Swanage Railway General Discussion

.... but if it is, the Bluebell have a 4VEP. In the absence of a REP, a not entirely unattractive proposition occurs.

 

Why does everything have to go mainline to “sell”?

Swanage have been selling trips behind steam engines for 30(?) years that don’t go mainline, and made rather a success of it.

A 33/TC combo in the area it once operated will surely continue this trend, whilst also offering a high capacity set that can be used as part of a 2/3 train service or even a single train service that is cheaper to run than steam.

 

All it needs now is a Hampshire Unit

 

According to Facebook Eddy is having it's tyres turned at Toton, expected back Friday

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Believe me, I've less than zero issues with "home" use of the 33/TC combo. For reasons stated earlier, IMO it's a fantastic USP for the line. Hell, if an unexpected spike in traffic levels dictate short notice gainful employment, for that and the bay platform at Swanage, frankly ..... Whoopee! Literally the only thing I'd be vaguely irritated by would be the formation not taking full advantage of P-P capabilities, though perhaps that's just me being weird.

Re: 'mainlining' (i.e. beyond Worget Jc/Wareham, but for these purposes, let's not go there!), I was more idly mulling the lost art of the Bournemouth/Weymouth REP/TC operations .... sometime, whenever. For now, the Swanage seem to have a quite sufficient number of irons in the fire.

 

Again, hate to disagree with you. The T3 group have focused their fundraising efforts outside the normal Swanage Railway circle and it is only recently that the T3 was chosen to front the main railway campaign. Approximately £250k of new money, from new supporters has been raised by the T3 group. The T3 is now planned to be a regular, turn and turn about locomotive, not a high days and holidays engine. Again the group have communicated this to its supports. Just head to its website and sign up for T3 times.

The shed has been hit with material price increases and it is my understanding that it will go up in Winter 2022/23. I believe the trust is going to make a Herston Carriage Shed up date soon. However I can tell you, its not mothballed and not cancelled.

The Water tower complexities are of course unfortunate, but it doesn't mean it won't happen. In fact it is now probably more likely to proceed as time has now been spent sorting the issues out and understanding how to pay for it. At the end of the day, saving the LSWR water tower at Salisbury was an act of preservation.
The tower is no longer in danger and should the money materialise and 6 coach railway become higher on the to do list again, then I'm sure it will be done.
In fact, I personally have no doubt whosoever that the Water Tower, turntable, carriage shed will be done. Just remember the Railway has clawed it way out of covid by the skin of its teeth. Perhaps cool your jets a bit.

As for Robertsbridge, well when you have a Sunday times rich list backer things tend to move a bit quicker. It is of no comparison.
Operationally a turntable would be a good thing, but you are talking £500,000 to install it. If you were doing it on a purely financial basis, you would never do it. It will never make the money back from its investment. But thats the great thing about heritage railways, its not always about the money.

 

I quite like the thought of a low season weekend with 33/TC push-pull one service, and M7/Maunsell push-pull the other… what a lovely weekend that would be!

 

Could you please give an answer to the question posed? Thanks

 

Is that before or after the Titanic train set is completed?

Peter

 

Just dont use them on the train that connects with the boat to Poole!

 

Wow, yes please. Use of correct Southern terminology approvingly noted!

Are there any surviving carriages, operable or awaiting restoration, from Maunsell P-P sets? The SR (LBSC) system was allegedly good for three, either side of the loco. The most I've seen in old photos was three, loco, two .... on the North Kent line, in the 1950s.

Any adverse comment on the pneumatic P-P system seems to date from latter days. I believe kit removed from older withdrawn sets was recycled, which might explain that. Certainly, the Southern tested all three inherited systems thoroughly, before settling on one of the few 'Brighton' standards to survive grouping.

 

Swanage Trust have 3(?) such coaches as part of their Heritage Collection, just stored offsite. There was a proposal written up by a member of the team in 2010 ish that would’ve seen a 2-car P-P set restored with 1323 and 6697, sadly he died before the plan could be pushed. I am waiting for that appeal to be more formally launched, as it’s one that will be good to see.

