Swanage Railway General Discussion

I heard that its 80104 and 34053 Sir Keith Park, original meant to be Keith and the T9 but she's out with hot box. Swanage Railway Facebook page confirms 80104 now out about. Knowing how Swanage arange their engines, Keith will be pointing towards Wareham, while 80104 will be facing Swanage.

 

Not guaranteed for tomorrow but today Std Tank and SKP. Std Tank first day back today, replacing Diesel which was brought in when T9 failed.

Sunnie

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Whats up with the T9?

 

Read Ady's post


Keith

 

I should say that's what I heard from FB, so I don't know how serious it is.

 

The second axle on the RHS of the bogie ran a hot on Friday evening so the loco has been stopped pending lifting for inspection. I understand that the design of the axel box lubrication is open so is prone to contamination. The front bogie and axel will be removed and I suspect the box is likely to need re-metaling / machining. The bogie is the same as that fitted to the M7 so we can speculate about possible quick solutions. We will not know any more until its been lifted, inspected and the relevant parties consulted. I suspect it will be a few weeks before its back in traffic.

The amount of similarity and shared parts between the M7 and T9 is one of the reasons that the T9 is suited to Swanage. We have previously overhauled the M7 bogie in Herston works so are experienced in this area.

 

Thank you to everyone for your responses. I'm looking forward to seeing 34053 in particular...

EDIT: Question 2, does anyone know which set 34053 will have behind it? Will it have the observation car behind it or will it be the full green set?

Thanks again,
James

 

As per earlier post, std tank is smokebox into Swanage, BB is smokebox out of Swanage.
The rake with the observation car was stabled at Corfe tonight and will form the 1000 ex-Norden on Wednesday but can't help with which engine will be on it.

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Wed 11/4: std tank on the observation car set, SKP on the all green set.

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Just what I wanted to hear! Thanks for your help !

James

 

U-Class piloting SKP on the 1240 ex-Swanage. Running 5 late.

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I believe that was 31806's final test running prior to today's main line loaded test train.
Outward: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U52350/2018/04/13/advanced
Return: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U52351/2018/04/13/advanced
See https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/31806-and-possible-mainline-use.1121098/page-4 for specific thread on 31806's main line exploits.

 

My video from today's ML test run.

31806 thunders up Upwey and Evershot Banks unassisted! Loaded Test Run - 13-04-18

James

 

Magnificent racket! Is Swanage planning to main-line any more locos? The Bulleids would be obvious candidates, but even the M7s had a fair old turn of speed, and I think their 5'7" driving wheels would put them into the 60mph bracket? Now, what has the NRM got planned for no.245... *wibn*

 

Very unlikely, the Bulleids are not owned by the railway, and the only engines that may get mainlined are only 31874 and possibly 31625 , only because they can swop the tender , its the tender that has the bulk of the expensive equipment , and as all three engines are similar in lay out, much of the equipment can be refitted in the same place using the same parts, or by having a lot of the electronics system's wire up pre fitted on the locos. so its a case of refitting it between the loco's.

 

I think I heard that all loco overhauls at Swanage will now be done to mainline mechanical standards.

That way it always leaves the option open to fit the mainline equipment, and mainline register any loco if and when required.

 

As I see it, the limiting factor has to be what the break even point is , and how far the railway are prepared to send their loco from home, as I see it Yeovil has to be the best option at first, but it will need the 33 to drag any tour to Weymouth then to Yeovil as the limiting factor is the lack of any suitable paths for tender first working either way, of course the return does not necessary need to be via Weymouth it could be via Salisbury Southampton Bournemouth, and that would of course put it right way to get back on Swanage metals, if a 60 mph path can be found between Southampton and Wareham, and on possibly getting a couple of more mainline reg coaches to make up a 7 , or 8 car rake, to make it viable, 5, or 6 will possibly be to tight to make it pay will there be a market? well if they had sold seats on the run to Yeovil ? how many times over would that have sold the train? see down in the South west the chance to travel from say Swanage to Yeovil, a day at the steam centre and then a run back behind an engine that's iconic with Southern steam , is very few and far between.

 

I think you’re getting a bit carried away there Martin.

As has been said previously mainline registration of 31806 (and any others in future), is only to allow running from Worgret to Wareham on normal Swanage services.

There may be some hire to other railtour operators. However Swanage running its own mainline tours beyond Swanage is just a distant possibility. It would only be done if the figures stacked up, and it wouldn’t jeapoardise their current operations.

Swanage Railway have far too much on their plate to contemplate it at the moment.

 

Especially as the locomotive availability is still only just above crud-levels...

 

I wonder if a west-facing spur at Worgret, enabling direct Swanage-Dorchester running without having to reverse at Wareham, would theoretically be possible? It looks like the land is there to do it - but of course the Swanage's reconnection was all bound up in a big expensive re-signalling project...