Swanage Railway General Discussion

I did notice last week that contrary what some NT staff had told my dad a few weeks ago Corfe Castle is lit up again this year as well. A sort of "free add on" to the Swanage lights train experience.
Noticed 257 go past the window when having lunch, I assume a test run post its works visit. Not sure if that means it will be used this weekend or not.

 

Currently simmering away at Swanage on the Webcam.

 

The big problem with the Bluebell's current offering is that it seems to ignore East Grinstead - all the lights trains start from the park. Which makes it impossible to use by public transport, and must put off a huge proportion of the potential London trade.

 

We have one Santa service from each end (i.e. a Sheffield Park - Horsted Santa; and an East Grinstead - Horsted Santa; timed so that they aren't in the station at HK at the same time).

With SteamLights, the service is only half line. So if we ran it East Grinstead - Horsted Keynes, that would essentially mean not running the Sheffield Park - Horsted service because of the logistics of the line side displays - i.e. it would be one or the other, but likely not both.

But probably before we go too far off topic, better to discuss in the Bluebell thread. East Grinstead is a perennial problem in terms of offering a good service starting from there when all the facilities have grown up at Sheffield Park.

Tom

 

The Lights and Santa trains need to be continually improving each year to keep families returning.

Bluebell and Mid Hants railways are also close enough to get new visitors from London who may use car or train.
It could be next year the Santa trains return to Mid Hants and Swanage railways.

The chances of Swanage railway getting new evening visitors from London is lower unless they are staying in or near Swanage, and it is easier to park near the station winter evenings.
The Swanage lights and dining trains seem to do well and will be interesting to see if this year the number of vistors increase? (depending on Covid levels and restrictions not getting worse later in December) .

Opening up the Wareham shuttle for evenings and running some Lights/Santa trains from Corfe in 2022, may bring in extra new visitors (and income for SR) from parts of Dorset near SWR stations, who for some reason can't travel by car.

 

I have been looking into the shape of 257 engine and that they called them the spam can but is there any reason to this as the corned beef tin is a better shape for these engines. Does any know if the tin shape changed as corned beef tin would be much better names due to the shapes of modern tins of it?

 

During WW2 the American troops brought canned SPAM (a trade name for "Spiced Ham" ) which found its way onto the domestic market at the same time as Bulleid's creation.The tins were a similar shape to corned beef tins.
Ray.

 

I would think starting anywhere other than Swanage is a big challenge. You will not get/be able to move enough people for a 6 coach train to and from Wareham. So you need some to come by car which means Norden. That station does not have the facilities, especially if raining to hold folks prior to the lights switch on.

 

Absolutely. SR would have to arrange with DC for the car park to remain open on those evenings and be locked up at the appropriate time, likewise for the toilets. There is also the issue that there is very very limited undercover waiting room at Norden. The walkway / footpath from the car park to Norden Station platform has limited lighting.

 

Lights trains give some different photo opportunities. Both forced by trying to stay in a position where there was no one else.
One from Saturday and one from yesterday passing the HX Christmas trees.

 

More railways should try white lights there are to many coloured ones and white ones look traditional more and a I think it look more Victorian and I am
Happy for a a railway to use my ideas to try it

 

More railways should try white? I’m not aware of any that currently do.

The lights trains are a modern initiative, and not something the Victorians did so there’s no tradition to uphold or recreate


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If social distanced daytime Santa trains are reintroduced next year, then linking with a Wareham service and car parking at Norden could mean an occasional Norden, Corfe to Swanage and back Santa train could be viable and allow some car less visits (using trains) from other parts of Dorset and Hampshire.

 

Good to see a target of 2023 for the 563 loco to tie in with several anniversaries.
Maybe the loco could have some time displayed at Waterloo concorse for the 175th anniversary (near where it played a part in the Railway children play a short time ago)?. This would also give some good publicity for the Swanage Railway.

 

Down here, we were extremely fortunate Brighton station's 150th was attended by two locos in full gamboge war paint. Stepney from Sheffield Park and Gladstone (wearing an impressive beadboard) from the NRM. All these years later, a sight no-one who saw it could forget.

If 563 could attend Waterloo's 175th, it'd be fantastic (and provide some jolly useful publicity for the Swanage Rly to boot - Purbeck Schools' headboard design contest, anyone?). With the NRM's new "2 years notice" policy, now would be about the right time for the organisers to ask if 245 can come out to play as well.

 

A doctors appointment at 1550 yesterday turned to surprise when I found 31806 heating the stock as I walked down (the doctors being opposite the station entrance). Assuming they would run late I still felt if there was a non public run then I might find out when I got out. Doctor finally called me at 1635 and did not get out until the lights were already on the train and hordes of people were approaching the station.
A quick rush home to tell the wife I would live at least another couple of days yet, grab the cameras and of to HX in the hope it was going to be usual timings.
Previous nights public run at seen the bridge at HX rammed with people, last night was calm, just me and two maybe three Tawny Owls nearby for company. U sounded great on the climb to HX, one local appeared I guess having heard the train. One of those magic moments almost as if it was my own run by. Still no idea what or who the train was for but heard it go out again at 1915.
A few images attached.

 

GNR no. 1 did the shows at Waterloo. IIRC 563 did the shows in Canada and at Kings Cross.

 

Thanks for the correction.

 

Whilst an appealing idea to try and take traffic off the roads, this adds a huge amount of complexity and work to the most recent Santa Special type operation.

Under the most recent operation the train is serviced at Swanage between departures with Santas helpers reloading presents from a static coach in the bay, the refreshments are prepared and positioned to the correct point in the train as well as the usual traction related tasks. This would have to be duplicated at Norden.

The Santa Shuttle (Class 108 DMU) used to operate enabling passengers to park at Norden, travel to Swanage, enjoy the Santa Special and then return to Norden. It added considerable complexity with more movements, more crews and more station staff required. When it was discontinued I am reliably informed that the volunteers breathed a huge sigh of relief as it made running the Santa Specials so much easier with less anxiety.

Santas are hugely demanding in terms of staffing and one gets the impression that each year it becomes that bit more difficult. If anything SR needs to be looking at how to reduce the demands on volunteers without in any way degrading the much appreciated and loved Swanage Santa experience.

 

You have been given unreliable information