Swanage Railway General Discussion

A very large percentage of the passengers on the Swanage Railway come to ride on the train (Heritage coaches) and dont really mind what is pulling them. Important thing is that the train leaves on time. Many are just using the railway as an enjoyable way to travel to Corfe Castle and avoiding the parking problems.

 

That's certainly the criteria I would use for cars (for example I'd now consider a 1980s Peugeot 205 to be a classic, as they have become very rare, but 5 years ago they'd have just been "an old banger" - wheras I can't consider a Ford Focus to be one however much shiny bling has been added to it...).

The general public certainly consider Mk1s to be appropriate for a steam railway (avoiding the word 'heritage' there!) - they've got slam doors, comfortable seats, and most have wood trim. They look and feel totally different to the modern plastic stock you'd see on the national network. I'd suggest that most non-enthusiast punters aren't really interested in the difference between a Mk1 and a Bulleid/Maunsell/Gresley/Hawksworth/etc corridor coach, unless it's pointed out to them (older panelled/non-gangwayed stock and Pullmans etc are different)

 

Last weekend I took a group of ordinary folk for a trip on the Swanage railway, yes they enjoyed the steam locomotive, but they really enjoyed sitting in 1381, the Maunsell third open. I am not sure if any one actually went to look at the locomotive!

 

To repeat myself from else where on NP. I beg to differ. Whilst yes there is/are a percentage of the visiting public who wouldn't know there backside from their brain. Based on experience on the North Yorkshire Moors the public are quite perceptive when it comes to "vintage Gresley/Bulleid/Hawksworth etc" stock compared to MK1s. It wouldn't be the first time I've been asked does it cost more to travel in the LNERCA teak set based on the Moors, answer no! Other than in first class where there's a supplement [which also applies to the MK1 first class stock]. Most have been most complementary going to the extent to say that they're better than a [even a 1st class] MK1......... I had one visitor bemoan having to "slum it!"by travelling back to Grosmont [from Pickering] in a MK1............

 

Can anyone answer this, or confirm if it is true? With the visit of Standard 5 73196 for the gala reminded me that I once heard that a class 5 had made it to Swanage Station in BR days, despite being banned from the line. Does anyone have any more details or a number of the loco?

 

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Not BR days but another Caprotti Standard 5, 73129 seen here departing Swanage

 

Yes good video, but i was referring to BR steam.

 

This blog
https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/5mt-44658-45499-4-6-0-lms-stanier-black-five/
Mentions the 5s could go anywhere, whereas the Halls were restricted, (not sure why the 5s were banned from Swanage).
It also says the 5s worked to Bournemouth (Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway), so possible could have made a freight delivery to the Swanage line during BR days?

 

The 5s were common on trains between Bournemouth and Weymouth

 

It may have taken a ball clay train from Furzebrook or Eldon's.

 

Maybe this image shows the turntable and big loco issue better. Front bogie of fthe left hand end of the turntable, rear wheels of the tender off the right hand end.
Any main line loco is full of TPWS, OTMR etc which one of the WCRC support crew told me once could take up to a day to reconnect, check out and then conclude an FTR. So no chance of turning an inbound tour loco until a bigger facility is available.

 

Thursday morning 19th September 2019. T9 sits on turntable with tender inside the shed.

 

This sensible post got me thinking about the feasibility of attaching a tank wagon behind the tender to act as a second water reservoir for engines with smaller tenders. A small pump could transfer water from the tank wagon to the engine tender periodically or even a simple conjoining pipe to equalise the two water levels which would remove the need for the long station stops at places such as Winchfield and the logistics of getting water available there. The arguments against this would (AFAIK) be a) the maximum speed of tank wagons - the older wagons are I think 60 mph, the newer ones 75mph. and b) the aesthetic of having a tank wagon between the loco and carriages. The plus side would be the a) ability to plan longer excursions without the need to insert lengthy (15 mins+) stops at arbitrary remote stations and b) removal of the need to plan for the logistics and resourcing of a prearranged water transfer. Just a thought!

 

Without having read how it actually works I assume that is the sort of thing the Tysley water carrier does and that is located in a GUV so aesthetically pleasing (at least to me anyway).

 

Its nothing new Flying Scotsman was running with an ex tender carrying water back in the 1970s/80s.

 

True and Bittern more recently. I sort of disregarded those as they always look somewhat wrong to me, although I admit fit the purpose well.
The other issue with second tenders/water carriers it may well be at the expense of a passenger coach. For example I think on a DCE you could not have a GUV or second tender and still get inside the signal at Weymouth based on the current consist with of course the diesel needed to tow it all back to Southampton.

 

Flying Scotsman with water carrier 2nd tender.

 

Does look like the T9 and 31806 might be ready for the steam gala. If 31806 could get a water tender for mainline tours in 2020 would be good.
During 2019 was good to ride on the Flying Scotsman then the TC4.
Have to save to do a steam tour but managed to get a good photo on route of the A4, sad the owner said the loco will become a static museum display.
It's a good sign Steam Tours are going to repeat the Waterloo to Windsor tours nect year and that Waterloo is being used for more special trains.
The Thursday Mayflower tour is from Victoria and will try and spot it on the way to Swanage.
So far no mainline tours to Swanage seem have been confirmed for 2020.

 

Maybe the Wareham trial service next year has priority over mainline tours and until the trial service has been confirmed, fitting mainline tours into what will be a more challenging timetable will have to wait a while.