If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

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

Discussion in 'Galas and Events' started by lil Bear, Aug 29, 2019.

You can not RSVP for this event...

This event has already begun, or has already passed; RSVP has been since closed.
Swanage Autumn Steam Gala 2019
Swanage Railway
Confirmed Attendees: 2
Posted By: lil Bear
Start Date: Oct 11, 2019 09:00 AM
End Date: Oct 13, 2019 09:00 PM
Time Zone: Europe/London +01:00 BST
The following users have RSVP'd "Yes": 2
The following users have RSVP'd "No":
  1. Kingscross

    Kingscross Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2009
    Messages:
    711
    Likes Received:
    484
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    South West
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    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.
     
    lil Bear likes this.
  2. Rumpole

    Rumpole Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2005
    Messages:
    2,563
    Likes Received:
    761
    Occupation:
    Tea-Maker
    Location:
    34105
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    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!
     
  3. Rumpole

    Rumpole Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2005
    Messages:
    2,563
    Likes Received:
    761
    Occupation:
    Tea-Maker
    Location:
    34105
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Back to within 5 minutes of right time now.
     
    Sunnieboy likes this.
  4. 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.
     
    lil Bear, Rumpole and Sunnieboy like this.
  5. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2005
    Messages:
    5,283
    Likes Received:
    2,650
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Rolls-Royce engineer
    Location:
    Bath Green Park / Mangotsfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    It hasn't been confirmed how long it will stay but as I mentioned before …...

     
  6. gricerdon

    gricerdon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2018
    Messages:
    1,572
    Likes Received:
    726
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Gricer and Grandad
    Location:
    Wallers Ash
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    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
     
    lil Bear, Rumpole and Sunnieboy like this.
  7. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2006
    Messages:
    1,489
    Likes Received:
    734
    Location:
    Hampton Court, Surrey
    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!
     
    lil Bear and Rumpole like this.
  8. gricerdon

    gricerdon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2018
    Messages:
    1,572
    Likes Received:
    726
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Gricer and Grandad
    Location:
    Wallers Ash
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I think the problem at the start was that the 0945 as 73156 was in the wrong place?
     
  9. 6026 King John

    6026 King John Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2006
    Messages:
    1,489
    Likes Received:
    734
    Location:
    Hampton Court, Surrey
    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.
     
  10. Rumpole

    Rumpole Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2005
    Messages:
    2,563
    Likes Received:
    761
    Occupation:
    Tea-Maker
    Location:
    34105
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    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!
     
  11. Rumpole

    Rumpole Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2005
    Messages:
    2,563
    Likes Received:
    761
    Occupation:
    Tea-Maker
    Location:
    34105
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Just an update for this morning, 31806 has an issue so D6515 covering 10:00 ex-Norden.
     
  12. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2005
    Messages:
    5,283
    Likes Received:
    2,650
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Rolls-Royce engineer
    Location:
    Bath Green Park / Mangotsfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    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>
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2019
  13. Rumpole

    Rumpole Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2005
    Messages:
    2,563
    Likes Received:
    761
    Occupation:
    Tea-Maker
    Location:
    34105
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    31806 back on booked diagram from the 11:30 ex-Swanage.
     
  14. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    6,077
    Likes Received:
    4,889
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    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.
     
    Rumpole and Sunnieboy like this.
  15. Daddsie71b

    Daddsie71b Member Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2013
    Messages:
    770
    Likes Received:
    638
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    34091
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Bulleid double Fairlie as I said to someone
     
  16. gricerdon

    gricerdon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2018
    Messages:
    1,572
    Likes Received:
    726
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Gricer and Grandad
    Location:
    Wallers Ash
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer

    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.
     
  17. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,101
    Likes Received:
    57,418
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    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
     
    ady, mdewell, lil Bear and 2 others like this.
  18. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2006
    Messages:
    6,122
    Likes Received:
    1,655
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Railway Technician
    Location:
    8C / 5D / 27C / 71B
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    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.
     
    Jamessquared likes this.
  19. theonlyadsrulz

    theonlyadsrulz Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2008
    Messages:
    270
    Likes Received:
    491
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Bristol
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    My video from a rather damp but enjoyable day at the gala on Saturday.

     
    Sunnieboy likes this.
  20. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    6,077
    Likes Received:
    4,889
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    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
     

    Attached Files:

    Sunnieboy likes this.

Share This Page