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Swanage Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Rumpole, Oct 10, 2012.

  1. biggles200

    biggles200 Member

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    SLL has the benefit of Herston workshop and Local Labour, so it would be silly to walk away. Definately SLL with 5 loco's needs to find income and so other railways must be involved. I am sure it is important for the future of both for SLL and Swanage to have a happy relationship and no more selling 4MTs.
     
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  2. 60044

    60044 Member

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    If SLL do decide to sell 80104, please can I have first dibs???!!!
     
  3. Daddsie71b

    Daddsie71b Member Friend

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    As a longstanding Swanrail member and also a SLL shareholder, I am proud to be associated with two organisations who have matured over the years, from being no hope groups to respected and dare I say envied around the heritage world.

    What does Swanage need 5 working loco's for and why would SLL want their engines sitting around idle?

    SVR is an ideal base for the South Eastern based shareholders who will promote SLL which in return will hopefully see even more shareholders.

    In my view SLL just need one of the locos to be based further oop north to tap into the Bulleid lovers up there.

    With the T3, T9 M7 U and N, a scenic busy railway, great engineering facilities and a nice area to live, why wouldn't SLL want to still be associated to one of the countries premier league railways with their top of the table locomotives?
     
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  4. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

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    Speaking of the T9, is there any news of it’s future at Swanage? I believe the original loan agreement with the NRM ends this year. Are talks taking place regarding a potential renewal of this agreement?
     
  5. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    A couple from the last two days of the 15:20 departure from Swanage, (or an excuse to deviate on the way to my daily trip to the post box) as this is the last week until the Christmas lunch trains. I hope they still happen as the railway needs the money, but virus numbers do not look good, and Bournemouth & Poole is talking about Tier 2 by the end of the week according to the news yesterday. Who knows where we will be by December.
    Those sheep appear not to be Bulleid fans, or maybe a case of its 257 Squadron again! Of course the sun went behind a cloud so the "glint shot" failed, but at least the rain headed for Corfe and not me.
    At very wet Herston Halt today with 257 carrying a light in lieu of a disc, and impersonating a mobile steam generator!
    IMG_5207.JPG IMG_5215.JPG IMG_5219.JPG
     
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  6. 007

    007 Member

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    From my personal point of view, I would suggest that the two organisations are probably closer now than they have been in over a decade. Decisions appear to be being made with mutual agreement and there is an extremely close working relationship, especially from an engineering standpoint.

    Swanage and SLL have had a complex relationship in the past but these are now two mature organisations that have their own focus, but are also intimately linked. SLL won't be leaving Swanage and Swanage don't have any desire to see them go.

    I think people need to stop stirring to be honest. 34053 leaving for Spa makes sense, call it permanent if you like, but we all know, nothing in this industry is permanent.
     
  7. 2392

    2392 Well-Known Member

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    Whilst I give you a Big Thanks Gladiator for your photographic offerings from Swanage. I can't help but notice how tatty the brake looks, that's the third/centre carriage. I noticed it, in a previous selection too, whilst it's fine and dandy to see squeaky clean and shiny engines. It's the coaching stock that our "Biggest" supporters come into contact with and if they're tatty or shabby they may and I emphasize may not comeback and give a negative review. Our biggest supporters being the general public........
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2020
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  8. Josh Voce

    Josh Voce New Member

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    It is only in the rake because it is the only operational ETH fitted brake that we have. As we have been running midweek 33 services heat was required on those. I believe it is due an overhaul in the near future.
     
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  9. 2392

    2392 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the update Josh. My remark wasn't meant as a criticism per sa, rather an observation. It also highlights the need for covered accommodation, for all stock. And yes I know it can be and is difficult to acquire both suitable/accessible land, plus planning permission.
     
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2020
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  10. Daddsie71b

    Daddsie71b Member Friend

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    I cannot believe how the trees have grown around Herston. The brake van looks OK in the wet ;)
     
  11. Mogul

    Mogul Member

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    We have a 10 car shed 'currently' under construction, paused due to the still unknown cost of the pandemic. Its on current operational land and hence exempt from planning. Further accommodation gets progressively harder tho.
    Its worth pointing out that there is nothing new or changed about a SLL loco going to another railway. In Fact SKP was overhauled to go on the Severn Valley Railway where it spent the first 5 years of its ticket. Its only been back at Swanage briefly whilst some issues were sorted before going to Spa Valley Railway. Choosing another railway with the same initials was necessary to avoid to much crossing out in the written agreement:cool:. Norman has never been at Swanage.
    Obviously a railway with limited facilities like Swanage cant host more than a couple of Bullieds at a time. This isn't a sudden realisation. As SLL have developed their fleet to have more locos operational having them travel further afield is a natural result of their success and should not be viewed as a sign relationship of problems.
     
