Swanage Railway General Discussion

I notice in the absence of an agreement with SWR over guards, the RMT members have voted to continue industrial action, no dates yet and if it will affect the Saturday service.

Good to see the 121 DMU back, hope it does not get stuck in sidings, but will carry passengers to Wareham soon.

 

Certainly looks the part in that lovely dorset countryside

 

O Ye, of little faith!

 

been keeping the faith since the mid 70s. sometimes a little encouragement is needed. Glad to see it happen and lets hope that we soon make use of it!

 

121 is on crew training today.

 

Steam Railway (or Beano as some prefer) has a little bit saying the N's boiler might return later this year, return to traffic next. I guess we see...

Any news on the T9's tender. I was down there today and noticed it was still in the shed...

 

Frustratingly the T9 is just awaiting its tender springs. Once fitted the engine will go straight back into traffic.
The N boiler is being tubed now although there is a little delay in the delivery of the Flues. It's almost there.

 

An image of the first of the series of UK Railtours Sunday trips yesterday at Holme Lane. Locos were 73201 and 73107.

 

Just viewed the marvellous job done on the Maunsell coach on Swanning Around. And another one to come!!

 

Great to see the photo. Wonder if the 73s used 3rd rail electric from London and diesel power on the last leg.

 

Can't they work in the old loco propels the TC mode any more on the main line? i'm assuming of course that the TC still has its system operational.

 

Sandbanks ferry now out until at least October
http://www.sandbanksferry.co.uk/news.php

 

Push pull still works on the TC (we’ve used it like that down at Swanage), however I would presume a lack of acronyms (TPWS, OTMR etc) in the cabs precludes driving from it on the main line.

 

Bring back bournemouth to Swanage trains. That is what some well supported comments in the bournemouth Daily Echo say. Why have a transport asset if you do not use it??

 

ROFL!

Tom

 

The Sandbanks Ferry suspension has become a hot topic in the local press. One writer probably sums it up for most neutrals. Why can London to Swanage trains operate? Why can SWR service operate (SO) yet in this exigency no train service to the BCP conurbation. So much for the "can do" spirit!!

 

Umm lets see, lack of any spare DMU'S in the Bournemouth area, its not like they have a spare 4 TC and 33/1 they can use, then theres the time tabling of a SWR service between the Swanage railway services, oh and availability of SWR drivers, signed for a route they don't sign for, and the cost of hiring paths on a privately owned line.then, there is also the problem of fitting it in on the SW main line, between Wareham and Bournemouth where do you put the stock to allow Weymouth- Bournemouth services to run without delays.

 

Yes please. No "Can do" spirit on the Swanage!. Let 's keep the Swanage Railway as our own little make believe railway but available for the great unwashed at a (steep) price. Deffo NOT in the spirit of the SRP pioneers who wanted to get their real live connection back to Wareham after the 1970s closure. Rolling stock. I thought that we just got the belated delivery of a Network compatible Rail Car. . or is it going to sit unused during this Purbeck event?

 

All true, and a load of other factors too. But also very disappointing to see when the connection that might make it possible has been so heavily subsidised, and the railways have managed effective short term emergency measures in the past - Workington comes especially to mind.

 

Thx 35B. We have been celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing but it seem there is no way that a railcar can be made to run between Wareham and Swanage during a time when transport in and out of Purbeck is curtailed. Where are the men and managers of vision. Are the mountains that martin talks about insurmountable. Even to make an effort would be good PR surely.