Swanage Carriages

As suggested in the 'MHR restorations' thread', I've started this topic to discuss carriages on the Swanage Railway.

Can anyone give an update on what is happening here? I know the Swanage railway has an ambitious plan to restore their Bulleid, Maunsell and Ironclad coaches. So what is the latest progress with this?

thanks

 

There is extensive information about the carriages at the Swanage the Swanage Railway Trust's website: Heritage Coach Fund

Where a pdf is available that outlines the carriage project, I cut and pasted the introduction below. The rest of the document is interesting and well worth a read, but as with most things such as this it is (in my opinion) is optimistic.

***Extract from the Swange Railway's trust carriage document***

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2009, the Swanage Railway Trust formulated its Heritage Coach Plan. This updated Plan, costed at around £1.25
(£1.31 million including contingencies), sets out the priorities for the Swanage Railway to restore its collection of
Bulleid, Maunsell and Ironclad coaches, with suggested cost plans and options for external finance. Scopes of work
are included with suggestions of that which could be undertaken by contractors and volunteers.
In summary, the plan details the creation of a Bulleid 4 coach set, a Maunsell Push-pull set and a 4 (or 5) coach
Maunsell/Ironclad ‘special traffic’ set. With BTK 4365 virtually complete and CK 5761 well advanced, a further
£220,000-£250,000 will be needed to restore 4366 and 1457 both of which are in poor condition to complete the
Bulleid set. Further funding of around £250,000 will have to be found for the Push-Pull set, for which it is intended to
seek grants over the next 18 months. The remaining Maunsell coaches are planned for use in a ‘Special Traffic set’,
which the Plan proposes would not be commenced until the Bulleid and push-pull sets are nearing completion and a
funding strategy in place. The priorities are:
1. completion of the Bulleid set
2. restoration of the Push-pull set
3. restoration of the remaining Maunsells and Ironclad for the Special Traffic set.
Detail consideration of the Special Traffic Set is now included in an Appendix; doing so should not be construed that
restoration of this set is being dropped from the Plan, merely that completion of the Bulleid and Push-Pull sets are
accorded higher priority.
Outside the scope of this plan is overhaul of Observation Car 14 and the future of the three privately owned Pullman
Cars, Bertha, Lydia and Isle of Thanet. In addition are the three LSWR coach bodies, which may yet acquire chassis,
to run as a vintage train.
1. INTRODUCTION
The Swanage Railway Trust (SRT) owns, or has on long term lease to it, 11 former Southern Railway (SR) coaches
dating from 1923 – 1947, which it plans to restore and operate on the Swanage Railway, as part of its commitment to
the operation of appropriate heritage rolling stock and for the SRT, as a charitable company, to interpret them as part
of its educational responsibilities.
service set to 6 coaches, and 1381 could also be similarly deployed in the other.
3. THE COACHES
The coaches to be included in the programme are:
1. LSWR design Ironclad Corridor Third no. 728 (built 1923)
2. Maunsell Open Third no. 1323 (built 1933)
3. Maunsell Open Third no. 1346 (built 1933)
4. Maunsell Open Third no. 1381 (built 1930)
5. Maunsell Brake Third no 2768 (built 1932)
6. Maunsell Brake Composite no. 6697 (built 1935)
7. Maunsell Brake Composite no. 6699 (built 1935)
8. Bulleid Brake Third no. 4365 (built 1947)
9. Bulleid Brake Third no. 4366 (built 1947)
10. Bulleid Composite no. 5761 (built 1947)
11. Bulleid Open Third no.1457 (built 1947)
Each coach is described with a brief history and their present condition in the Appendices...

***Extract end***



It is my contention that every organization that is really serious about there chosen project should after certain point - in the case of carriages I believe 3 or perhaps 4 - should invest in a a undercover storage facility beyond a functioning workshop as a priority instead of collecting more examples to restore.