  12. 2392

    2392 Well-Known Member

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    Quite agree Mogul, about the planning permission angle, on land already in railway ownership. Though it doesn't necessarily stop the local authorities trying to muscle in, at the behest of the local Nimbys, or on newly acquired [by the railway] land.......
     
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2020
  13. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    Thank you for an authoritative answer to JMJR1000's initial query. I intended to post a reply myself saying that the move of 34053 to the Spa Valley did not imply that there was a problem between SLL and the Swanage Railway, but you are able to speak as an insider (I happen to be a member of both the Spa Valley and Swanage Railways but am not privy to the inside workings of either line.)

    In many ways, this development is a win-win situation for all concerned - SLL has a second regular base (and thus revenue stream) for its growing number of engines, south-east based SLL members can see some of their group's locos in action on their doorsteps while no doubt still enjoying the odd visit down to Dorset, the Spa Valley gets a prestigious loco which has already given a substantial boost to passenger numbers on the few occasions it has been in service and the Swanage Railway can now be confident that SLL won't be asking it to host more Bulleids than it really needs.

    Although as I live 15-20 miles from the Spa Valley I'm naturally pleased that 34053 is so close by, I'm also pleased that it did have a stint at Swanage in between its two other homes and I was able to have a ride behind it and take some photos - especially as for a while, it was running chimney first to Swanage and thus I was able to use some different locations from the usual spots for photographing Bulleids.
     
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  14. JMJR1000

    JMJR1000 Member

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    Having read all the posts that came after my own initial post, I am very pleased to learn that I was wrong, and that as is said these changes are all just signs of a evolving relationship. I am happy to hear the relationship between the Swanage Railway and the SLL is still a strong, and equally pleased that the Spa Valley Railway was chosen as the secondary base for SLL too. I fully understood and agreed that Swanage could only really have need or space for one or two Bulleids, so it's good the SLL have found a place that can make use of their locos too. Whether they'll just want to stick with the one Bulleid or take on another is a matter to no doubt discuss at a later point.

    A nice bonus to all this as well actually, is it seemed SKP's presence has given the Spa Valley the extra impetus to sort out a run round loop at Eridge, arguably the last remaining big project for the railway to tackle in order to 'complete' itself to an extent.

    I'll be curious too as to where they may send the eventually restored Sidmouth, as I don't see it going to Swanage.
     
  15. 007

    007 Member

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    34028 will call Swanage home, as for 34010, its probably 3-4 years away. Who knows, but there is time to plan, maybe the mainline beckons for it. The final frontier for SLL surely!
     
  16. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    As, by chance, I ended up with a shot of the last passenger service before lockdown 1, it seemed right to do the same for lockdown 2.
    On a day where the weather maybe met the mood of the country (miserable!) 34072 approaches Herston with the 15:20 from Swanage.
    This should have been the last service train until the Christmas season, however I suspect it could easily be the last service train of 2020 depending on the success of (and adherence to) the latest lockdown. IMG_5249.JPG
     
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  17. Dan Hill

    Dan Hill Part of the furniture

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    So with Swanage only requiring up to 2 of SLL Bulleid's, one of which being 34072, given that 34028 and 34070 are both close to returning to traffic, does that mean one of them is also bound for Tunbridge Wells? Steam Railway seems to hint that the Spa Valley is expecting the arrival of an Air Smoothed Light Pacific at some point (which would presumably be 34070 if they're correct) in it's feature on the Spa Valley, albeit not mentioned by anyone from SLL or the Spa Valley.

    I would assume that the door is still open for any Spa Valley based SLL locos to visit Swanage as well.
     
  18. Mogul

    Mogul Member

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    Limiting ourselves to two Bullieds is more of an ideal than an unbreakable rule. I would imagine it will depend on what other locos are available and what sort of timetable we want to run in 2021. 34070 is regarded with some affection in Swanage so if one of the ‘originals’ is going further afield it might be 257. This makes sense as it has had a period of snagging and been run in.
    I hasten to say this is all pure speculation on my part.
     
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  19. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

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    Is 257 not regarded with some affection too, as it has a long association with Swanage? First ran there 28 years ago I believe.

    Didn’t the Swanage Railway sign an agreement that covered all of SLLs Bulleids quite recently? Obviously things have changed since then.
     
  20. 60044

    60044 Member

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    I've no connection with either SLL or Swanage, but I've always thought that two Bulleids is about as much as Swanage can reasonably provide work for. What they really need for day to day work is class 2-4 engines. The same is true of the Spa Valley, which leaves at least one loco as a floating spare to move between the two sites as required (or hire out to a third party) plus a future Merchant Navy white elephant to hawk around other lines.
     
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