Swanage Railway General Discussion

I hope it’s not left half cleaned, Is it going to work trains soon? I am due s visit soon

 

Given that some people loved seeing it weathered and others didn't, maybe having it clean on one side and weathered on the other is the best of both worlds. Just choose what side you watch it from based on how clean you like your locos!

 

If Manston has been cleaned to present a better image to visitors to the SR (those who never saw steam locos as they once used to look), then surely the other side would also have been cleaned. As that is the side those on the platform at Swanage would often see first.

And if that is the reason for the cleaning, then, despite my own preferences, who am I to disagree.

But, , maybe another SR used loco is now going to be allowed to get weathered. But I doubt that will be 563!

Bryan B

 

I’m definitely one who was in the “it looked awful” camp!

Tom

 

How locomotives used to look? Some of us remember the GWR when the crew did maintain cleanliness with their locomotives. This was true, particularly on branch lines and what was referred to as 'crack expresses'.

 

I should perhaps have said, 'how locomotives mostly used to look to those of us following SR steam out of Waterloo in their last few years in the 1960s'.

For reasons I just cannot remember I totally forgot about the region you mention. Damn, have to go, my nose has got so long it's hitting the keyboard now.

 

Salisbury looked after their locos almost to the end if you remember Bryan. If you saw a clean loco after about 1963 then you could bet it belong to Salisbury unless NE had borrowed it which sometimes happened. Anyway we are visiting again on September 21st and hope it’s working that day

 

Bob Cartwright told me that when he covered for the regular fireman at Lymington for 2 weeks, he cleaned one side of the loco one week and the other the second week. As to the 'other' railway mentioned, given their branch schedules the locos should have looked ex-works I should think.
Pat

 

563 planned to be in service Tuesday to Thursday this week.

 

It was always very encouraging to see that when a train came into Porthmadog the cleaning gang started working on the exterior as well as the interior.

 

Keeping things regularly cleaned also helps reduce long term maintenance costs.

 

I would make a couple of (uninformed?) comments.
The 10:40 (or whatever time the first train is from Norden is likely to be busy, and today was the first day of a one train service.
The stock seems to normally go through the washer on a Thursday morning, with 2 train running have only just ended not sure if that changed or not. Without a lot of shunting only one side would get cleaned by hand at Swanage unless people go on the track with ladders, which I suspect these days would give Cabot Square apoplexy.
I understood the catering had been tendered, and I am unsure why someone who would already be paying for a facility in Swanage would want to pay for another one.
If you want indifferent light try the 16:40 service, seen here on the approach to HX. Only there as I had to collect the wife as I still have to chauffer her everywhere at the moment.

 

Yes and they don’t even reply to requests for information.

 

It does seem odd that the railway prefers not to post a roster showing which locos are likely to be running, especially this week when the T3 is in service. To me, it's similar to trying to check which film is showing at a particular cinema and not being able to find out. The result, we'll go elsewhere. [BJ]

 

As you know Al I make a number of visits each year and have done for some years. Lack of advance information is the worst problem and lack of decent catering is also not so good although many places are available close to both Swanage and Corfe stations. Also on the minus side is the completely out of place Plus the often lack of ticket checks needs to be sorted. But on the plus side are the locos, the lovely well kept stations, staff who don’t run around in hi viz when they don’t need to, many places to photograph trains and gradients steep enough to make the locos work and the 33s which were so much a part of the SR scene in the 1960s. I don’t find there is a particular problem with mileposts; they are nearly all there if you know where to look. Overall it’s my favourite Heritage line and apart from many visits I have also made donations on the basis that I am no longer fit enough and too far away to volunteer and don’t do many main line steam trips now. I plan to visit on September 21st by train and bus then en famille two night stay for the Gala weekend. Next year we have already booked a cottage in Corfe for a week in June, not just for the railway but also for the many other attractions in the area

 

Well the pre Christmas clean normally takes "the gang" 2 or 3 days and I believe the "gang" is the result of an appeal for volunteers.
But I suppose if you had this "mythical gang" then they could do a coach at a time on the 18 minute turnaround at Norden, of course assuming you actually have 18 minutes.
I assume you are not proposing a set goes to Norden ECS (although HX or even Herston would be nearer) for cleaning? For any heritage line in this economic climate not sure that is a good use of resources (read money).