 

4REP's were NOT permitted between Branksome and Weymouth owing to the limited design of Substations. a REP unit was rated at 3200HP.
It would also be very nice if the TC stock was allowed to operate into Wareham station. Sadly, non of the eight "KB" cromptons including 33111 are main line registered and you would need to top and tail, like the other LT 4TC.

 

Have to confess, it's all that long ago I thought the REPs were already history by the time Weymouth was sparked up. I do recall two weren't permitted to run together.

Available certificated aside, what's the issue with PP mode now which wasn't when it was in daily use?

 

There is a video by the heritage carriage group that says 1323 and 6697 are next in line after the group has completed 5 carriages to form a working heritage rake. So might be a while.


The London Underground 4TC was tested with a 33 in push pull mode, so eventually the Swanage 4TC could work in push pull.
The London Underground 4TC did some summer excursions to Swanage with 2 class73 locos and seemed to fit in OK at Swanage.
The longer rail excursions with steam trains were out of the season peak so as not to cause problems.
Presumably the 4TC tours from London made a bit of profit, but none are so far planned for 2022, and it's not clear if the London Underground 4TC will go to the 2022 May gala?. It might be the Swanage 4TC might run as a 3TC in push pull with the 33?.

 

There are several available, so possible one might visit for the May gala, but getting the 4TC finished seems to be the priority.
Jamie Smith has a video of yesterday's 4TC move, presumably more shunting to come to form a running 3TC?

 

Super clip. Thank goodness for weed killing requirements, eh? Thanks for posting.

Delighted to hear PP operation is practical and remains on the table. Mention of "not causing problems" to peak operations throws up a point which has previously been discussed re: the IMR's ex-CDR railcars, which as well as 'short notice overflow capacity' is the potential for operations at times where practical factors mitigate against steam (prep/disposal times and crew availability as much as anything). The way operating seasons have expanded way beyond what Tom Rolt memorably described as "from bluebell to blackberry time" really underlines the changes our collective obsession has undergone over the decades.

Enquiry: Does the signalling setup at Swanage allow off-peak one train operations, either half-line to Corfe, or to Norden P&R with Corfe Castle SB locked out?

 

Swanage (using only Platform 2) and Harmans Cross signalboxes are able to be switched out, enabling running between Norden and Swanage using a train that does not require to run round with only Corfe Castle signal box open. This has been used frequently in the past with evening DMU operations and suchlike.

 

Swanage Railway is known first and foremost for being a heritage steam railway. With the exception of the 3 day Diesel Gala (usually held early in May with a mixed traction preview day) it has operated steam daily from around the end of March to the end of October (though nb at least one year there was no service MF during early October).

One loco in steam is the basic low season operation (80 min frequency), enhanced to one steam one diesel (40 min frequency) in the shoulder season, enhanced to two steam (40 min frequency) in the peak season. The diesel used to be the Class 108 DMU until its sale. Subsequently the Class 33 with ex BR MK1 carriages.

When the Wareham trial service was operated in 2017 the shoulder season service remained one steam one diesel however the diesel operated through to and back from Wareham. The frequency was irregular due to the mainline pathing. The peak season service was two steam AND the Wareham diesel ie three units in service. The frequency was irregular as mentioned earlier but provided the highest frequency service at better than every 40 minutes on average.

When a winter diesel service was tried some years ago during Jan / Feb weekends there was some patronage but the numbers didnt seem to justify all the effort required to operate the railway.

On the assumption that both the DMUs (Class 117 and 121) and the Class 33 4TC are mainline certified and available for service the question SRC will have to resolve is which to use and when whether for mainline operation or just branch operation. Presumably the backers of "each horse" will want to see their "horse" given the run.

 

The 4TC group on FB said they are still working on repairs, a route indicator and tarpaulin for the 3 restored TC4 carriages (2 of which are now on the platform), but unlikely to run for this year's gala in May.