[Oct 11, 2019] Swanage Autumn Steam Gala 2019 (Swanage Railway)

It was an atmospheric late afternoon today. I made it to Corfe about 4.30, the ticket office shut but there was a sign advising me to buy tickets on the train (cash only). I had a round trip to the River Frome bridge, but no TTI came round so I travelled for free. i got back off at Corfe and made a donation at the contactless card reader donation point.

 

Slightly late start to the day due to a combination of minor issues (10:00 just left Swanage 20L), but everything running as booked and we’ll claw the time back during the morning. Damp again in Swanage!

 

Back to within 5 minutes of right time now.

 

Had a great day yesterday,
The balance is perfect now, with the number of trains going across the road and the time built in to claw back the slight delays.
73156 is a great loco, two questions is it doing anymore work on the time or is it a weekend only deal
also the first train across it worked back from River frome,
Was it doing all the work or was 34053 working too cause couldn't hear it , was drowned out by 73156.

But seriously you don't need to change a thing, it was broken last year , but now its perfect.

 

It hasn't been confirmed how long it will stay but as I mentioned before …...

 

Yes a very good day today despite the persistent rain. Had a run behind all six locos and all did well. Timekeeping good after a shaky start well recovered. Despatch at Corfe very sharp which to me was one of the key things. A robust timetable also helps. Even lingered in the rain to phot the 80104/73156 double header plodding up the hill from Corfe. I know how much hard work goes into these Galas so many thanks s to all concerned. Did I see Plumb boxes being carried by footplate staff? If so a great tribute to that Nine Elms driver

 

Good day at the gala today despite the weather - at least it made for some nice steam effects. Not quite sure what the early morning delays were. Someone said there was a problem with the freight - all I know was it left Norden on time. Anyway, the fact that a 20 minute delay was completely made up by early afternoon shows that the timetable works with adequate recovery time built in. The railway felt like it was very busy in terms of train movements so no need to try a more ambitious timetable. All locos appeared to behave themselves. Liked the 73156/34053 double-header (very S&D). Not sure about back-to-back Bulleids double-heading but not a major issue. Was worth walking down a muddy path and standing in the rain to watch 73156 leaving Norden at the end of the day. Lots of noise and clag - hope no one was measuring its carbon footprint!

 

I think the problem at the start was that the 0945 as 73156 was in the wrong place?

 

The timetable shows 73156 being at the rear of both the 0855 freight and 0945 passenger service - obviously a misprint. All I know was that when I got to Norden at the 0920 it was already parked up there so can't see how it delayed the 0945 from Swanage. The 0945 had 34053 on the rear - maybe that wasn't positioned correctly.

Incidentally I'm not that keen on these top'n tail movements to get locos into position and the start/end of the day. I know they save a light engine moves but they just seem a bit odd.

 

Reason for 34053 on the rear of the 0945 was that first thing in the morning the Goods Shed Road pit was flooded; by the time it had drained, it was too late for oiling points underneath to be attended to and make its booked 0830 light engine move. As such, we sent it up on the back of the 0945 to pick up its booked working at Norden. While 73156 was also stabled over the same flooded pit, it requires far less attention underneath than a de-tuned Bulleid. Both 34053 and 73156 were booked to go up to Norden on the freight, then onto the rear of the 0945 from there.

The main issue first thing was a delay with collecting a rake of coaches from Herston; this then delayed the freight at Harmans Cross due to the Swanage-Harmans section being blocked for this move. Added to 30120’s reverser then requiring a little attention prior to the 10:00 service, it pushed the start of the day back a little. As has been said though, all was recovered by lunchtime; just a shame the weather didn’t!

 

Just an update for this morning, 31806 has an issue so D6515 covering 10:00 ex-Norden.

 

Unusual traction this morning for the 09:23 goods train from Harmons Cross to Corfe Castle, namely a class 33 diesel + tender first locos 80104, 73156 and 34053.
The triple headed steam continued to Norden while the 33 came off to haul stock to Norden for the 10:00 departure to Swanage. <BJ>

 

31806 back on booked diagram from the 11:30 ex-Swanage.

 

An excellent event I thought despite the attempts of the weather to drown it. (By this afternoon the River Frome flood plain was exactly that, very flooded).
Ironically as I had decided to focus on riding the trains today the sun came out.
When I have waded through far to many images I took I will upload some. But many thanks to all the staff and volunteers and a special mention for the shunters who spent their day diving under to uncouple or couple locos and also moving the tokens around at Norden. Not much fun in heavy rain.
The run back from River Frome behind 73156 and 34053 was to me the highlight.

 

Bulleid double Fairlie as I said to someone

 

Ok thanks. It all seemed a bit confused at Swanage as 34053 was sat on the red/cream s

Yes I agree it was perfect so thanks to all concerned. The only thing was the date as it clashed with the Bluebell Gala and as I was only free on the Saturday I had to choose between the two.

 

I can’t speak directly for Swanage, but as a general point, there are lots of subtleties of rostering that aren’t always appreciated. For example, the difference between a loco making a pathing move light engine at 9am or top-and-tailed on the back of another train at 9:45 might translate to the difference in crew book on at 5:15am or a rather more reasonable 6am. In turn, that might have a knock-on impact at the end of the day and whether you need one crew or two to cover a particular loco diagram.

For Giants of Steam at the Bluebell at the weekend, we had dedicated overnight P&D crews that meant the daytime crews didn’t need such early book on times. But that does depend on having crews available for that relatively unglamorous duty.

Yard space is another constraint at galas. Again, taking the Bluebell example, we have space over pits for about three large engines. So if you have, say, six in steam (as we did at the weekend) then they end up queuing to get over pits. To which you add the need to clear pits of ash from one loco before the next comes on to blowdown. Then throw in the need to coal them as they go off shed, which blocks any moves while it is in progress...

I note in that light @Rumpole comment above about a flooded pit, and also the extra pit time needed for a three cylinder loco relative to say a BR Standard.

On occasion I’ve done Running Foreman duties at galas (that’s our role for controlling all yard operations) and while it is exhilarating, you are flat out for several hours until everything is off shed and you can relax for a bit.

Tom

 

A nice summary of the logistics of railway operations. Where Swanage is concerned there is only one coaling point - the coal dock. And that is also on the only pit we are permitted to drop ash, the Goods Shed Road being a maintenance pit only. So part of the diagramming entails ensuring each loco has a sufficient period to get on this pit each day.

 

My video from a rather damp but enjoyable day at the gala on Saturday.

 

Day 1 of the gala which I thought was wet until Day 2 arrived.
73156 and 34053 at Townsend Bridge
34053 with freight at Harmans Cross
30120 and 34072 departing Swanage