Timetabled goods trains on the Isle of Wight

New for 2014 the IOWSR will on the 2nd Sunday of most months will run a heritage goods train. The train will consist mainly of wooden framed pregrouping wagons. The majority of the wagons used will be original island stock.
Where possible the motive power will be an island engine from W8, W11 and W24 eventually they will be joined by another island type with the E1 W2

 

That's great!

 

Gary, is this to get your drivers experienced in running with un braked stock? its a thing that has largely ceased to be done on preserved railways these days, lhe ones i know of ,tend to run all stock fitted or through piped where there is no vac or air brake on the vehicle.

 

I believe foxfield run unfitted goods, it was explained to me that its better as the loco can effectively 'drag' the stock down the gradient.

 

Aside from the ballast hoppers and a PMV, all of our non-passenger stock is unfitted. Any demo freight train and most works trains will be unfitted, its not being done specifically to get footplate crews and guards experienced in that type of working.

The timetabled goods trains are a great opportunity to show off the excellent work being done by Gary and his team, have a look at the C&W news on the IWSR website for more details; their latest project is an LBSCR 10 ton van which is well on the way to completion.

http://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/news/carriage-and-wagon-news-november-2013-25.aspx

 

It will be well worth seeing. This is a workshop which turns out splendid work in a remarkably short period of time, especially considering the I.O.W.S.R. is a relatively small operation. The L.B.S.C.R. covered van in particular ought to cause many heritage railways to ponder a bit!

P.H.

 

Isn't this the kind of indulgence you usually rail against?

 

Absolutely not. The revenue cost is minimal compared with operating oversized motive power on trains which have little authenticity for a branch line setting and the "working museum" aspect tends to get forgotten in far too many places.

P.H.

 

At Swanage we have deliberately run goods trains unfitted in the past to ensure competence, and we are planning to carry on doing it on occasion in 2014, in addition to the standard fitted DX freight rake. It is an important skill to have, and (being a bit selfish!) one that I particularly enjoy.

 

At the Bluebell when we run demonstration (as opposed to engineering) freight trains, they are unfitted. Up to 2012 we periodically ran them to develop and maintain competence (especially for guards); I don't think we ran any last year as motive power was so tight, but I'd hope we get back to running them in the future now that situation appears to be easing a bit. We also run with a brake van on only one end, so have to shunt at each terminus; when I've sene photos of of freight trains on other lines, often they have a brake van at each end.

Still, looking forward to a little "foreign excursion" next year, and this just adds to the attraction of going abroad for the day!

Tom

 

Interesting.

 

Martin Butler said
"Gary, is this to get your drivers experienced in running with un braked stock? its a thing that has largely ceased to be done on preserved railways these days, lhe ones i know of ,tend to run all stock fitted or through piped where there is no vac or air brake on the vehicle."

As Islander has indicated they are not being run for the sole purpose of Driver training, there is an element of "look what we have got" and why not. Martin I think you will be amazed how light wooden framed stock is, 5 LBSCR 5 plank wagons and a LSWR road van weigh in at a grand total of 41-42tons. that train would represent a typical Island coal train.

 

If organised, timber framed wagons can be repaired in a remarkablt short time. I spent a couple of weeks working in the wagon shops at Allerton Bywater colliery in 1970 and I was amazed to see coal wagons come in for repair and how quickly it could be done. A wagon could come in and have new solebars and planks fitted and be out again the same day. all the timber and materials were to hand and already cut to size, though, including tenons.

 

It was a very tight turn around for a rookie crew at KC (with the Inspector sitting patiently on the platform bench shaking his head). I ended up on at least 2 demonstration freight workings in 2012 and on the first run to KC we ended up with the incoming passenger train waiting at the outer home for us to finish shunting. Not so the next time around!

 

Gary - Aren't you doing heritage parcels trains as part of the santa experience this year?

 

cav1975 said

"Gary - Aren't you doing heritage parcels trains as part of the Santa experience this year?"


Yes sort of! An air braked PMV and a Shark as the brake van..........

 

Tom , I thought this thread was about the IOW and not the Bluebell.

Can I suggest your comments would be better in another thread?.

The seasons greetings

Chris:

 

Seasons greetings to you as well, and to Corbs and Rumpole who had previously in the thread talked about freight operations at their railways...

Tom

 

Hehe, you always manage to get the Bluebell in, but it's only natural, it being "your" railway, as the GWSR is "mine"


I wish more railways could have timetabled freight more often, it's a great initiative by the isle of Wight, I hope it sets a precedent for others
.
edit - part deleted - should have been in another thread!

 

i always enjoy Tom's posts and they are always very well informed. whether he enjoys all of mine is another matter!
the IOWSR wagons and coaches are quite superb and a real credit to the staff and volunteers.
i spent awhile in March measuring up one of the restored IOW ex-LBSCR wagons and i couldnt have been made more welcome and every facility was provided for me, and was even offered a private tour of the loco workshop.
please visit both the Bluebell and IOWSR next year! they both deserve your support and well worth a visit!
cheers,
julian