Swanage Railway General Discussion

A friend is doing a heritage management course and makes precisely this comment

 

would a Wareham bound train pass this site? Is it any wonder that Heritage Railways are prime targets for vandalism and thefts?

 

Thank you for your thoughts. There are a couple of things I left off in my annoyance with what was shown.

Firstly, this is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with connections to Thomas Hardy. Purbeck is known for rarities of Flora and fauna so the railway may well adjoin a Site of Special Scientific Interest as well. Another thing which should lead to more care being taken.

Secondly, the railway is seeking public contributions towards a most desirable carriage shed. Scrapping much of this stuff would meet a good deal of the cost of this.

 

I believe efforts have been made in the past to tidy up this site, by moving some unrestored stock off site.

Obviously still more to be done though. I believe that DMU coach was a spare returned from Eastleigh after the 117 and bubble car were completed. Intended to be stripped for spares. Looks like most of the spares have now been stripped so hopefully off to the scrappers soon.

 

Perhaps this might give impetus to the SR efforts to take possession of the Perenco Sidings. A cull is obviously needed followed by storage at a secure compound!

 

I think a few of those vehicles were advertised for sale last year (Hopper, Sturgeon(?) amid others) but not sure if they sold. I did make inquiries a while ago but didn't hear back.

 

The self-righteous indignation about some of the mess - the portacabins and containers for example - is fair comment to a degree, but there are quite a lot of items stored there (bogies, Pway materials and rolling stock for example) that are needed for operations or as spares and do not end themselves to being hidden, and are low priorities for restoration. At least at the moment they are not in view of passengers on trains - or most probably non-trespassing passers by.

 

If its valuable and/or worth saving let SR find secure storage. The video showed generators and all types of tools insecure. Perhaps someone can enlighten us on the latest situation as regards the Perenco property. I realise this video was made by a trespasser but perhaps it could be useful in getting some action on those sidings

 

Apparently an piece on the BBC South News at 18:30 about the railway reopening. There was a short piece on the lunchtime news.
Usually will also be on i player until 19:00 tomorrow.

 

What is surprising is that it IS a SSSI site! Still doesn't make trespassing right.

 

Easy to type such a statement on your computer, but much more difficult to find a suitable site and pay for it.

 

Do you answer the ongoing appeals. As one who does, isnt it fair to comment on the stewardship of the contribution?

 

Yes but isn't the point of an appeal for a carriage shed the fact that they don't have one yet, that they're aware they need to improve and are taking steps to do so?

 

Yes,that is a very worth while Aspiration. Lets just say that another videographer(or even the same one) goes along that graveyard in a few months time and nothing has been done it will reflect on the SR.
I have mentioned the Perenco sidings. Political action is very much needed on that issue and if and when SR gets in there take only redeemable items and spares.

 

The final (number 120 on my count) of the operations training runs arrives back at Swanage running some 30 minutes early.
Public services of course start in the morning.

 

Loving the T9- conversion with smoke deflectors!

 

Is that left over from 1st April?

 

HEH! wheel it a bit further out of the shed to see who falls for it...

 

A slightly more head on shot from yesterday that was a result of taking an image of the turntable hand rails, not the loco. Good spot on the T9 I had not noticed.
I guess if it was in service it would have been the ideal loco for the 120th operations training working!

 

Still under negotiation. I believe (and hope that Mogul can confirm) that Parenco need some of the site, it is a SSSI, leases have to be agreed with third parties.