Swanage Railway General Discussion

Tom

 

DMU centre car just arrived at corfe castle propelled in from norden by an 08

 

The railway springs back into life with a loaded test run for the T9. Seen from the normally dangerous location of Victoria Avenue Bridge which is currently closed to vehicles due to gas works.

 

The fun starts about 13 mins in

 

Brilliant, thanks Tom

 

It's good to see the film again. It was a memorable day but City of Wells ran even faster the following day. Am I allowed to say how fast?

I noticed myself at one of the windows. I had a moustache in those days ....and a lot more hair!! <BJ>

 

Not sure if this has been posted here before but just found this lovely piece on the Swanage Railways Facebook page. Corfe Castle.

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Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

 

I love this picture and it includes the crossover into the goods yard where hopefully the DMU will one day be operating into.

 

I think that this is a stark reminder to those that have recently come to the railway and think that they are taking on 'big projects'

With no money and little political support, those guys and girls, who they are and what they achieved has been by and large forgotten.

Thank You.

 

Sadly, you are not alone in encountering this attitude. I find that some of the newer people at 'my railway' think that the railway has been here forever, and know nothing of how it became what it is.
Pat

 

And those at many railways who have been loyal and with knowledge and experience for many years are pushed away

 

If it wasn't for some people the station and line would now be a road.
But isn't this covered in the welcome video in the Corfe Castle station cinema coach and museum?
Ideally should be regularly updated and expanded with guides using people sympathetic and knowledable to the history of the railway?.

 

"But isn't this covered in the welcome video in the Corfe Castle station cinema coach and museum?"

That is a good idea - the video should be played at Norden and Swanage Stations to entertain and enlighten visitors while they wait for a train.

With the Trust's power being whittled away to the point that it is about to disappear, volunteers are now looked at as just being unpaid workers with very little if any say in how the railway should be run.

 

Would it be posssible to duplicate that video but with a shot by shot of the area as it is now, to show how much has changed?

 

It almost begs a Then (pre 1970) Then (post 1970) and now book. I am sure other projects could do the same

 

That is not quite true, they have not all been forgotten. The Exhibition Coach at Corfe remembers Loco's and Staff (Not all as it would take several coaches) and tells the story of the restoration of the railway. I remember walking with the family from Corfe Viaduct along the railway through Corfe station and down the line to Herston. We met a team working on New Barn bridge. Then looking at picture, I can see the Virgin Express bursting through the banner. What a day that was with the train setting off the fireworks. I expect there are millions of memories that will not be told and will remain just personal.

 

It's a balancing act. The very qualities of those sufficiently bloody minded to defy the odds, to overcome both incredulity and massive inertia, to get a scheme up and running are (almost by definition) not those best suited to ensure ongoing success. Example: Though both our movement .... and that of our muckers on the canals ..... owes a huge debt of gratitude to Tom Rolt, by all accounts, he wasn't exactly the easiest of guys to get on with. Example 2: Remember Bunny, of FfR deviation fame?

 

Looking to the future, I am wondering if the Hamworthy to Poole Branch could be reopened for several reasons. First could Poole harbour benefit by having Rail delivered containers for onward journey to France? Could Swanage Railway benefit by having Ball clay leave the branch by container from Furzebrook, once again, and finally could Swanage Railway provide Heritage Train for visiting Cruise Ships to allow passengers to visit Purbeck. These are dreams, but could they become reality for the future? Could all that be acheived by investments by others and maybe a little from SR?

 

Ah the new barn bridge job, replacement of corroded cross girders, I was involved in that one. How time flies it was about 1982 ish !!!!

 

I have no view about ball clay and cruise ships, but what would be the sense in unloading containers from rail onto a ship when they can stay on rail through the Tunnel?