Swanage Railway General Discussion

30120 certainly not available at the moment; there's a few jobs that need to be picked up before It will be used. Rest assured, steaming days will be advised both on here and on the railway's website, subject to the usual caveats.

In traffic at the moment is 30053, from this morning (it was 80104 up to yesterday), with A.N.Other in traffic on Sunday for the lunch train.

 

I love the authenticity of the Swanage Railway. I'm sure that I've seen a photo of a T9 on the branch, and you can't find fault with the U class Mogul, the M7 , the Bulleid Pacific or the standard 2-6-4T - all classes appropriate to the line.

Both Swanage and Corfe Castle are almost perfect restorations, and Harmans Cross looks as if it had been there since the line first opened. A replica signalbox at Worgret Junction would complete the picture - I'll let you know when I get a big win on the lottery!

John

 

Thank you, Nick. Most appreciated.

 

Swanage station is indeed an almost perfect restoration. The 'almost' would be redundant when those strange mock Victorian streetlamps are removed. They were installed circa 1984, when the line only went to Herston and was worked by industrial saddle tanks. Not out of place at that time, amongst all that other non authentic stuff.

As an SR station from 1937 , it had concrete double sided lamp posts so, these need to be found or more likely, made as I doubt if any still exist. Ironically, care has been taken to make replica LSWR platform lamps for the buffet area, which were used prior to 1937, in the original station. This makes the Dickensian 'gas' lamps on the main platform even more inappropriate. Any plans to replace them?

 

Yes there are plans in the background to change them to double lamp concrete ones. But as time and volunteer leadership becomes available

 

There is a suitable original name concrete name board at the closed Horam station, with two supports (like the Swanage original), unlike those at Corfe which have three.

 

Presumably the one seen in the bottom photo here: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/horam/

 

It's a shame that 120 is not available this weekend but hope it might be possible for 30053 and 31806 to be in service with A.N.Other on "The Dorsetman". Having locos which saw war-time service would be appropriate to match the flypast of BBMF's Dakota from Corfe Castle to Swanage on Saturday 27th (16:45) and Sunday 28th (12:50) [Subject to usual caveats - availability/weather conditions/etc.].
This weekend's previously scheduled Green timetable has been upgraded to Yellow (all steam) in conjunction with Armed Forces Day/Purbeck at War commemorations.
It is also hoped to have the Railway's ex-Southern Railway 45 Ton Steam Breakdown Crane on display at Swanage over this weekend but I believe some work remains to be done. If it makes it to Swanage (Platform 1) people will be able to see up close one of the three railway cranes used by the War Department during WW2 in construction and maintenance of the long-distance/cross-Channel guns "Winnie" and "Pooh" at Dover.
34070 "Manston" is planned to be on display (out of steam) in Swanage station with performances by 2433 (Ramsgate & Manston) Squadron, Air Training Corps (ATC) award-winning Band nearby. They will be performing both days as part of their 50th Anniversary commemoration journey around England.

 

A better picture can be found here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/12126232@N03/2200244600

 

There's no dining train booked for this Sunday, so it is just the two trains out; as such 30053 and 31806 will be sufficient.

Given 30120's 'claim to fame' during WW2 (I believe it was strafed by machine gun fire during an enemy raid somewhere near Wool, if I'm correct with my memory), if it is not required by the fitting staff (for example, for steam test) I may look to put it on display, such as in Platform 1 with the steam crane, scenery van and Manston.

 

A packed Platform 1 indeed!
I didn't recall a Sunday Luncheon on the 28th but you mentioned " ... with A.N.Other in traffic on Sunday for the lunch train." in your item at 21:22 on Thursday.
Here's hoping for a fine weekend.

 

Ah I see, sorry I meant the lunch train for the Sunday just gone. In the manner of railway rulebooks everywhere, it appears we reached a clear misunderstanding!

 

Loco roster for next week M7 and Std4 80104

 

New website 'Swanage Moguls' Maunsell U and N Class locomotives
http://swanagemoguls.com/

 

It's very difficult to read on that background (IE 11)

 

It's not easy. You could highlight the text, as if you were about to copy and paste, then read it. <BJ>

Welcome to the Swanage Moguls website.

The Swanage Railway has Maunsell U Class No. 31806 in use as part of the resident fleet and is now well into full restoration of Maunsell N Class No. 31874.

31874 is now being reassembled in the Herston Works of the railway. The boiler is in overhaul at the Stockton works of Adam Dalgleish and is expected to be returned to Swanage early in 2016.

Get involved with bringing these iconic Southern locomotives back to steam – join the Fund Raising team.

For more information visit Swanage Moguls Fund Raising opportunities

 

Agreed (in-fact, that's what I did).
I just felt that the feedback on the site should be made so that Jason (or the webmaster if it isn't him) could make some changes.
A simple change to the opacity of the background image would make the text more readable, but looking through the source, I feel there may be a little more to it than just that.

In my opinion, as it stands, the site will get the odd hit, but almost no one will bother to navigate it.

 

Funny to think really, for ages I've heard nothing but apprehension in overhauling No. 31874, statements of it needing extensive work and much expense were often thrown about, and I feared it would be years before it would finally be looked at for steaming again.

Yet now within a relatively short span of time, the sole surviving member of the N Class is getting the attention it deserves, with it's overhaul seemingly progressing at great speed.

Amazing how an engine's fortune can change just in an instant like that, it's just one of many reasons I love this preservation movement, it can be full of surprises...

 

Yes, it will be great to see the N and the U in steam.
Is there any opportunity to view the restoration work I wonder.

 

I didn't make that website. Wasn't me.