Swanage Railway General Discussion

Super photo and some impressive "sag" on the wires.

 

Having just seen the 33 taking the 25 out of Swanage, which was also the way it arrived, I assume the 25 is being hauled as no one at Swanage is type certified on it?

 

Two from a sunny but cool Saturday. (You can never have to many pictures of a Spamcan in BR colours.
Yet another (pointless) trip to Boots to pick up non existent drugs for my wife meant I passed over the bridge just prior to the blow down. You would think after 7 1/2 years here I would know better, but it must be pre Covid before I last watched rather than heard a blow down. Anyway I took the image and went off to the town. Got behind the Ops office and of course could see nothing, thought better get off the road in case some idiot decides to drive through it (they did but they then had to stop as well but on the wrong side of the road!) Luckily I had worn my wax jacket as I was soaked by the time it was all over.
Other image of the last (quite well loaded train) at Cowpat taken from Dickers.

 

According to my records working its first train since the last Christmas lights on December 31st, the U Class was back in service on the Dorsetman today (although carrying Wessex Belle headboard).
Second of the two return trips seen approaching Harmans Cross.

 

From the photo looks like it may have been repainted green, or it is just reflection from the grass?

 

Reflection

 

Ah, So that was you I saw on Haycrafts Lane bridge this afternoon, when I was exchanging tokens with the crew. Nice picture. I dont know why it was carrying the Wessex Belle headboard but the train was certainly full, may have been a private charter?

 

I think it was the first of the 3 extra Dorsetman dates they added. At least it was when I copied them all off the website a few weeks back.

 

In an image that is potentially achievable on a very few days a year, and even then requires pot luck on timing,the U Class departs with the 10:00 to Norden whilst a bus roof which has just been removed dangles from the crane.The removal of the bus roofs often guarantees a few days rain, although I guess these days morebus could claim they are making the upper deck "Covid Safe"!

 

Does swannage have a fleet of convertible buses? If that was published on April 1, I would be scratching my head.

 

Yes.

 

You learn something new every day (mind you, having a chunk of the fleet only usable for ~6months of the year would drive the search for newer arrangements)

 

They lift a lot of the roofs off every year around this time. Normally it is the Purbeck Breezer (or as we call them The Purbeck Freezer) livery buses that get the lids removed, so we end up with buses with a full roof, half roof and no roof for the summer. Today it was morebus livery buses, at least first thing. Maybe because the bus yard at Poole always looks so tight for space they had sent them over to somewhere with more room to remove them.
They even have roof storage racks in the yard as shown in the attached image.

 

Back in the days many years ago the Southdowns Queen Mary's had a similar version, tops off in summer, tops on in winter, you could tell them by the waterproof seats fitted ! We had them on the school run, not often in summer as they were in use elsewhere, but quite often in winter with tops on.

 

Perhaps they've just taken the 'Pacer' concept to the next level?

 

An open topped Pacer? Now there's an idea...

(Not that different to a Blackpool Boat Tram. Ok. I'll shut up now.)

Steve B

 

Anyone know what this may be today?

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:41496/2022-05-24/detailed

 

33012 returning.

 

Thanks

 

Seems to be a bit of an unplanned "mini gala" here today. I heard from a friends garden the hooter from the U as the 11:20 departed. D6515 arrived back at Swanage with what was the 13:30 service and 257 Squadron has just left with the 15:00 service.
I assume the U may have a recurring issue as it worked trains Monday but not yesterday?