One only has to look at various lines, - as an example the Swanage basically scrapped a unique 6 compartment Maunsell Brake 2768 due to unchecked body decay in preservation - to see the that it is pointless to keep the pretense of additional preservation when you cannot conserve what you have already... and yes I understand that its the individuals hard earned dinero and they can do what they please with it; but in the case of a serious organization money is been better spent on storage of existing vehicles.

The long tern serviceability of any vintage (or perhaps we should include BR mk1's now as 'classic' carriages much like the motor industry which roughly defines cars older that 30+ years as classic and anything older 45/50 as vintage or antique) is drastically improved if stored undercover and unrestored examples obviously benefit too from the ravages of the inclement British weather and perhaps more overall destructive ravages of the typical British vandal.

I know the Swanage are building a shed at (Herston?) which is I believe is the most important step forward for that line. Lets hope the Bluebell's plans for major storage facility comes together soon, the KESR find the money and the Mid Hants finds the space and money also.

 

Like many other railways, the Swanage is chronically short of land for building a large carriage shed; the NYMR is faced with the same problem. Unfortunately, at a time when even restored coaches have to be stored in the open when not in use, it is unlikely that unrestored vehicles will get priority for any undercover space that is available. However, it is perfectly feasible, and not expensive, to conserve coaches awaitingrestoration by enveloping them with a good overall tarpaulin. These can last up to 20 years or more and should arrest decay provided their securing ropes are checked periodically. They are, admittedly, not particularly pretty to look at, but are better than leaving a coach uncovered to decay (in my opinion!).

 

Thank you for starting this thread, and I am pleased the suggestion that updates be provided on the stock at Swanage is of interest.

As has been stated, back in 2009 the Swanage Railway Trust set out its plan for the phased restoration of the heritage coaches in its care. This has now been updated to reflect experience and revised timescales, although it should be emphasised that although the plan is in place, it is very much a fluid document and should not be taken as gospel. For example, Maunsell 1346 has jumped the queue to an extent in being sent to Ramparts (where it currently is) as it became time-critical that it left the site it was at, and funding was available for the initial stages of restoration to turn it out as a sealed shell. Yes the plan is optimistic, and on a personal basis I would not be immensely surprised if the finished version was different to how it currently is, but it gives some structure to what was a neglected area on the SR, as on many lines, and hopefully provides some impetus to heritage coach restoration there.

In terms of where we are at the moment, there are 3 vehicles currently being actively worked on:-

4365 (Bulleid brake third) - This was the first vehicle to be sent to Rampart, being returned several years ago. The initial plan envisaged external restoration being completed at an external contractor, with internal fitting out to be completed at Swanage. This fitting out has continued since its return to Swanage, and is now at an advanced stage. I am conscious that several stated dates for the vehicle to enter traffic have been and gone and so don't feel able to give an exact date, however I would anticipate its return to traffic to be in a relatively short period of time.

5761 (Bulleid composite) - Second vehicle from the plan to be externally restored, this returned to Swanage in 2010. Internal fitting out continues, and the vehicle is currently behind the goods shed at Corfe Castle for easy access.

1346 (Maunsell open third) - This is the latest vehicle to be sent to Ramparts as detailed above. Work continues with a view to it returning to Swanage as an externally watertight shell during this year.

Of the other vehicles, (I believe) 3 are currently stored in an undercover off-site storage facility. I can't recall off the top of my head which vehicles these are, although I seem to recall that Maunsells 1323 and 6697 are among those. As has been stated, undercover storage is a massively important step, and with the facility we have been lucky enough to gain use of this allows the vehicles to be stored in a controlled environment while they await their turn for restoration. Of the other vehicles, all are stored under tarpaulins as an attempt at conserving them, although clearly this is not as good as having them stored within a shed.

Another historic vehicle that is not covered within the plan is Pullman observation Car 14. Repatriated from America a few years ago, this re-entered traffic following a spell away having repairs done in October 2011. After a little uncertainty on whether it would be hired out for 2012, it is now intended that it be used at Swanage during particularly the low and mid-season timetables. There are doubts over whether its use would compromise much-needed seating capacity during the peak-season, hence why this is the current plan.

