Flying Scotsman and Caley 419 to visit Swanage Gala- March 2019

I seem to recall FS leaves Swanage light engine around 09:00/09:15-ish each morning of operations [27 March - 10 April].

 

419 arrived onsite, certainly stands out amongst the BR Black!

60103 looks to have been fine on her mainline test run to Scarborough yesterday. All coming together...

 

Yes, watched it being shunted by the T9. To be honest, it is TTE. Looks bloody horrible.

 

What a shame your opinion isn’t shared by the (literally) thousands of people coming to see the engine and the resultant queue of railways wishing to hire her

 

Ah, but Daddsie 71b always likes to be controversial to stir things up.
I see he doesn't need a bigger spoon just yet!

 

Sorry if my opinion offends, lovely loco, just do not like the colour.

 

Not the greatest weather today but here's 60103 passing Redbridge Causeway en-route to Swanage.

 

Short feature of loco's arrival at Swanage on BBC South Today!

 

46521 has arrived and will take part in the gala

 

RailCam Auto-Still arrival at Swanage at 15:30: http://www.railcam.uk/stills/galleries/e...DIzNzNhN2E

 

More good publicity for Swanage
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-47667649

 

Doesnt show on the timetables though...................

 

Spring Steam Up timetable with loco allocation

https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/userfiles/media/spring_steam_up_ptt__public_version(1).pdf

Scotsman timetable with loco allocation:

https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/userfiles/media/flying_scotsman_march_2019_timetable.pdf

 

This is the original timetable and is to be changed I believe

 

Sad to see the Swanage webcam is not working today.

 

Probably overloaded with watchers!!!

 

Have any NPers attended the FS event today please? I was there yesterday and there were fewer visitors linesiding than I expected. However, it was a Friday and weather was very gloomy.
FS trains all looked full and feeders seemed to be doing OK. Be interesting to compare with today and Sunday.
I spoke to a volunteer ('policing' the lineside to prevent trespass) and no issues had been reported. He also noted that he had heard that visit of FS has cost railway in order of £200,000 in total (including hire, transportation, security etc.) so if all trains sold out should make a reasonable surplus for the railway.

 

I suspect no serious NPres members would visit this jamboree. We may go to the Gala on 30th when it has all calmed down. FS is the people’s engine which had cost all of us a lot of money so why does it cost Swanage that much and premium fares for the punters.? Sorry but that is my view.

 

Appreciate your views and agree the costs which surround FS are somewhat excessive, however, it does attract the crowds (for good or ill!) and is a rather impressive piece of machinery in my opinion ...

 

I am sure there are Swanage Railway operational staff amongst the members of Nat Pres, but presumably in your view those members are not serious Nat Pres members?

I haven't been to the Swanage event, but did spend three days operationally when FS visited the Bluebell, and then went back a fourth day as a visitor with my family. Even though big engines aren't really my thing, and I'm not an LNER fan, it was hugely enjoyable for all sorts of reasons; not just the operational challenge, but to see the place buzzing. Hopefully those Swanage Railway members operationally involved or just visiting their railway are feeling the same thing. Denigrating the event as a "jamboree" seems churlish, in my view.

Tom