational costs?, but as many visitors expect steam locos how much more will it cost to restore the 2 steam locos yellow timetable (assuming crew availability and a third steam loco in standby)?

 

Experience of running class 33s on Swanage Railway for 25 years gives extensive evidence of approx 1.4mpg for a class 33 hauling 5 x Mk1s.

Experience of running 3/4 car 117/121 between Swanage and Wareham gives evidence of approx 6mpg per engine.
So 3 car 117 with 4 engines is approx 1.5mpg.
4 car 117/121 with 6 engines is approx 1.1mpg.

 

Thank you for those figures.

As @Jamessquared has pointed out the steam v diesel costings are far from straightforward