Progress with the project depends entirely on those things that are all too rare on heritage railways; manpower, time and money. Without any one of those progress will slow, and with a project of this magnitude it is important to maintain momentum so as not to spend all of your time chasing your tail. If anyone has any questions, would like further information or is able to be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me either by PM on this site, or by e-mail at nicklloyd107[AT]yahoo.co.uk (usual spam filter - replace the [AT] with @).

Kind regards

Nick

 

It's an interesting plan, and I wish the Swange people success. If successful, they'll have a great collection.

 

Its certainly an ambitious plan, but I have no doubt that there will be some excellent vehicles turned out.

I am in Swanage for the next few weekends, and will try to grab a few spare moments to get some pictures of some of the vehicles (weather permitting!).

 

Swanage Railway are painting their wine and dine set into a 5 coach blood and custard set....hopefully available for photo charters!

 

Just by way of update, I was around the railway the last few weekends and managed to get a few shots of Maunsell's No's 2768 and 6697, which can be found at the following links:-

018 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
017 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
016 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
015 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I didn't take any photos of the other unrestored vehicles as they are all stored under tarpaulins; they would have made for pretty uninteresting photographs!

In terms of vehicles closer to traffic, work continues on the internal restoration of 5761 at Corfe Castle, and on 4365 at Swanage. It is planned that 4365 will enter traffic in the early part of this year; it had better, as we need the capacity at the diesel gala!

 

The first vehicle, kitchen car No.1937, has now been outshopped in blood and custard; looking very nice...

 

Certainly makes a nice change from the blue livery that was once used on one or two vehicles in the set.

I wonder how long the current wine and dine set will remain in service? I believe the plan is to eventually replace it with a Pullman wine and dine set, using the Pullman cars currently stored at Carnforth.

 

Doesn't the Bluebell's non-Pullman w&d set also sport Blood and Custard ?

 

Only two coaches Michael which I understand are privately owned.

Regards
Chris:

 

By way of a brief update, 3 carriages of the Wine and Dine are now in blood and custard ( and looking very nice!), with the 4th to follow shortly.

At the Council of Management meeting last Saturday, it was stated that it is planned for Bulleid brake No.4365 to enter service for the first time since overhaul this coming Saturday, 24 March. It just happens to be the Railways at Work weekend as well, so come down to see the carriage and we'll try to rope you in to restore the rest of them!

 

Photos below, and on facebook

http://railways.national-preservati.../35180-swanage-railway-2012-a.html#post467095

 

A small article on 4365's first day in traffic can be found at Swanage Railway News Gallery - Page 816. It has subsequently been temporarily withdrawn for a few running-in issues to be sorted and a final repaint, and it will then enter general traffic.

 

Good to see another Bulleid carriage back in service. Very comfy ride from what I remember of the most recent Bulleid Brake restoration on the Bluebell.

 

Any news on the propsed push-pull set? The page on the SRT website hasn't been updated for a couple of years, by the look of things. Does it have a fund of its own?

 

Post removed

 

8 years on and Covid, the carriage shed now has funding and should be finished 2022, also the Wareham DMUs, and the 4TC (or 3TC!) push pull set with a 33.
Some slow but steady progress with 2 Bulleid and 2 Maunsell carriages in use.
From the talk in February
42 mins in, the plan seems to be 3 Bulleid and 2 Maunsell carriages to form set C, (which will help operations).
Then work will continue on the Maunsells 1323 and 6697 push pull set D (40mins in)
A long time later work will be on the 6 wheel LSWR coach bodies (of which there are now 4).
Guess the operational use of the 4TC, the Maunsells 1323 and 6697 push pull set (and the LSWR carriages) is they are shorter than the main 5 carriage sets so less useful, except for galas or off peak times?

 

A very informative behind the scenes video on the Heritage Carriages. Well done all!